第一篇:奧巴馬演講
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.今天我站在這里,看到眼前面臨的重大任務,深感卑微。我感謝你們對我的信任,也知道先輩們為了這個國家所作的犧牲。我要感謝布什總統為國家做出的貢獻,以及感謝他在兩屆政府過渡期間給與的慷慨協作。Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace.Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.迄今為止,已經有44個美國總統宣誓就職。總統的宣誓有時面對的是國家的和平繁榮,但通常面臨的是烏云密布的緊張形勢。在緊張的形勢中,支持美國前進的不僅僅是領導人的能力和遠見,也在于美國人民對國家先驅者理想的信仰,以及對美國立國文件的忠誠。So it has been.So it must be with this generation of Americans.前輩們如此,我們這一代美國人也要如此。That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood.Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred.Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.Homes have been lost;jobs shed;businesses shuttered.Our healthcare is too costly;our schools fail too many;and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.現在我們都深知,我們身處危機之中。我們的國家在戰斗,對手是影響深遠的暴力和憎恨;國家的經濟也受到嚴重的削弱,原因雖有一些人的貪婪和不負責任,但更為重要的是我們作為一個整體在一些重大問題上決策失誤,同時也未能做好應對新時代的準備。我們的人民正在失去家園,失去工作,很多企業倒閉。社會的醫療過于昂貴、學校教育讓許多人失望,而且每天都會有新的證據顯示,我們利用能源的方式助長了我們的敵對勢力,同時也威脅著我們的星球。
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics.Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our landthey will be met.今天我要說,我們的確面臨著很多嚴峻的挑戰,而且在短期內不大可能輕易解決。但是我們要相信,我們一定會度過難關。
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.今天,我們在這里齊聚一堂,因為我們戰勝恐懼選擇了希望,摒棄了沖突和矛盾而選擇了團結。
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.今天,我們宣布要為無謂的摩擦、不實的承諾和指責畫上句號,我們要打破牽制美國政治發展的若干陳舊教條。
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit;to choose our better history;to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.美國仍是一個年輕的國家,借用《圣經》的話說,放棄幼稚的時代已經到來了。重拾堅韌精神的時代已經到來,我們要為歷史作出更好的選擇,我們要秉承歷史賦予的寶貴權利,秉承那種代代相傳的高貴理念:上帝賦予我們每個人以平等和自由,以及每個人盡全力去追求幸福的機會。
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given.It must be earned.Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less.It has not been the path for the faint-heartedsome celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.在重申我們國家偉大之處的同時,我們深知偉大從來不是上天賜予的,偉大需要努力贏得。(我們的民族一路走來),這旅途之中從未有過捷徑或者妥協,這旅途也不適合膽怯之人、或者愛安逸勝過愛工作之人、或者單單追求名利之人。這條路是勇于承擔風險者之路,是實干家、創造者之路。這其中有一些人名留青史,但是更多的人卻在默默無聞地工作著。正是這些人帶領我們走過了漫長崎嶇的旅行,帶領我們走向富強和自由。
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the west;endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg;Normandy and Khe Sahn.為了我們,先輩們帶著微薄的細軟,橫渡大洋,尋找新生活;為了我們,先輩們忍辱負重,用血汗澆鑄工廠;為了我們,先輩們在荒蕪的西部大地辛勤耕作,定居他鄉;為了我們,先輩們奔赴(獨立戰爭中的)康科德城和葛底斯堡、(二戰中的)諾曼底、(越戰中的)Khe Sahn,他們征戰、死去。
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life.They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions;greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.一次又一次,我們的先輩們戰斗著、犧牲著、操勞著,只為了我們可以生活得更好。在他們看來,美國的強盛與偉大超越了個人雄心,也超越了個人的出身、貧富和派別差異。This is the journey we continue today.We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth.Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began.Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year.Our capacity remains undiminished.But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisionsnot only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise healthcare's quality and lower its cost.We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.All this we can do.And all this we will do.我目之所及,都有工作有待完成。國家的經濟情況要求我們采取大膽且快速的行動,我們的確是要行動,不僅是要創造就業,更要為(下一輪經濟)增長打下新的基礎。我們將造橋鋪路,為企業鋪設電網和數字線路,將我們聯系在一起。我們將回歸科學,運用科技的奇跡提高醫療質量,降低醫療費用。我們將利用風能、太陽能和土壤驅動車輛,為工廠提供能源。我們將改革中小學以及大專院校,以適應新時代的要求。這一切,我們都能做到,而且我們都將會做到。
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitionsthat the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it worksto spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of dayand that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous.The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach f;on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart-not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.我們面臨的問題也不是市場好壞的問題。市場創造財富、拓展自由的能力無可匹敵,但是這場危機提醒我們,如果沒有監管,市場很可能就會失去控制,而且偏袒富人國家的繁榮無法持久。國家經濟的成敗不僅僅取決于國內生產總值的大小,而且取決于繁榮的覆蓋面,取決于我們是否有能力讓所有有意愿的人都有機會走向富裕。我們這樣做不是慈善,而是因為這是確保實現共同利益的途徑。
As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.就共同防御而言,我們認為國家安全與國家理想的只能選其一的排他選擇是錯的。面對我們幾乎無法想像的危險,我們的先輩們起草了確保法治和個人權利的憲章。一代代人民的鮮血夯實了這一憲章。憲章中的理想依然照亮著世界,我們不能以經驗之談放棄這些理想。因此我想對正在觀看這一儀式的其他國家的人民和政府說,不論他們現在各國偉大的首府還是在如同我父親出生地一般的小村落,我想讓他們知道:對于每個追求和平和自尊的國家和個人而言,美國都是朋友,我們愿意再次領導大家踏上追尋之旅
