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147楼
发表于 2008-11-5 23:41
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With each passing month, our country has faced increasingly difficult times. But everywhere I go, despite the economic crisis and war and uncertainty about tomorrow. I still see optimism. And hope. And strength. We’ve seen over the last eight years how decisions by a president can have a profound effect on the course of history and on American lives. But much that’s wrong in our country goes back even farther than that. We’ve been talking about the same problems for decades and nothing is ever done to solve them.每过一个月,我们的国家就面临越来越艰难的时刻。但是,尽管有经济危机,有战争,也有对明天的不确定感,我无论走到哪里,眼里看到的,仍是人们很乐观,很抱希望,也很坚强。过去八年来,我们亲眼目睹,一个总统所做出的诸多决定,对历史进程会有多深刻的影响,对美国人民的生活有多严重的影响。但我们国家里这些错误来源还要再往前追溯。同样的问题,我们已经讨论数十年了,但却什么也没有做,来解决这些问题。
This election is a defining moment. The chance for our leaders to meet the demands of these challenging times and keep faith with our people. For the past twenty months, I’ve traveled the length of this country. And Michelle and I have met so many Americans who are looking for real and lasting change that makes a difference in their lives. Their stories are American stories. Stories that reflect the state of our union. I’d like to introduce you to some of those people tonight.今年这次(总统)选举则是一个分水岭时分。是我们的领导人面对这些艰难时刻的一个机会,是使我们的人民保持信念的一个机会。在过去20个月里,我走了全国很多地方。我和米雪(奥巴马夫人)见了很多很多美国人,他们都在找寻着真正的也是可持续的机会,这些机会可以改变他们的生活。他们讲述的故事,就是美国人的故事。他们讲述的故事,也反映了我们国家的目前的处境。今晚,我很愿意把我见过的一些人介绍给诸位。
I will also lay out in specific detail what I’ll do as president to restore the long-term health of our economy and our middle class … and how I’ll make the decisions to get us there. What struck me most about these stories you will see tonight, is not just the challenges these Americans face, but also their resolve to change this country. 我也准备详述一些如果我当选为总统要做的具体办法,目的旨在恢复我们的经济元气,恢复我们的中产阶级的元气,并且是长远意义上的元气。我也要告诉大家我将做出怎样的决定,还确保我们到达这些目标。今晚诸位将看到的,都是给我很大震动的故事。这些故事不仅仅是美国人面对艰难时的故事,您也可以从中看到,他们要改变这个国家的决心。
Rebecca Johnston is all about her family.
[Rebecca]
“Brian, me, Nathan, Marley, Ethan, Gabriella, Tulula and Jake.”
“The thing I love about being a mom is just that how amazing it is that everything that you do shapes who they are. It’s like molding putty in your hands. You just want to make sure you do the right thing everyday...”瑞贝卡·约翰逊是她家里的顶梁柱。瑞贝卡:“这是布莱恩,这是我,内森,玛丽,艾森,加伯里,土拉拉和杰克。”“我很喜欢做妈妈的感觉,因为看到自己做的一切,使他们变成今天这样,这很神奇。所以,我就特想确定,自己每天做的一切都很对就是了。”
Ten years ago, she bought a house outside the city so she could send her children to good schools.
Now, with rising costs, it’s getting tight. Her husband Brian works at a tire re-tread plant, and needs to stand all day. 奥巴马旁白:十年前,她在这个城边买了一幢房子,这样她就可以送孩子去很好的学校读书。可现在,一切开销都涨了价。她感到不太容易应对了。她丈夫布莱恩在一家轮胎翻新厂里打工,整天都不能坐下来。
[Rebecca]
“He has a torn ACL and meniscus that he walks around with everyday. He was going to have the surgery in June, but we couldn’t really afford for him to get the disability pay.”瑞贝卡:“他韧带受过伤,里面还有个夹板,他每天就带着它一切去打工。原定今年6月去动手术,但现在我们拿不出钱来给他做手术。”
[Sen. Obama off-camera]
And so they put off the operation, to take care of other things.奥巴马旁白:所以,他们把手术的事情给推迟了,继续做别的事情去了。
[Rebecca]
“This is where our snacks would go… Gabriela, and then Nathan and then my husband and I, and my daughter, and Ethan my son. If they know this is it for them, for the whole week, then they will make it last longer. I think everybody feels the same way, they would like to see an end in sight to all the worry and the chaos of everyday living. Trying to make ends meet. Ok, How much are we bringing in this week?”瑞贝卡:“这是我们的饭菜。这是加伯里的,然后是内森的,然后是我和我丈夫的,然后是我女儿,再下来是我儿子艾森的。如果他们知道这是给他们的,而是整个一周的饭菜的话,那么,他们就会想办法让这些吃的能维持的时间更长些。我想,每个人都有同样的感受吧。都想看到所有生活上的忧虑和困惑早些结束。就是整天在盘算钱别断了捻。就是这样,这周又赚了几个钱回来?”
[Rebecca]
“How much is the car payment? When roughly can we pay this bill?”瑞贝卡:“车款还有多少没有还上?什么时候才能把这个账单给还上?”
