奥巴马每周电视讲话 尊重《社会保障法》

Weekly Address: President Obama Promises to Protect Social Security from Republican Plans to Privatize It
 每周电视讲话：奥巴马总统承诺捍卫《社会保障法》，抵制共和党人的私有化计划
 
WASHINGTON – On the 75th anniversary of Social Security being signed into law, President Obama promised that he would protect it from the Republican leaders in Congress who have made privatization a key part of their agenda. Despite the financial crisis, they still believe that gambling¹ Social Security on Wall Street is a good idea.  This President will not let that happen.  For several generations, Social Security has been a promise to America’s seniors – that they will have the chance to retire with dignity – and he will safeguard that promise.
 华盛顿消息：在《社会保障法》签署生效的75周年纪念日，奥巴马总统承诺将捍卫《社会保障法》，坚决抵制国会共和党领导人将其私有化作为立法议程的行动。他们不顾金融危机，依然相信将社会保障放到华尔街的赌博桌上是个好注意。总统不会让它发生。几代人以来，《社会保障法》一直作为对美国老人的一项承诺——让他们可以体面的退休生活——而他还将继续恪守这项诺言。
 
Seventy-five years ago today, in the midst of the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt signed Social Security into law, laying a cornerstone in the foundation of America’s middle class, and assuring generations of America’s seniors that after a lifetime of hard work, they’d have a chance to retire with dignity.  We have an obligation to keep that promise; to safeguard Social Security for our seniors, people with disabilities, and all Americans – today, tomorrow, and forever.
 七十五年前的今天，正处于大萧条的中期，富兰克林·罗斯福签署了《社会保障法》，为美国的中产阶级基础奠定了基石，同时也确保数代美国老人在一生的辛勤工作后，可以体面的退休。我们有责任信守这项承诺；为了我们的老人，残疾人以及所有美国人捍卫《社会保障法》，今天，明天，直至永远。
 
Now, we’ve been talking for a long time about how to do that; about how to make sure Social Security is healthy enough to cover the higher costs that are kicking in now that baby boomers are retiring. And I’m committed to working with anyone, Democrat² or Republican, who wants to strengthen Social Security. I’m also encouraged by the reports of serious bipartisan work being done on this and other issues in the fiscal³ commission that I set up several months ago.
 现在，我们对于如何来做，确保社会保障在婴儿潮的一代人逐步进入退休年龄时跟上渐渐高涨的成本支出已经讨论了很长时间。而且我也承诺将与任何人合作，无论是民主党或共和党，任何希望巩固社会保障的人都可以。我也受到几个月前我设立的两党联合财政委员会在众多问题上的合作产生的报告的鼓舞。
 
One thing we can’t afford to do though is privatize Social Security – an ill-conceived idea that would add trillions of dollars to our budget deficit⁴ while tying your benefits to the whims⁵ of Wall Street traders and the ups and downs of the stock market.
 然而我们唯一不能接受的就是将社会保障私有化——将人民的福利交给反复无常的华尔街商人和起伏不定的股票市场，注定会增加数万亿的预算赤字，这是考虑欠周的主意。
 
A few years ago, we had a debate about privatizing Social Security. And I’d have thought that debate would’ve been put to rest once and for all by the financial crisis we’ve just experienced. I’d have thought, after being reminded how quickly the stock market can tumble, after seeing the wealth people worked a lifetime to earn wiped out in a matter of days, that no one would want to place bets with Social Security on Wall Street; that everyone would understand why we need to be prudent⁶ about investing the retirement⁷ money of tens of millions of Americans.
 数年前，我们已经对社会保障私有化进行了辩论。我曾想我们刚刚经历的金融危机可以将这项辩论永久性的搁置起来。我曾想，在一想起股票市场下跌会如何迅速惨烈，看见富裕的人们一生的积蓄几天之间就付诸东流的情景后，没有人会把社会保障作为赌注交给华尔街；而且所有人都会理解在关系到数千万美国人的退休金投资上我们为什么需要小心谨慎。
 
But some Republican leaders in Congress don’t seem to have learned any lessons from the past few years. They’re pushing to make privatizing Social Security a key part of their legislative⁸ agenda if they win a majority in Congress this fall. It’s right up there on their to-do list with repealing⁹ some of the Medicare benefits and reforms that are adding at least a dozen years to the fiscal health of Medicare – the single longest extension in history.
 但国会的一些共和党领导人并没有从过去几年里吸取什么教训。他们正在努力推动社会保障私有化，如果今年秋天他们能赢得国会的多数席位，这将成为他们立法议程的关键部分。这项议程跟废除医疗保险福利和改革一样列在他们的待办事项表上，而医改已经为医疗保险增加了至少十二年的财政基础——有史以来的最长展期。
 
That agenda is wrong for seniors, it’s wrong for America, and I won’t let it happen. Not while I’m President. I’ll fight with everything I’ve got to stop those who would gamble your Social Security on Wall Street. Because you shouldn’t be worried that a sudden downturn in the stock market will put all you’ve worked so hard for – all you’ve earned – at risk. You should have the peace of mind of knowing that after meeting your responsibilities and paying into the system all your lives, you’ll get the benefits you deserve.
 该项议程对于老人们来说是错误的，对于美国来说也是错误的，我不会允许它的发生。不仅仅在我还是总统的时候。我将继续与任何将社会保障交给华尔街的赌博行径和人进行斗争。因为你们不应该担心股票市场突然的低迷导致你们如此努力工作应获得的——你们所有的积攒——处在风险之中。你们应该获得内心的宁静，知道一辈子担负自己的责任和向社保系统支付投保金后，你们将会获得应有的福利。
 
Seventy-five years ago today, Franklin Roosevelt made a promise. He promised that from that day forward, we’d offer – quote – “some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against&hellippoverty-stricken old age.” That’s a promise each generation of Americans has kept. And it’s a promise America will continue to keep so long as I have the honor of serving as President. Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching. And have a nice weekend.
 七十五年前的今天，富兰克林·罗斯福许下承诺。他说从那天开始，我们会为“普通公民以及他的家庭在应对年老时的贫困上提供一些保障手段”。这是几代美国人一直信守的承诺。也是在我有幸作为总统为大家服务的时间里我们将继续信守的承诺。谢谢收听，谢谢观看，祝大家周末愉快！
 
 

1 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

4 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

5 WHIMS   

虚妄，禅病

参考例句：

• The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。
• The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

7 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

8 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

9 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。