第二篇:奧巴馬演講
奧巴馬演講
Hello, everybody.In the State of the Union, I laid out three areas we need to focus on if we're going to build an economy that lasts: new American manufacturing, new skills and education for American workers, and new sources of American-made energy.These days, we're getting another painful reminder why developing new energy is so important to our future.Just like they did last year, gas prices are starting to climb.Only this time, it's happening earlier.And that hurts everyone – everyone who owns a car;everyone who owns a business.It means you have to stretch your paycheck even further.Some folks have no choice but to drive a long way to work, and high gas prices are like a tax straight out of their paychecks.Now, some politicians always see this as a political opportunity.And since it's an election year, they're already dusting off their three-point plans for $2 gas.I'll save you the suspense: Step one is drill, step two is drill, and step three is keep drilling.We hear the same thing every year.Well the American people aren't stupid.You know that's not a plan – especially since we're already drilling.It's a bumper sticker.It's not a strategy to solve our energy challenge.It's a strategy to get politicians through an election.You know there are no quick fixes to this problem, and you know we can't just drill our way to lower gas prices.If we're going to take control of our energy future and avoid these gas price spikes down the line, then we need a sustained, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy – oil, gas, wind, solar, nuclear, biofuels, and more.We need to keep developing the technology that allows us to use less oil in our cars and trucks;in our buildings and plants.That's the strategy we're pursuing, and that's the only real solution to this challenge.Now, we absolutely need safe, responsible oil production here in America.That's why under my Administration, America is producing more oil today than at any time in the last eight years.In 2010, our dependence on foreign oil was under 50% for the first time in more than a decade.And while there are no short-term silver bullets when it comes to gas prices, I've directed my administration to look for every single area where we can make an impact and help consumers in the months ahead, from permitting to delivery bottlenecks to what's going on in the oil markets.But over the long term, an all-of-the-above energy strategy means we have to do more.It means we have to make some choices.Here's one example.Right now, four billion of your tax dollars subsidize the oil industry every year.Four billion dollars.Imagine that.Maybe some of you are listening to this in your car right now, pulling into a gas station to fill up.As you watch those numbers rise, know that oil company profits have never been higher.Yet somehow, Congress is still giving those same companies another four billion dollars of your money.That's outrageous.It's inexcusable.And it has to stop.A century of subsidies to the oil companies is long enough.It's time to end taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's never been more profitable, and use that money to reduce our deficit and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising.Because of the investments we've already made, the use of wind and solar energy in this country has nearly doubled – and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.And because we put in place the toughest fuel economy standards in history, our cars will average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade – something that, over time, will save the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump.Now Congress needs to keep that momentum going by renewing the clean energy tax credits that will lead to more jobs and less dependence on foreign oil.Look, we know there's no silver bullet that will bring down gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil overnight.But what we can do is get our priorities straight, and make a sustained, serious effort to tackle this problem.That's the commitment we need right now.And with your help, it's a commitment we can make.Thank you.
