奥巴马每周电视讲话：总统呼吁为中产阶级争取更多利益

Hi everybody.



海，大家好。



On Wednesday, I spoke 1 about what we need to do as a country to build a better bargain for the middle class,



我在周三谈到了我们作为一个国家为中产阶级讨回一点利益所需要做的。



to make sure everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead in the 21st century economy.



确保任何努力工作的人在21世纪的经济里有机会过得好。



You see, over the past four and a half years, America has fought its way back from the worst recession of our lifetimes.



众所周知，在过去的4年半里，美国一直在艰苦奋斗，走出我们一生中最严重的衰退。



We saved the auto 2 industry, took on a broken health care system,



我们挽救了汽车工业，修补了破损的医疗体系，



invested in new American technologies to reverse our addiction 3 to foreign oil,



投资于美国的新技术彻底摆脱我们对进口石油的依赖，



and changed a tax code too skewed in favor of the wealthiest at the expense of working families.



改革以牺牲工薪阶层为代价倾向于富人群的税法。



As a result, our businesses have created 7.2 million new jobs over the past 40 months.



结果是，我们的企业在过去的40个月里创造了720万个新就业机会。



We produce more renewable energy than ever, and more natural gas than anyone.



我们生产了比以往更多的可再生能源，生产的天然气超过任何国家。



Health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years.



医疗成本增长率创50年来最低。



Our deficits 4 are falling at the fastest rate in 60 years.



我们的赤字以60年来最快的速度下降。



Thanks to the grit 5 and resilience of the American people,



由于美国人民的坚忍不拔，



we've cleared away the rubble 6 of crisis and begun to lay a new foundation for stronger, more durable 7 economic growth.



我们扫清了危机的废墟奠定了更加强劲更加持久的经济增长的基矗



But as any middle-class family will tell you, we're not yet where we need to be.



但是正如任何中产阶级所告诉你的，我们做的还不到位。



Trends that have been eroding 8 middle-class security for decades-technology that makes some jobs obsolete 9, global competition that makes others moveable, growing inequality and the policies that perpetuate 10 it,



几十年来侵蚀中产阶级安全感的各种趋势—使一些工作过时的技术，使其他国家进步的全球竞争，日益增长的不平等和令其屡禁不止的政策



all these things still exist, and in some ways, the recession made them worse.



这一切都存在，经济衰退还以某些方式加重这些。



Reversing these trends must be Washington's highest priority.



逆转这些趋势必须是华盛顿的第一要务。



It sure is mine.



肯定是我的第一要务。



But over the past couple of years in particular, Washington has taken its eye off the ball.



但是在过去的几年里，华盛顿反而转移了视线。



An endless parade of distractions 11, political posturing 12 and phony scandals shift focus from what needs to be done.



无尽的游行、政治作秀、造假丑闻使我们偏离了我们需要做的。



And as Washington prepares to enter another budget debate, the stakes could not be higher.



而随着华盛顿准备进入另一场预算辩论，没有什么更加紧迫了。



The choices we make now will determine whether or not every American has a fighting chance in the 21st century.



我们现在做出的决策将决定是否每一个美国人都在21世纪有机会奋斗。



If we don't make the investments necessary to make America a magnet for good jobs,



如果我们不做必要的投资使美国成为好工作的磁石，



in education, and manufacturing, and research, and our transportation and information networks-we might as well hit the “pause” button while the rest of the world forges ahead in a global economy.



在教育、制造业、研究及我们的交通通讯网络的投资—我们可能就会按下“暂停”按钮，而世界上其他国家则在全球经济中大踏步前进。



And that ' s certainly not going to fix what ails 13 the middle class.



这当然不能解决中产阶级的困扰。



Here's what will:



以下是能解决这些困扰的：



a strategy that builds on the cornerstones of what it means to be middle class in America, and what it takes to work your way into the middle class.



建立决定什么是美国的中产阶级的基石上的战略，它能为你开辟进入中产阶级的道路。



Good jobs that pay good wages.



收入可观的好工作。



An education that prepares our children and our workers for the global competition they'll face.



为我们的孩子们和工人们所准备的应对他们面临的全球竞争的教育。



Homeownership that's based on a solid foundation, where buyers and lenders play by the same set of rules.



基础牢固的所有者有住所，买房者和放贷者在同一规则下竞争。



Affordable 14 health care that's there for you when you get sick.



当你生病时可以承受得起的医疗。



A secure retirement 15 even if you're not rich.



你不富裕也有可靠的退休金。



More chances for folks to earn their way into the middle class as long as they're willing to work for it.



更多只要努力工作就能进入中产阶级的机会。



Over the next several weeks, in cities and towns across the country, I'll continue to lay out my ideas in each of these areas.



在未来的几周里，在全国各个城市和乡镇，我将继续在这些地区阐述我的观点。



Because reversing the forces that have conspired 16 against the middle class for decades will require more than short-term thinking;



因为打退几十年来暗中损害中产阶级势力需要的不是短期思维；



it will require a long-term American strategy, based on steady, persistent 17 effort.



它需要的是长期的美国战略，基于稳定的坚实努力的战略。



I know there are members of both parties who understand what's at stake,



我知道两党中都有人理解什么是当务之急，



and I'm open to ideas from across the political spectrum 18, as long as they meet the test of strengthening the prospects 19 of hard-working families.



我将海纳百川听取任何政治派别的意见，只要它们能经得起加强勤奋工作家庭愿景的考验。



But repealing 20 Obamacare, gutting 21 critical investments in our future, threatening to default on the bills this country has already racked up, or shutting down the government just because I'm for keeping it open-none of those thing add up to an economic plan.



但是废除“奥巴马医保”，对未来投资釜底抽薪，威胁要对国家已经积累的赤字赖账，或仅仅因为我倾向继续运行就关闭政府—这些都不能列入经济计划。



None of that will take this country where it needs to go.



这些都不能使国家实现其发展目标。



We can do this if we work together.



如果我们齐心协力就能实现目标。



It won't be easy,



这并不容易，



but if we take a few bold steps-and if Washington is willing to shake off its complacency and set aside some of the slash-and-burn partisanship 22 we' ve seen in recent years-our economy will keep getting stronger.



但是如果我们采取一些大胆的举措—如果华盛顿愿意放弃他们的妄自尊大并且搁置我们近年来看到的争斗性政党关系—我们的经济就能更加强劲。



And as long as I have the privilege of holding this office,



只要我还是总统，



I will spend every minute of every day doing everything in my power to make this economy work for working Americans again;



我就会每时每刻在我的职权范围内尽一切努力使这个经济体再次为辛勤工作的美国人工作；



to build that better bargain for the middle class;



为中产阶级争取更多利益；



to make sure that the American Dream is something that's achievable for everybody-not just today, but for decades to come.



确保美国梦是每个人都能圆的梦—不仅今天，今后几十年也如此。



Thanks, and have a great weekend.



谢谢大家，祝你们周末愉快。