奥巴马总统每周电台演讲:总统希望国会为人民着想尽快完成该做之事

Over the last few weeks, I've been talking a lot about America's economic future.

在过去几周,我一直在讨论关于美国经济的未来。

I've told you how I believe we should go about creating strong, sustained growth;

我已经告诉你们我认为我们应该着手创造如何强有力、持续的增长；

how we should pay down our long-term debt in a balanced way;

我们应该如何偿还我们的长期债务以达平衡；

and most of all, what we should do right now to create good, middle-class jobs, so people who work hard can get ahead.

而且最为重要的是,我们现在应该做什么来创建好的,中产阶级的工作岗位,让工作努力的人获得成功。

This isn't some abstract debate or trivial argument.

这并不是某种抽象辩论或微不足道的论点。


I've said that this is the defining issue of our time, and I mean it.

我已经说过这是我们时代的定义问题,而且我真的是这样认为。

I've said that this is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and I believe it.

我已经说过,这是中产阶级生死存亡的时刻,而且我对这点坚信不疑。

The decisions we make over the next few years will have an enormous impact on the country we live in, and the one we pass on to our children.

我们在未来几年所做的决定将对我们现在的这个国家产生巨大影响, 而之后我们将把这个国家托付给我们的孩子们。

Right now, we're still fighting our way back from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

现在,我们还在自大萧条以来最严重的经济危机中缓慢恢复。

The economy is growing again, but it's not growing fast enough.

经济恢复了增长,但它的增长速度不够快。

Our businesses have created 4.3 million new jobs over the last 27 months, but we're not creating them fast enough.

我们的企业已经在过去的27个月中创造了430万个新的工作岗位,但我们创建的速度不够快。

And we're facing some pretty serious headwinds—from the effects of the recent spike¹ in gas prices, to the financial crisis in Europe.

我们正在面对的是一些相当严重的阻力,从最近的油价飙升,到欧洲的金融危机。

But here's the thing.

但这就是问题所在。

We have the answers to these problems.

我们对这些问题已经有了解决办法。

We have plenty of big ideas and technical solutions from both sides of the aisle².

我们两党双方有足够多的想法和技术解决方案。

That's not what's holding us back.

不是这些在阻碍着我们。

What's holding us back is a stalemate in Washington.

阻止我们的是在华盛顿的一个僵局。

Last September, I sent Congress a jobs bill full of the kinds of bipartisan ideas that could have put over a million Americans back to work and helped bolster³ our economy against outside shocks.

去年9月,我向国会提交了就业法案，其中充满了两党合作的各样想法，这可能让超过一百万的美国人重返工作岗位,并帮助增强我们的经济对抗外部冲击。

I sent them a plan that would have reduced our deficit⁴ by $4 trillion in a balanced way that pays for the investments we need by cutting unnecessary spending and asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a little bit more in taxes.

我给他们送去一个计划,这将会以一种平衡的方式减少我们的赤字到4万亿美元，通过削减不必要的开支并要求最富有的美国人付出一点点更多的税为我们需要的投资买单。

Since then, Congress has passed a few parts of that jobs bill, like a tax cut that's allowing working Americans to keep more of your paycheck every week.

自那以来,国会已经通过了几部分的就业法案,如减税以让美国工作的人们每周拥有更多的薪水。

But on most of the ideas that would create jobs and grow our economy,

但是对于大多数将创造就业和促进经济增长的想法。

Republicans in Congress haven't lifted a finger.

国会中的共和党人则还没动过一根手指头。

They'd rather wait until after the election in November.

他们宁愿等到11月选举之后。

Just this past week, one of them said, “Why not wait for the reinforcements?”

刚刚过去的这个星期,其中一人称:“为什么不等待加强?”

That's a quote.

这只是一种引用。

And you can bet plenty of his colleagues are thinking the same thing.

你可以打赌他的很多同僚都在想着同样的事情。

I think that's wrong.

我认为这是错误的。

This isn't about who wins or loses in Washington.

这不是关乎在华盛顿谁赢谁输。

This is about your jobs, your paychecks, your children's future.

这是关乎你的工作,你的薪水,你的孩子的未来。

There's no excuse for Congress to stand by and do nothing while so many families are struggling. None.

国会没有理由袖手旁观,什么都不做,眼睁睁目睹许多家庭仍然置身水深火热之中。不能这样。

Right now, Congress should pass a bill to help states put thousands of teachers, firefighters and police officers back on the job.

现在,国会应该通过一项法案来帮助各州让成千上万的教师、消防队员和警察重返工作岗位。

They should have passed a bill a long time ago to put thousands of construction workers back to work rebuilding our roads and bridges and runways.

他们很久以前就应该通过一项法案,让成千上万的建筑工人重返工地,重建我们的公路和桥梁及机场跑道。

And instead of just talking about job creators, they should give small-business owners a tax break for hiring more workers and paying them higher wages.

而不仅仅是谈论工作的创造者们,他们应该给小企业主减税以雇佣更多工人并为他们支付更高的工资。

Right now, Congress should give every responsible homeowner the opportunity to save an average of $3,000 a year by refinancing their mortgage.

现在,国会应该通过重新的抵押贷款给每一个负责任的房主平均每年节省3000美元的机会。

They should extend tax credits for clean energy manufacturers so we don't walk away from 40,000 good jobs.

他们应该为清洁能源厂家延长税收抵免，这样我们就不会放走40000份好工作。

And instead of giving tax breaks to companies who ship jobs overseas, Congress should take that money and use it to cover moving expenses for companies that are bringing jobs back to America.

不是为那些提供海外工作机会的企业提供税收优惠,国会应该那些钱来替代将工作岗位带回美国企业的这部分费用。

There's no reason to wait.

没有理由等待。

Every problem we face is within our power to solve.

我们面对的每一个问题都是在我们的力所能及的范围之内。

What's lacking is our politics.

缺少是我们的政治。

Remind your Members of Congress why you sent them to Washington in the first place.

提醒你的国会成员们为什么你首先将他们派去华盛顿。

Tell them to stop worrying about the next election and start worrying about the next generation.

告诉他们不要担心下次选举，要开始担心的是下一代。

I'm ready to work with anyone—Republican, Democrat⁵, or Independent— who is serious about moving this country forward.

我愿与任何人—共和党、民主党人,或独立党—那些愿认真的将这个国家推向前进的人共事。

And I hope Members of Congress will join me.

我希望国会成员能够加入我。

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

谢谢,祝周末愉快。

1 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

2 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

3 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

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 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。