第三篇:奧巴馬演講
Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you very much.Everybody, please have a seat.Well, Madam President, that was an outstanding introduction.(Laughter.)We are so proud of Donae for representing this school so well.And in addition, I also want to acknowledge your outstanding principal, who has been here for 20 years--first as a teacher, now as an outstanding principal--Anita Berger.Please give her a big round of applause.(Applause.)I want to acknowledge, as well, Mayor Gray is here--the mayor of Washington, D.C.is here.Please give him a big round of applause.(Applause.)And I also want to thank somebody who is going to go down in history as one of the finest Secretaries of Education that we’ve ever had--Arne Duncan is here.(Applause.)
Now, it is great to be here at Benjamin Banneker High School, one of the best high schools not only in Washington, D.C., but one of the best high schools in the country.(Applause.)But we’ve also got students tuning in from all across America.And so I want to welcome you all to the new school year, although I know that many of you already have been in school for a while.I know that here at Banneker, you’ve been back at school for a few weeks now.So everything is starting to settle in, just like for all your peers all across the country.The fall sports season is underway.Musicals and marching band routines are starting to shape up, I believe.And your first big tests and projects are probably just around the corner.I know that you’ve also got a great deal going on outside of school.Your circle of friends might be changing a little bit.Issues that used to stay confined to hallways or locker rooms are now finding their way onto Facebook and Twitter.(Laughter.)Some of your families might also be feeling the strain of the economy.As many of you know, we’re going through one of the toughest economic times that we’ve gone through in our lifetime--in my lifetime.Your lifetime hasn’t been that long.And so, as a consequence, you might have to pick up an after-school job to help out your family, or maybe you’re babysitting for a younger sibling because mom or dad is working an extra shift.So all of you have a lot on your plates.You guys are growing up faster and interacting with a wider world in a way that old folks like me, frankly, just didn’t have to.So today, I don’t want to be just another adult who stands up and lectures you like you’re just kids--because you’re not just kids.You’re this country’s future.You’re young leaders.And whether we fall behind or race ahead as a nation is going to depend in large part on you.So I want to talk to you a little bit about meeting that responsibility.It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be.Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment.It doesn’t mean that you’ve got to get straight As all the time--although that’s not a bad goal to have.It means that you have to stay at it.You have to be determined and you have to persevere.It means you’ve got to work as hard as you know how to work.And it means that you’ve got to take some risks once in a while.You can’t avoid the class that you think might be hard because you’re worried about getting the best grade if that’s a subject that you think you need to prepare you for your future.You’ve got to wonder.You’ve got to question.You’ve got to explore.And every once in a while, you need to color outside of the lines.That’s what school is for: discovering new passions, acquiring new skills, making use of this incredible time that you have to prepare yourself and give yourself the skills that you’re going to need to pursue the kind of careers that you want.And that’s why when you’re still a student you can explore a wide range of possibilities.One hour you can be an artist;the next, an author;the next, a scientist, or a historian, or a carpenter.This is the time where you can try out new interests and test new ideas.And the more you do, the sooner you’ll figure out what makes you come alive, what stirs you, what makes you excited--the career that you want to pursue.Now, if you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a little secret: I was not always the very best student that I could be when I was in high school, and certainly not when I was in middle school.I did not love every class I took.I wasn’t always paying attention the way I should have.I remember when I was in 8th grade I had to take a class called ethics.Now, ethics is about right and wrong, but if you’d ask me what my favorite subject was back in 8th grade, it was basketball.I don’t think ethics would have made it on the list.But here’s the interesting thing.I still remember that ethics class, all these years later.I remember the way it made me think.I remember being asked questions like: What matters in life? Or, what does it mean to treat other people with dignity and respect? What does it mean to live in a diverse nation, where not everybody looks like you do, or thinks like you do, or comes from the same neighborhood as you do? How do we figure out how to get along?
