12. Barack Obama President's State of the Union Address

12. 巴拉克 . 奧巴馬總統國情咨文

Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

眾議院議長女士、副總統拜登、諸位國會議員、貴賓們、同胞們：

Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They've done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they've done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.

我們的憲法規定，美國總統必須定期向國會報告國家情況。在過去220年的時間里，無論是繁榮和平，還是戰爭危機，即使存在激烈的沖突和戰斗，歷屆美國總統也都能完成這一使命。

It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable-that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run, and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday, and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain. These were the times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements, our hesitations and our fears, America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, as one people.

回顧歷史上的這些時刻，并相信我們的進步是不可阻擋的——美國永遠注定會取得成功，這些固然讓人感到自豪。然而，當美國股市持續10年的牛市崩潰、盟軍于奧馬哈海灘登陸時，我們長久以來的勝利曾遭受強烈的質疑。當市場在 “黑色星期二”局盤，游行民眾在那個流血星期日被鎮壓的時候，美國的未來曾充滿了不確定性。這些時刻都曾考驗我們的信念和我們國家的力量。縱使我們擁有種種分歧，猶豫和恐懼也時刻伴隨，美國最終取得了勝利，因為我們選擇團結在一起，作為一個國家、一個民族向前進。

Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.

今天，我們再一次面臨著考驗，也再一次必須回應歷史的召喚。

One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by a severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted—immediately and aggressively. And one year later worst of the storm has passed.

一年前，美國正處于兩場戰爭之中，經濟遭遇大蕭條，金融體系處在崩潰的邊緣，政府深陷債務之中，在這樣的一個時刻，我當選了美國總統。不同政治派別的專家對我們提出警告，如果我們不采取行動，我們可能會面臨第二次經濟大蕭條。所以我們果斷而迅速地采取了行動，一年后的今天，最糟糕的暴風雨時期已經過去了。

But the devastation remains. One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. And for those who'd already known poverty, life has become that much harder.

然而，災難性的效應依舊存在。現在仍然有十分之一的美國人找不到工作。許多企業歇業，房屋價格下跌，小城鎮和鄉村受到的沖擊尤其嚴重。對那些本已很貧窮的人來說，生活變得更加艱難。

This recession has also compounded the burdens that America's families have been dealing with for decades—the burden of working harder and longer for less; of being unable to save enough to retire or help kids with college.

這次經濟大蕭條使美國家庭幾十年來承載的重壓進一步加劇。這種壓力就是：即使他們工作更努力、時間更長，也得不到更多的收入，無法存夠錢退休或者幫孩子讀完大學。

So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President. These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in places like Elkhart, Indiana; Galesburg, Illinois. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children—asking why they have to move from their home, asking when their mom or dad will be able to go back to work.

我能夠理解人們現在的焦慮，這些問題并不是新的，而我就是為了解決這些問題才競選美國總統。這幾年，我在印第安納州的埃爾克哈特和伊利諾伊州的蓋爾斯堡親眼目睹了人們的困境，也從每晚閱讀他們的信件中了解情況。最讓人難過的是閱讀那些孩子的來信，他們在信中問，為什么他們不得不從家里搬出來，或者他們的爸爸媽媽什么時候才能重新找到工作。

For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded, but hard work on Main Street isn't; or why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They're tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now. 

對這些美國公民以及其他像他們一樣的人來說，變革的速度似乎還不夠快。對此，有些人感到灰心，還有人感到憤怒。他們不能理解，為什么華爾街那些不好的行為好像能受到嘉獎，而普通民眾的努力工作卻得不到回報；為什么政府似乎不能夠或不愿意解決人們的問題；他們已經厭煩了黨派分歧、叫喊和卑劣的爭斗。他們認為我們解決不了這些問題，至少現在還不能。

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