奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统呼吁为更多美国人创造工作机会

Hi, everybody.
大家好。
In this year of action, I said I'd do everything in my power to expand opportunity for more Americans.
大家好！在今年的施政纲领中，我曾说过，我将利用好我手中的权力全力以赴，为更多美国人创造机会。
And this week, I took action to lift more workers' wages by requiring federal contractors¹ to pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour.
本周，我采取措施要求联邦政府承包商向其雇员提供10.10美元的最低时薪,以此提高工人工资。
These are workers who serve our troops' meals, wash their dishes, care for our veterans-Americans who work hard and will get a raise as these contracts come up.
这些工人为我们的部队提供饮食，刷盘子洗碗，照顾着我们的退伍军人，他们辛勤工作，随着这些合同的执行他们应该得到回报。
This will be good for contractors, for taxpayers², and for America's bottom line.
这对承包商、对纳税人、对提高美国的社会底线都是有好处的。
We know why this is important.
我们都知道这一点为什么这么重要。
Our economy has been growing for four years.
我们的经济连续四年保持增长。
Our businesses have created eight and a half million new jobs.
我们的企业创造了850万个工作岗位。
But while those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages have barely budged³.
但金字塔顶端的成功人士更加成功，而平均工资却基本没有什么变化。
Too many Americans are working harder than ever just to get by, let alone get ahead.
有太多美国人民比以前更加辛勤的工作，却只能勉强度日，更不用说取得成功了。
And that's been true since long before the recession hit.
这种情况在经济衰退之前就长期存在。
That's why we've got to build an economy that works for everybody, not just a fortunate few.
我们要构建一个为所有人服务而不仅仅是为富裕的少数人服务的经济体，其原因正在与此。
We've got to restore opportunity for all-the notion that no matter who you are or how you started out, with hard work and responsibility, you can get ahead in America.
我们必须为所有人创造机会，在这个国家，无论你是谁，来自那里，只要你努力工作，有责任心，你就能取得成功。
The opportunity agenda I've laid out is built on more new jobs that pay good wages; better training for folks to fill those jobs; a smarter education for our kids; and making sure honest work is rewarded.
我提出的创造机会这一事项就是要创造更多薪资优厚的工作岗位，为人们适应这些工作岗位提供更好的培训，为孩子们提供更优质的教育，确保诚实工作的人得到回报。
And the action I took this week will reward hard work for more Americans.
本周，我采取的措施将为更多辛勤工作的美国人民带来回报。
But to finish the job, Congress needs to act.
但要完成这一任务，国会必须有所行动。
In the year since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, six states have passed laws to raise theirs.
我第一次向国会提出提高最低工资标准的那一年，有六个州通过立法响应了这一号召。
More states, cities, counties, and companies are taking steps to join them.
而且有更多的州、市、县和公司正在采取措施加入这一行列。
An overwhelming majority of Americans support raising a minimum wage that's worth about 20% less than when Ronald Reagan took office.
绝大多数的美国人民是支持提高最低工资标准的，当下的最低工资的实际购买力比罗纳德?里根总统主政时期还低20%。
Right now, there's a bill in Congress that would boost America's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
当下，国会审议的一份法案将把美国的最低工资标准提高到10.10美元/小时。
That's easy to remember: ten-ten.
这个数字很好记，10美元10美分。
And remember, the average worker who would get a raise if Congress acts is about 35 years old.
要知道，国会上一次提高平均工资水平还是35年前的事儿了。
Most lower-wage jobs are held by women.
大部分低工资的工作是妇女承担的。
And raising the minimum wage wouldn't just raise their wages-its effect would lift wages for about 28 million Americans.
提高最低工资标准不仅仅能提高他们的工资收入，其影响是提高2800万美国人的工资水平。
It would lift millions of Americans out of poverty, and help millions more work their way out of poverty-without requiring a single dollar in new taxes or spending.
将让数百万美国人脱离贫困，帮助数百万人找到摆脱贫困的工作，而这一切完全不需要增加税收和财政支出。
It will give more businesses more customers with more money to spend-and that means growing the economy for everyone.
这将让更多企业、更多消费者有更多的钱可以消费，这也意味着经济增长能够惠及每一个人。
You deserve to know where the people who represent you stand on this.
大家有权知道代表人民的人在这个问题上的立常
If they don't support raising the federal minimum wage to ten-ten an hour, ask them “why not?”
如果他们不同意将联邦最低工资标准提高到10.10美元/小时，问问他们为什么。
The opponents of raising folks' wages have deployed⁴ the same old arguments for years, and time and again, they've been proven wrong.
反对提高人们的工资水平的人展开了一年又一年的辩论，但一次又一次，时间证明他们错了。让我们再次证明他们真的错了，让我们提高美国的工资标准。
Let's prove them wrong again, and give America a raise. Let's make opportunity easier to come by for every American who's willing to work for it.
让我们为所有愿意争取机会的人提供更多更便利的机会。
Thanks, and have a great weekend.
谢谢大家，祝你们周末愉快。

1 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

3 budged   

v.（使）稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步

参考例句：

• Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动，他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
• Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。