Each of these questions led to new questions.And I didn’t always know the right answers, but those discussions and that process of discovery--those things have lasted.Those things are still with me today.Every day, I’m thinking about those same issues as I try to lead this nation.I’m asking the same kinds of questions about, how do we as a diverse nation come together to achieve what we need to achieve? How do we make sure that every single person is treated with dignity and respect? What responsibilities do we have to people who are less fortunate than we are? How do we make sure that everybody is included in this family of Americans?
Those are all questions that date back to this class that I took back in 8th grade.And here’s the thing: I still don’t always know the answers to all these questions.But if I’d have just tuned out because the class sounded boring, I might have missed out on something that not only did I turn out enjoying, but has ended up serving me in good stead for the rest of my life.So that’s a big part of your responsibility, is to test things out.Take risks.Try new things.Work hard.Don’t be embarrassed if you’re not good at something right away.You’re not supposed to be good at everything right away.That’s why you’re in school.The idea, though, is, is that you keep on expanding your horizons and your sense of possibility.Now is the time for you to do that.And those are also, by the way, the things that will make school more fun.Down the road, those will be the traits that will help you succeed, as well--the traits that will lead you to invent a device that makes an iPad look like a stone tablet.Or what will help you figure out a way to use the sun and the wind to power a city and give us new energy sources that are less polluting.Or maybe you’ll write the next great American novel.Now, to do almost any of those things, you have to not only graduate from high school,--and I know I’m just--I’m in the “amen” corner with Principal Berger here--not only do you have to graduate from high school, but you’re going to have to continue education after you leave.You have to not only graduate, but you’ve got to keep going after you graduate.That might mean, for many of you, a four-year university.I was just talking to Donae, and she wants to be an architect, and she’s interning with a architectural firm, and she’s already got her sights set on what school she wants to go to.But it might, for some other folks, be a community college, or professional credentialing or training.But the fact of the matter is, is that more than 60 percent of the jobs in the next decade will require more than a high school diploma--more than 60 percent.That’s the world you’re walking into.So I want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate.And if that means college for you, just getting into college is not enough.You also have to graduate.One of the biggest challenges we have right now is that too many of our young people enroll in college but don’t actually end up getting their degree, and as a consequence--our country used to have the world’s highest proportion of young people with a college degree;we now rank 16th.I don't like being 16th.I like being number one.That’s not good enough.So we’ve got to use--we’ve got to make sure your generation gets us back to the top of having the most college graduates relative to the population of any country on Earth.If we do that, you guys will have a brighter future.And so will America.We’ll be able to make sure the newest inventions and the latest breakthroughs happen right here in the United States of America.It will mean better jobs, and more fulfilling lives, and greater opportunities not only for you, but also for your kids.So I don’t want anybody who’s listening here today to think that you’re done once you finish high school.You are not done learning.In fact, what’s happening in today’s economy is--it’s all about lifelong learning.You have to constantly upgrade your skills and find new ways of doing things.Even if college isn't for you, even if a four-year college isn't for you, you’re still going to have to get more education after you get out of high school.You’ve got to start expecting big things from yourself right now.I know that may sound a little intimidating.And some of you may be wondering how you can pay for college, or you might not know what you want to do with your life yet.And that’s okay.Nobody expects you to have your entire future mapped out at this point.And we don't expect you to have to make it on your own.First of all, you’ve got wonderful parents who love you to death and want you to have a lot more opportunity than they ever had--which, by the way, means don’t give them a hard time when they ask you to turn off the video games, turn off the TV and do some homework.You need to be listening to them.I speak from experience because that’s what I’ve been telling Malia and Sasha.Don’t be mad about it, because we’re thinking about your future.You’ve also got people all across this country--including myself and Arne and people at every level of government--who are working on your behalf.We’re taking every step we can to ensure that you’re getting an educational system that is worthy of your potential.We’re working to make sure that you have the most up-to-date schools with the latest tools of learning.We’re making sure that this country’s colleges and universities are affordable and accessible to you.We’re working to get the best class--teachers into the classroom as well, so they can help you prepare for college and a future career.Let me say something about teachers, by the way.Teachers are the men and women who might be working harder than just about anybody these days.