2014年1月28日美國Obma國情咨文

台北時間2014年1月29日上午，美國總統Obama在美國首都華盛頓的國會發表今年的國情咨文演講，以下是文字實錄：

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans:

議長先生，副總統先生，國會議員們，美國同胞們：

Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to lift America’s graduation rate to its highest level in more than three decades.

今天在美國，教師額外花時間教育學生，為將美國畢業率提高到30多年來的最高水準盡職責。

An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part to add to the more than 8 million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.

企業家在她們的技術創業公司夜以繼日，為過去四年來增加800萬新的就業職缺盡職責。

An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.

汽車工人改進世界上最好最省油的汽車，為幫助美國減少對外國石油的依賴盡職責。

A farmer prepared for the spring after the strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in our history. A rural doctor gave a young child the first prescription to treat asthma that his mother could afford. A man took the bus home from the graveyard shift, bone-tired but dreaming big dreams for his son. And in tight-knit communities across America, fathers and mothers will tuck in their kids, put an arm around their spouse, remember fallen comrades, and give thanks for being home from a war that, after twelve long years, is finally coming to an end.

農民在我國歷史上5年來最強勁的農業出口後準備春耕。農村醫生為幼兒開出他媽媽承擔得起的藥方，治療哮喘。男人下班回家雖精疲力竭，但卻懷著對兒子更大的希望。在美國各地的社區，父母為孩子蓋好被子，互相擁抱，人們緬懷逝去的戰友，感謝那場12年的戰爭終於結束，終於平安回到家中。

Tonight, this chamber speaks with one voice to the people we represent: It is you, our citizens, who make the state of our union strong.

今晚，這個大廳用一個聲音對我們代表的人民說，正是你們——我們的公民——創造了我們強大的聯邦。

Here are the results of your efforts: The lowest unemployment rate in over five years. A rebounding housing market. A manufacturing sector that’s adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s. More oil produced at home than we buy from the rest of the world – the first time that’s happened in nearly 20 years. Our deficits – cut by more than half. And for the first time in over a decade, business leaders around the world have declared that China is no longer the world’s No. 1 place to invest; America is.

這是你們奮鬥的結果：失業率5年來最低、房地產市場反彈、製造業自90年代以來首次增加就業、近20年來國產石油產量首次超過進口。我們的赤字削減一半還多。10年來，世界商界領袖第一次宣佈世界頭號投資地點是美國而非中國。

That’s why I believe this can be a breakthrough year for America. After five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is better-positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth.

這就是為何我相信今年將是美國突破之年。在堅強拼搏5年後，美國比地球上任何其他國家都為21世紀準備得更好。

The question for everyone in this chamber, running through every decision we make this year, is whether we are going to help or hinder this progress. For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government. It’s an important debate – one that dates back to our very founding. But when that debate prevents us from carrying out even the most basic functions of our democracy – when our differences shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States – then we are not doing right by the American people.

給這個大廳的所有人的問題是，我們今年做出的每個決定是有利於還是阻礙這種進步。多年來這座城市忙於爭執聯邦政府的規模。這是可以追溯到我們建國時期的重要辯論。但當辯論阻止我們發揮我們民主的最基本功能、當我們的分歧迫使政府關門、威脅美國的信仰和聲譽時，我們做的並不正確。

As president, I’m committed to making Washington work better, and rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us here. I believe most of you are, too. Last month, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, this Congress finally produced a budget that undoes some of last year’s severe cuts to priorities like education. Nobody got everything they wanted, and we can still do more to invest in this country’s future while bringing down our deficit in a balanced way. But the budget compromise should leave us freer to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises.

作為總統，我致力於讓華盛頓工作得更好，重建將我們送到這裡的人民的信心。我相信你們大多數人也是如此。上月，由於民主黨人和共和黨人的努力，這個國會終於通過預算，一舉扭轉削減教育等優先專案資金的態勢。沒有人得到他們想要的一切，我們能夠為投資國家未來做得更多，同時以平穩的方式減少我們的赤字。但預算妥協應當讓我們放手增加新的就業，而非增加新的危機。

In the coming months, let’s see where else we can make progress together. Let’s make this a year of action. That’s what most Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all – the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.

在未來的幾個月，讓我們看看在哪些地方我們可以共同進步。讓今年成為行動之年。這是大多數美國人想要的， 身處這個會議廳裡的每一個人，都關注他們的生活，他們的希望，他們的願望。而我相信，不分種族，地域和黨派，不論老少貧富，將這個國家的人民團結在一起的就是一條簡單深刻的信念 ，只要你努力工作，勇於承擔責任，你就能夠出人頭地。

Let’s face it: that belief has suffered some serious blows. Over more than three decades, even before the Great Recession hit, massive shifts in technology and global competition had eliminated a lot of good, middle-class jobs, and weakened the economic foundations that families depend on.

讓我們面對現實：這種信念遭受了一些嚴重的打擊。超過三十年的時間裡，甚至在
經濟大衰退之前，技術和全球競爭的巨大變化已經削減了中產階級的許多好的工作機會，並削弱了中產家庭依賴的經濟基礎。

Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better. But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead. And too many still aren’t working at all.

