Weekly Address: Tuition-Free Community College (April 11, 2015)

奧巴馬每周電視講話：副總統喬拜登呼吁免除社區大學學費

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Joe Biden and I'm here filling in for President Obama, who is traveling abroad.

女士們，先生們，我是喬·拜登，由于奧巴馬總統在海外出訪，今天由我來代替他發表演講。

And I'm here with a simple message: middle-class economics works.

我今天要傳達的就是一個消息：中產階級經濟政策取得明顯成效。

Our economy has gone from crisis to recovery to now to resurgence-with the longest streak of consecutive job growth ever recorded in the history of this country and more than all other advanced countries combined.

我國經濟經歷了危機之后的復蘇，現在已經全面振興。我們創造了有史以來最長的就業連續增長記錄，總的就業增長人數超過了所有發達國家的總和。

But to make sure everyone is part of this resurgence, we need to build on what we know widens the path to the middle class-and you all know what it is, access to education.

但為了讓經濟復蘇的成果惠及每一個人，我們需要打造通向中產階級的通道，眾所周知，那就是獲得良好教育。

Folks, the source of our economic power and middle class strength in the 20th Century was the fact that we were among the first major nations in the world to provide twelve years of free education for our citizens.

大家知道，20世紀我們經濟發展的動力和中產階級繁榮的源泉，就是我們是全世界少有的為公民提供12年免費教育的國家之一。

But in the 21st Century, other countries have already caught up and twelve years is simply no longer enough-a minimum of fourteen years is necessary for families to have a surer path to the middle class and for the United States to be able to out-compete the rest of the world.

但到了21世紀，其它國家已經迎頭趕上，12年的免費教育已經不夠了，要保證一個家庭能夠順利躋身中產階級，保證美國能在全球競爭中占據優勢，至少需要14年的免費教育。

Consider that by the end of the decade, two out of three of all jobs will require an education beyond high school, from an 18-week certificate to a two-year associate's degree to a four-year bachelor's, or a PhD.

十年之后，三分之二以上的工作將需要高中以上的學歷，包括18周的職業認證培訓到兩年的大專學歷，再到四年的本科乃至博士學歷。

And consider that folks with an associate's degree earn 25% more than someone who graduated just from high school. And folks who graduate with a four-year degree make 70% more.

要知道擁有大專學歷的人要比僅僅擁有高中學歷的人多掙25%，而擁有四年大學本科學歷的能多掙70%。

But today, the cost of higher education is too high for too many Americans. Too many folks are priced out of a piece of the middle-class dream.

時至今日，對很多美國人而言高等教育的學費太過昂貴。很多人的美國夢被高企的學費撕得粉碎。

And that's why the President and I have a straightforward plan to remove that barrier and expand the pathway to the middle class-by bringing the cost of community colleges down-down to zero.

因此，總統和我提出了一項計劃，消除這些障礙，打通通向中產階級的道路，降低社區大學的學費，低到零。

Zero-for anyone willing to work for it and for the institutions that meet certain basic requirements.

零費用，這對任何一個希望努力獲得這個資格的人和滿足基本要求的學校都是如此。

Our plan is no give-away. Students must keep up their grades and stay on track to graduate. States must contribute funding and hold community colleges accountable for the results.And community colleges must maintain high graduation and job placement rates.

但我們的計劃不是簡單的施舍。學生必須跟上學習進度，按時畢業。各州政府也需要提供資金支持，并督促社區大學為教學質量負責。社區大學則必須保證高畢業率和就業安置率。

And here's a key point-community colleges will have to offer courses that are directly transferrable to a four-year degree.

關鍵就在于，社區大學課程設置必須可以直接與四年大學的課程對接。

If two years of community college are free-and credits can transfer to a four-year university-that means the cost of a four-year degree will be cut in half for a lot of working families struggling to send their children to college, qualified children.

如果兩年的社區大學免費了，這里的學分可以直接轉為四年大學的學分，那就意味著，對于大量好不容易將孩子送進大學的家庭而言，這些孩子四年大學的學習成本可以下降一半。

And under our plan, students from low-income families will be able to keep the benefits that flow from other financial aid, like Pell grants, to cover childcare, housing, transportation-costs that often keep them from attending class and completing a degree in the first place.

按照我們的計劃，來自低收入家庭的學生可以通過其它資金援助獲得保障，例如用佩爾助學金，來承擔兒童保育、住房和交通費用，這些支出經常是妨礙他們上課完成學業的首要成本因素。

But here's another key point. Not every good-paying job will require a two-year or four-year degree. Some of these jobs will require just a training certificate that can be earned in just a few months.

但還有一個問題也很關鍵。并不是每一個高薪的崗位都需要兩年或四年的大學學位。有些工作只需要通過幾個月的職業培訓并取得相應認證就可以。

For example, you can go to an 18-week coding bootcamp-with no previous experience in computers-and become a computer programmer making up to $70,000 a year.

例如，你可以參加一個18周的編程訓練營，即便你以前沒有任何編程經驗也可以，然后你就可以成為一名程序員，每年可掙到7萬美元。

There are other jobs in fields like advanced manufacturing and energy that pay $40,000, $50,000, $60,000 a year-jobs you can raise a family on.

在高級制造業、能源領域還有很多這樣的工作，每年可以掙到4萬、5萬乃至6萬美元，這足夠養家了。

It's a simple fact that community colleges are the most flexible educational institutions we have. I've traveled all over this country, from New York to Iowa to California, to see how community colleges create partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and local businesses to generate jobs; support apprenticeships with organized labor, and prepare hardworking students for good-paying jobs in the areas in which they live.

事實很簡單，社區大學是最具可塑性的教育機構。我視察過全國各個地方，從紐約到愛荷華，再到加利福利亞，我看到社區大學與財富500強企業和地方企業建立伙伴關系，創造了就業；支持工會提供學徒培訓，讓勤奮的學子在當地找到高薪的好工作。

Making community colleges free is good for workers, it's good for companies, and it's good for our economy.

社區大學免費對工人、對企業、對我們國家的經濟都有好處。

Here's what we propose: Close loopholes for the wealthiest investors and levy a .07% fee on the biggest banks to discourage the kind of risky behavior that crashed our economy just a few years ago.

我們提出的目標是：消除有利于最富有的投資者的稅收漏洞，向大型銀行征收0.07%的費用，阻止他們的冒險行為，幾年前正是因為他們的這種行為導致我們的經濟崩潰。

Doing just that would pay for free community college-and provide a leg up for working families through tax credits to cover necessities like childcare.

這樣就可以覆蓋社區大學免費的支出，并為工薪家庭的稅收優惠提供支持，讓他們可以承擔兒童保育的支出。

That's what middle-class economics is all about-giving folks a fair chance to get ahead. A fair tax code. No guarantees. Just a fair chance.

這就是中產階級經濟政策的意義所在，給人們公平的機會去取得成功。公平的稅法，不是保障而是公平的機會。

It's simple folks, two years of community college should become as free and as universal as high school is today if we're to make this economic resurgence permanent and well into the 21st Century.

道理很簡單，如果我們希望這個國家的經濟持續繁榮，在21世紀更美好，我們就應該讓兩年的社區大學與現在的高中一樣免費。

So I want to thank you all for listening. I hope you have a great weekend and God bless you all and may God protect our troops.

謝謝聆聽。祝大家周末愉快！愿上帝保佑你們，愿上帝保佑我們的軍隊。

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