(Applause.)Whether you go to a big school or a small one, whether you attend a public or a private or charter school –-your teachers are giving up their weekends;they’re waking up at dawn;they’re cramming their days full of classes and extra-curricular activities.And then they’re going home, eating some dinner, and then they’ve got to stay up sometimes past midnight, grading your papers and correcting your grammar, and making sure you got that algebra formula properly.And they don’t do it for a fancy office.They don’t--they sure don’t do it for the big salary.They do it for you.They do it because nothing gives them more satisfaction than seeing you learn.They live for those moments when something clicks;when you amaze them with your intellect or your vocabulary, or they see what kind of person you’re becoming.And they’re proud of you.And they say, I had something to do with that, that wonderful young person who is going to succeed.They have confidence in you that you will be citizens and leaders who take us into tomorrow.They know you’re our future.So your teachers are pouring everything they got into you, and they’re not alone.But I also want to emphasize this: With all the challenges that our country is facing right now, we don’t just need you for the future;we actually need you now.America needs young people’s passion and their ideas.We need your energy right now.I know you’re up to it because I’ve seen it.Nothing inspires me more than knowing that young people all across the country are already making their marks.They’re not waiting.They’re making a difference now.There are students like Will Kim from Fremont, California, who launched a nonprofit that gives loans to students from low-income schools who want to start their own business.Think about that.So he’s giving loans to other students.He set up a non-for-profit.He’s raising the money doing what he loves--through dodgeball tournaments and capture-the-flag games.But he’s creative.He took initiative.And now he’s helping other young people be able to afford the schooling that they need.There is a young man, Jake Bernstein, 17 years old, from a military family in St.Louis, worked with his sister to launch a website devoted to community service for young people.And they’ve held volunteer fairs and put up an online database, and helped thousands of families to find volunteer opportunities ranging from maintaining nature trails to serving at local hospitals.And then last year, I met a young woman named Amy Chyao from Richardson, Texas.She’s 16 years old, so she’s the age of some of you here.During the summer, I think because somebody in her family had an illness, she decided that she was interested in cancer research.She hadn’t taken chemistry yet, so she taught herself chemistry during the summer.And then she applied what she had learned and discovered a breakthrough process that uses light to kill cancer cells.Sixteen years old.It’s incredible.And she's been approached by some doctors and researchers who want to work with her to help her with her discovery.The point is you don’t have to wait to make a difference.You’re first obligation is to do well in school.You’re first obligation is to make sure that you’re preparing yourself for college and career.But you can also start making your mark right now.A lot of times young people may have better ideas than us old people do anyway.We just need those ideas out in the open, in and out of the classroom.When I meet young people like yourselves, when I sat and talk to Donae, I have no doubt that America’s best days are still ahead of us, because I know the potential that lies in each of you.Soon enough, you will be the ones leading our businesses and leading our government.You will be the one who are making sure that the next generation gets what they need to succeed.You will be the ones that are charting the course of our unwritten history.And all that starts right now--starts this year.So I want all of you who are listening, as well as everybody here at Banneker, I want you to make the most of the year that’s ahead of you.I want you to think of this time as one in which you are just loading up with information and skills, and you’re trying new things and you’re practicing, and you’re honing--all those things that you’re going to need to do great things when you get out of school.Your country is depending on you.So set your sights high.Have a great school year.Let’s get to work.Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless the United States of America.(Applause.)