[Sen. Obama off-camera]
All across the country, I’ve met families just like Rebecca’s getting the kids to school, meeting their mortgage payments, fighting for their families.奥巴马旁白:“走遍整个美国,我遇到的,都是像瑞贝卡一样的家庭,送孩子上学,想办法还贷,为家庭生活而奔波。”
[Rebecca]
“It just keeps going up and up and up, and I can remember a time when I didn’t have to worry about this stuff.”瑞贝卡:“现在一切东西都在涨价,就是一个劲地涨。我现在还能记得我不用为这些事情操碎心的时候呢。”
________________________________________
[Sen. Obama – 2008 Democratic Convention Speech]
“We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off and look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.”奥巴马在2008年民主党大会上的讲话:“我们在评估经济好与坏时,不是以我们有多少亿万富翁还衡量,也不是以福布斯500强的利润增加了多少来衡量,而是以这样一种尺度衡量:如果有人又有了个新点子,他要承担多大风险才能开始为此新点子进行创业;如果一个服务生以小费为生,那么,他有没有可能敢休一天假,去照顾一下自己生病的孩子,而不会被炒了鱿鱼。也就是说,看我们的整个经济体系是不是把工作尊严视为一种荣誉。”
[Sen. Obama to camera]
Earlier this year, we already knew our country was in trouble. Home foreclosures, lost jobs, high gas prices … we were running a record deficit and our national debt had never been higher. But then a little over a month ago, the bottom fell out. What happened in the financial markets was the final verdict on eight years of failed policies. And we’re now going through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. A few weeks ago, we passed a financial rescue plan. It’s a step in the right direction … and as president, I’ll ensure that you, the taxpayers, are paid back first.
But we also need a rescue plan for the middle class … starting with what we can do right now that will have an immediate effect. 奥巴马说:今年年初的时候,我们已经知道我们的国家陷入麻烦之中。房子被提前收回,很多人失业,油价一路攀高。我们在打破赤字总数,我们国家的债务达到历史新高。但就在大约一个月以前,股市开始崩溃,在金融市场里所发生的一切,在在宣告,过去八年的全部政策都是失败。现在,我们正经历着(1929年)经济大萧条以来最糟糕的经济危机。几周前,我们通过了一个金融拯救计划。这是朝正确方向迈出的一步。那么,作为总统,我要保证,你们,美国的纳税人,将是第一个收回损失的人。但是我们的确需要一个拯救计划。这个计划是为了我们美国中产阶层的人们而制定的。这个计划将从现在开始,它将很快显现成效。
As president, here’s what I’ll do:
Cut taxes for every working family making less than $200,000 a year.
Give businesses a tax credit for every new employee that they hire right here in the U.S. over the next two years … and eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.
Help homeowners who are making a good faith effort to pay their mortgages, by freezing foreclosures for 90 days.
And just like after 9-11, we’ll provide low-cost loans to help small businesses pay their workers and keep their doors open.
None of that grows government. It grows the economy and keeps people on the job.
This is what we can do right now … to restore fairness to the American economy and fulfill our commitments to the American people. 作为总统,我将做下面的事情:
为每个年收入不足20万美元的打工家庭减税。
今后两年内,给所有在美国雇佣新打工者的企业,提供课税扣除,取消所有向国外提供工作机会的企业的减税优惠政策。
通过冻结90天房屋收回,以帮助所有具有很好信誉并愿意为房贷努力打拼的人们。
如911之后的情形那样,我们将提供低息贷款,帮助小企业支付员工们的开支,不至使其关门停业。
所有一切承诺,都不会让政府开支费用增加,而只会促进经济的复苏,并使人们有工作可做。
这些就是我们目前能做的:给美国经济恢复公平竞争的精神,并完成我们向国人做出的承诺。
[Town hall meeting exchange with “Dave”]
Dave:
“The company I worked for went broke. Before they went down, they used $19 million dollars of the retirement. And when they closed up, I should have gotten about $1,500 dollars a month from retirement. I only ended-up with $379 dollars a month.”戴维:“我打工的那家公司已经倒闭了。倒闭前,他们用掉了1900万的退休金。所以,当他们倒闭时,我应该得到每月1500元的退休金。可现在每个月我只领到379元。”
Sen. Obama:
“You earned your pension. You earned it. It wasn’t a gift. You gave up wages so that money could be set aside for your retirement. Time and time again, what we’re seeing is companies who owe their workers retirements, pensions shedding those obligations. When you make a commitment to workers at a company, those aren’t idle promises. Those are promises that should have the force of law.”奥巴马:“你应该得到你的退休金,你应该得到。这不是别人赐予你的礼物。你放弃了工资,这样,那些钱就可以拿来作为你的退休金。我们总不时地看到,有些公司欠员工们的退休金。公司如果要向员工做了承诺的话,那这些承诺绝对不应该是空头支票,而是具有法律效益的承诺。”
[Sen. Obama Interview]
“Americans – they don’t expect government to solve all their problems. They’re not looking for a handout. If they’re able and willing to work, they should be able to find a job that pays a living wage. They should be able to retire with some dignity and some respect.”奥巴马接受采访:“美国人民__他们从来不指望政府来解决他们的问题。他们也不去四下找寻救济品。如果他们有能力并愿意工作的话,那们他们就完全应该找到一份能维持生计的工作。他们退休时,也必须给予尊严和某种尊重。”
[Governor Ted Strickland, Ohio]
“Think of this – Barack Obama is going to be a Democrat in the presidency who actually cuts taxes. But he’s going to cut taxes for the people who really need a tax cut. He’s going to cut taxes for the struggling families, and he’s going to do that while holding accountable those companies that take advantage of tax breaks in order to send jobs offshore and to other countries.”俄亥俄州长:“想想看——奥巴马将成为民主党的总统,他要减税。他要给那些真正需要减税的人减税。他要为那些活得很艰辛的家庭减税,他减税的同时,还要给那些占减税优惠政策的公司增税。因为那些公司把就业机会输出到了其他国家。” |
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