奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统呼吁维护劳动者权益

Hi,everybody.My top priority as President is to grow the economy and help more hardworking Americans get ahead.And after the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes,our businesses have now created 12.6 million new jobs over the past 63 months.
大家好！作为总统，促进经济增长，帮助辛勤劳动的美国人民获得成功，一直是我的头等大事。在经历我们此生遭遇的最严重的经济危机之后，企业在过去的63个月里一共创造了1260万个就业岗位。
That's a record streak¹ of job creation.And it's come as we've been working to reform our schools,revitalize manufacturing and the auto² industry,revamp our job training programs-and rework our health care system,covering more than 16 million uninsured Americans so far.
这也创下就业连续增长的新纪录。这一切源自于我们改革教育、激活制造业和汽车产业、革新职业培训体系、改造医疗保险系统，最后这一项让1600多万未参保人员获得了保障。
We've done all of this to rebuild our economy on a new foundation,a foundation for growth that benefits not only us,but our kids,and their kids.Because we do live in a new economy.And we've got to adapt to make sure America leads the way in this new century,just like we did in the last.
我们所做的这一切，为我们的经济发展重新打下基础，以此为基础获得的经济增长，不仅惠及我们大家，也惠及我们的孩子们、他人的孩子们。我们生活在新经济环境下，所以我们必须适应环境，确保美国在新的世纪里像以往一样继续领导发展道路。
Part of that means sparking new sources of growth and job creation that keep us on the cutting edge.And one big way to do that is through smart new trade agreements that level the playing field for our workers,open new markets for our businesses,and hold other countries to the kinds of high standards that Americans are proud to hold ourselves to here at home.
这其中就意味着我们要激活新的增长源泉和就业来源，保持我们的领先优势。而其中尤为重要的方式就是通过新的贸易协定来为我们的劳动者提供更好的发展环境，为我们的企业打开新的市场，让其它国家也遵守与我们一样的高标准，而我们也以在国内遵守这样的标准而自豪。
Simply put,America has to write the rules of the 21st century economy in a way that benefits American workers.If we don't,countries like China will write those rules in a way that benefits their workers.
简单的说，美国必须改写21世纪的经济发展规则，这对美国的劳动者是有利的。如果我们不这么做，中国这些国家就会制定对它们国家劳动者有利的规则。
Now,on Friday,Republicans and Democrats³ in the House of Representatives voted to help the United States negotiate new trade deals that are both free and fair-deals that expand opportunity for our workers and our businesses alike.And that's good.These kinds of trade deals say no to a race for the bottom,for lower wages and working conditions.They're about starting a race to the top,for higher wages,and better working conditions,stronger environmental protections,and a smarter way to crack down on countries that break the rules of the global economy.
周五，众议院的共和党和民主党议员们通过投票帮助我们开启新的智能的自由公平的贸易协定谈判，这些协定会扩大我国劳动者和企业的机会。这很好。这些协定对低层次的竞争、低工资和恶劣工作环境说不。开启了高层次的竞争，支持更高的工资，更好的工作环境，更严格的环境保护措施，用更智能的方式去打击那些破坏全球经济发展秩序的国家。
But that's not all we should be doing for our workers.Right now,something called Trade Adjustment Assistance provides vital support,like job-training and community college education,to tens of thousands of American workers each year who were hurt by past trade deals-the kind we're not going to repeat again.Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have voted to renew this initiative,but so far,the House of Representatives has chosen to let it expire in just a few months,leaving as many as 100,000 American workers on their own.For the sake of those workers,their families,and their communities,I urge those Members of Congress who voted against Trade Adjustment Assistance to reconsider,and stand up for American workers.
但这还不是我们为我们的劳动者要做的全部事情。现在，有一项名为《贸易调整援助》的法案也能提供关键支撑，例如职业培训和社区大学教育，过去的贸易协定让数十万美国劳动者年年深受其害，我们不能让悲剧重演。参议院的共和党和民主党议员们已经投票通过了对这一议案的更新调整，但直到现在，众议院议员们却选择让这一议案在未来几个月内过期失效，置10多万劳动者的利益不管不顾。为了这些劳动者、他们的家人以及他们所生活的社区的利益，我敦促那些对《贸易调整援助法案》投反对票的国会的议员们重新考虑考虑，站在美国劳动者的位置上慎重决定。
Because these smart new trade deals aren't just about growing our economy and supporting good new American jobs.This is about the kind of country we want to build for our kids and our grandkids.And if I did not think that smart new trade deals were the right thing to do for working families,I wouldn't be fighting for it.
因为这些新的贸易协定不仅仅关系到促进我们的经济增长，创造新的就业岗位。这也关系到我们希望为我们的子孙后代留下一个什么样的国家。如果我不认为新的贸易协定是有利于我们的中产家庭的事业，我就不会这么长期为之努力奋斗。
This is the right thing to do.Trade that's fair and free and smart will grow opportunity for our middle class.It will help us restore the dream we share,and make sure that every American who works hard has a chance to get ahead.That's a cause worth fighting for-today,and every day I have the honor of serving as your President.
这是正当的事业。公平、自由、智能的贸易将为我们的中产阶级带来更多机会。帮助我们重拾我们共同的梦想，确保每一个辛勤付出的美国人都有机会获得成功。这是值得我今天乃至我有幸担任总统的每一天都为之奋斗的事业。
Thanks everybody,and have a great weekend.
谢谢大家！祝周末愉快！

1 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

2 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》