Weekly Address: Democrats and Republicans Have Shared Responsibility to Move America Forward
每周电视讲话:民主党人和共和党人有责任共同将美国推向前进
WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama resolved to do everything he can to make sure the economy is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening the middle class in the new year. With each party controlling one house of the Congress, Democrats and Republicans will share the responsibility to move the country forward, and the President reiterated his commitment to work with anyone who has a good idea in either party.
华盛顿:在本周的讲话中,奥巴马总统决心在新的一年里竭尽所能确保经济增长，创造就业，并巩固中产阶级地位。由于两党各自控制国会的一个议院，因此，民主党人和共和党人将共同承担把国家推向前进的责任，总统再次申明他的承诺：他将与两党中有好的意见的任何人合作。
Hello, everybody. As we close the books on one year and begin another, I wanted to take a moment today to wish you a very Happy New Year and talk a little bit about the year that lies ahead.
大家好。在这一元复始、万象更新的时刻，我祝福大家新年快乐，还想花些时间谈一谈将要到来的这一年。
At the start of 2011, we’re still just emerging from a once-in-a-lifetime recession that’s taken a terrible toll on millions of families. We all have friends and neighbors trying to get their lives back on track.
2011年新年伊始，我们刚刚摆脱百年不遇的大衰退，这场衰退给数百万家庭带来了严重的损失。我们都有朋友和邻居还在为让生活重回正轨而努力奋斗。
We are, however, riding a few months of economic news that suggests our recovery is gaining traction. And our most important task now is to keep that recovery going. As President, that’s my commitment to you: to do everything I can to make sure our economy is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening our middle class. That’s my resolution for the coming year.
尽管几个月来我们听到的经济新闻都显示我们的经济复苏动力强劲。而我们当前最重要的任务就是保持经济复苏一直持续下去。作为总统，以下是我对你们的承诺：我将竭尽所能确保经济增长，创造就业，并巩固中产阶级地位。这是我今年决心完成的工作。
Still, even as we work to boost our economy in the short-term, it’s time to make some serious decisions about how to keep our economy strong, growing, and competitive in the long run. We have to look ahead – not just to this year, but to the next 10 years, and the next 20 years. Where will new innovations come from? How will we attract the companies of tomorrow to set up shop and create jobs in our communities? What will it take to get those jobs? What will it take to out-compete other countries around the world? What will it take to see the American Dream come true for our children and grandchildren?
然而，即便在我们短期提振经济的同时，现在我们也需要作出一些重要的决定从长远的角度保持我们的经济强大，不断增长，并保持竞争力。我们需要向前看——不仅仅是看到今年，而是要考虑到今后十年，以及二十年。新的创新将来自何方？我们如何才能吸引未来的公司来我们这里开展业务并创造就业？采用什么样的措施才能获得这些工作岗位？采用什么样的措施才能在与全世界其他国家的竞争中胜出？采用什么样的措施才能让我们的子孙实现美国梦？
Our parents and grandparents asked themselves those questions. And because they had the courage to answer them, we’ve had the good fortune to grow up in the greatest nation on Earth.
这些问题我们的父母和祖父母们曾经问过他们自己。因为他们有勇气去回答这些问题，这使得我们有幸在这个世界上最伟大的国家成长。
Now it’s our turn to think about the future. In a few days, a new Congress will form, with one house controlled by Democrats, and one house controlled by Republicans – who now have a shared responsibility to move this country forward. And here’s what I want you to know: I’m willing to work with anyone of either party who’s got a good idea and the commitment to see it through. And we should all expect you to hold us accountable for our progress or our failure to deliver.
现在轮到我们考虑未来了。几天之后，新的国会将组建完成，由于民主党控制参议院，共和党控制众议院——两党现在要共同承担将国家推向前进的责任。我想告诉大家的是：我愿意与两党中任何拥有好的建议和渡过难关的决心的人合作。而且我们也希望大家监督，无论是成功还是失败，我们都将负责。
As I’ve said since I first ran for this office, solving our challenges won’t be quick or easy. We have come through a difficult decade; one of new threats and new trials we didn’t expect when it began. But a new year and a new decade stretch out before us. And if we just remember what America is capable of, and live up to that legacy, then I’m confident that we are poised for a period of progress – one in which our economy is growing, our standing in the world is rising, and we do what it takes to make sure America remains in the 21st century what it was in the 20th: the greatest country in the world.
在我竞选之初我就说过，解决我们面临的挑战不是一朝一夕的事儿。我们刚刚度过一个艰难的十年，当它开始的时候我们未能预料到新的威胁和挑战。但新的一年以及新的十年在我们面前展开。如果我们能够记得美国无所不能，不辜负我们的传统，那么我对我们取得长期的进步充满信心——我们的经济将持续增长，我们在国际上的地位将持续抬升，我们将为确保美国像20世纪一样在21世纪依然保持是世界上最伟大的国家而不懈努力。
Thanks for listening. And Happy New Year.
谢谢聆听。新年快乐！ |