現在，經過四年的經濟成長，企業利潤和股價均開始上升，而那些身處高位的人從來沒有做的更好。平均工資卻幾乎沒有變化。社會不平等加深，向上流動幾近停滯。冰冷而又無法回避的事實是，即使是在復甦之中，太多的美國人還是在勉強度日，更不用說出人頭地。還有許多人仍然沒有工作。

Our job is to reverse these trends. It won’t happen right away, and we won’t agree on everything. But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require congressional action, and I’m eager to work with all of you. But America does not stand still – and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.

我們的工作就是要扭轉這些趨勢。雖然局勢不會馬上好轉，我們也不會就所有事情達成一致。但是，我今晚提出的是一組促進成長、壯大中產階級的具體實際的方案。有些需要國會採取行動，我渴望與大家合作。但是，美國並沒有停滯不前，我也不會。所以無論何時何地，我都要採取不必立法的措施去為更多美國家庭擴大機會，這就是我要做的。

As usual, our first lady sets a good example. Michelle’s Let’s Move partnership with schools, businesses, and local leaders has helped bring down childhood obesity rates for the first time in thirty years – an achievement that will improve lives and reduce health care costs for decades to come. The Joining Forces alliance that Michelle and Jill Biden launched has already encouraged employers to hire or train nearly 400,000 veterans and military spouses. Taking a page from that playbook, the White House just organized a College Opportunity Summit where already, 150 universities, businesses, and nonprofits have made concrete commitments to reduce inequality in access to higher education – and help every hardworking kid go to college and succeed when they get to campus. Across the country, we’re partnering with mayors, governors and state legislatures on issues from homelessness to marriage equality.

像往常一樣，我們的第一夫人就是一個範例。Michelle的「讓我們繼續前進」活動與學校，企業和地方領導人合作，三十年來第一次降低了兒童肥胖率 。這 一成就將改善他們的生活品質，並降低未來幾十年的醫療成本。Michelle和Jill Biden推出的「聯合力量(Joining Forces)」活動已經鼓勵雇主雇用或培訓近40萬名退伍軍人和配偶。比如，白宮剛剛舉辦了「大學教育峰會」， 會議期間，150所大學，企業和非營利組織已作出具體承諾以減少接受高等教育的不均等狀況， 幫助每一個勤奮的孩子去上大學，確保他們上大學後能夠獲得成功。在全國範圍內，我們正在與市長，州長和州議員合作解決從無家可歸到婚姻平等的問題。

The point is, there are millions of Americans outside Washington who are tired of stale political arguments, and are moving this country forward. They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our success should depend not on accident of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams. That’s what drew our forebears here. It’s how the daughter of a factory worker is CEO of America’s largest automaker; how the son of a barkeeper is speaker of the House; how the son of a single mom can be president of the greatest nation on Earth.

問題的關鍵是，在華盛頓之外有成千上萬的美國人厭倦了迂腐的政治爭論，正是他們在推進這個國家前行。他們相信，我也相信，在這裡，在美國，我們的成功不應取決於出身，而是要依賴於我們的工作倫理和我們的夢想。這正是吸引我們祖先之所在。這就是一個工人的女兒如何成為美國最大的汽車製造商的CEO的原因，也是一個酒吧老闆的兒子怎麼成為眾議院議長，一個單身母親的兒子又如何成為地球上最偉大國家總統之所在。

Opportunity is who we are. And the defining project of our generation is to restore that promise.

機會屬於我們自己。而我們這一代人的目標就是恢復這一承諾。

We know where to start: the best measure of opportunity is access to a good job. With the economy picking up speed, companies say they intend to hire more people this year. And over half of big manufacturers say they’re thinking of insourcing jobs from abroad.

我們知道從哪裡開始：促進就業是創造機會的最佳措施。隨著經濟成長，企業表示有意在這一年雇傭更多員工。超過半數的大型製造商表示正在考慮讓海外的就業職缺回歸美國。

So let’s make that decision easier for more companies. Both Democrats and Republicans have argued that our tax code is riddled with wasteful, complicated loopholes that punish businesses investing here, and reward companies that keep profits abroad. Let’s flip that equation. Let’s work together to close those loopholes, end those incentives to ship jobs overseas, and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs here at home.

那麼，讓我們促使更多企業更輕鬆地做出這樣的決定吧。民主黨人和共和黨人都認為，我們的稅法充滿複雜的漏洞，效率低下，變相逞罰在美國的商業投資，鼓勵企業把利潤留在國外。讓我們扭轉這樣的局面。讓我們一起努力，填補這些漏洞，消除將就業包給海外的誘因。為了在這裡，在美國創造就業的企業，讓我們降低稅率。

Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure. We’ll need Congress to protect more than three million jobs by finishing transportation and waterways bills this summer. But I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible.

進一步，我們在稅制改革中節約的資金可以用於創造就業職缺，可以修路、升級港口、疏導交通。在今天的全球經濟中，一流的基礎設施吸引一流的工作。我們需要國會今年夏天完成運輸和水路法案，保護超過三百萬的就業職缺。而我會盡最大努力，消除官僚作風，使重要工程的審批程式更合理。這樣我們就能讓更多的建設