第四篇:奧巴馬演講
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address Saturday, May 14, 2011
Washington D.C.Recently, there have been signs that the economy is picking up steam.Last month, we saw the strongest job growth in five years, and have added more than three-quarters of a million private sector jobs in just three months.But there are still too many Americans who are either looking for work, or struggling to pay the bills and make the mortgage.Paychecks aren’t getting any bigger, but the cost of everything from groceries to college tuition keeps on rising.Without a doubt, one of the biggest burdens over the last few months has been the price of gasoline.In many places, gas is now more than $4 a gallon, meaning that you could be paying more than $60 to fill up your tank.These spikes in gas prices are often temporary, and while there are no quick fixes to the problem, there are a few steps we should take that make good sense.First, we should make sure that no one is taking advantage of consumers at the pump.That’s why we’ve launched a task force led by the Attorney General that has one job: rooting out cases of fraud or manipulation in the markets that might affect gas prices, including any illegal activity by traders and speculators.Second, we should increase safe and responsible oil production here at home.Last year, America’s oil production reached its highest level since 2003.But I believe that we should expand oil production in America – even as we increase safety and environmental standards.To do this, I am directing the Department of Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, while respecting sensitive areas, and to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic.We plan to lease new areas in the Gulf of Mexico as well, and work to create new incentives for industry to develop their unused leases both on and offshore.We’re also taking steps to give companies time to meet higher safety standards when it comes to exploration and drilling.That’s why my Administration is extending drilling leases in areas of the Gulf that were impacted by the temporary moratorium, as well as certain areas off the coast of Alaska.And to streamline that permitting process, I am establishing a new team to coordinate work on Alaska drilling permits.Finally, the third step we should take is to eliminate the taxpayer subsidies we give to oil and gas companies.In the last few months, the biggest oil companies made about $4 billion in profits each week.And yet, they get $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies each year.Four billion dollars at a time when Americans can barely fill up their tanks.Four billion dollars at a time when we’re trying to reduce our deficit.This isn’t fair, it makes no sense.Before I was President, the CEOs of these companies even admitted that the tax subsidies made no sense.Well, next week, there is a vote in Congress to end these oil company giveaways once and for all.And I hope Democrats and Republicans come together and get this done.The American people shouldn’t be subsidizing oil companies at a time when they’re making near-record profits.As a nation, we should be investing in the clean, renewable sources of energy that are the ultimate solution to high-gas prices.That’s why we’re investing in clean energy technology, helping businesses that manufacture solar panels and wind turbines, and making sure that our cars and trucks can go further on a tank of gas – a step that could save families as much as $3,000 at the pump.These are investments worth making – investments that will save us money, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and protect the health and safety of our planet.That’s an energy policy for the future, and it’s what I’ll be fighting for in the weeks and months to come.Thanks.
第五篇:奧巴馬演講
奧巴馬演講:為未來清潔能源投資
來源:http:// Hi, everybody.I’m speaking to you this week from a factory in Petersburg, Virginia, where they’re bringing on more than 100 new workers to build parts for the next generation of jet engines.It’s a story that’s happening more frequently across the country.Our businesses just added 233,000 jobs last month – for a total of nearly four million new jobs over the last two years.More companies are choosing to bring jobs back and invest in America.Manufacturing is adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s, and we’re building more things to sell to the rest of the world stamped with three proud words: Made in America.And it’s not just that we’re building stuff.We’re building better stuff.The engine parts manufactured here in Petersburg will go into next-generation planes that are lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient.That last part is important.Because whether you’re paying for a plane ticket, or filling up your gas tank, technology that helps us get more miles to the gallon is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The recent spike in gas prices has been another painful reminder of why we have to invest in this technology.As usual, politicians have been rolling out their three-point plans for two-dollar gas: drill, drill, and drill some more.Well, my response is, we have been drilling.Under my Administration, oil production in America is at an eight-year high.We’ve quadrupled the number of operating oil rigs, and opened up millions of acres for drilling.But you and I both know that with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices – not when consume 20 percent of the world’s oil.We need an all-of-the-above strategy that relies less on foreign oil and more on American-made energy – solar, wind, natural gas, biofuels, and more.That’s the strategy we’re pursuing.It’s why I went to a plant in North Carolina earlier this week, where they’re making trucks that run on natural gas, and hybrid trucks that go further on a single tank.And it’s why I’ve been focused on fuel efficient cars since the day I took office.Over the last few years, the annual number of miles driven by Americans has stayed roughly the same, but the total amount of gas we use has been going down.In other words, we’re getting more bang for our buck.If we accelerate that trend, we can help drivers save a significant amount of money.That’s why, after 30 years of inaction, we finally put in place new standards that will make sure our cars average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade – nearly double what they get today.This wasn’t easy: we had to bring together auto companies, and unions, and folks who don’t ordinarily see eye to eye.But it was worth it.Because these cars aren’t some pie in the sky solution that’s years away.They’re being built right now – by American workers, in factories right here in the U.S.A.Every year, our cars and trucks will be able to go further and use less fuel, and pretty soon, you’ll be able to fill up every two weeks instead of every week – something that, over time, will save the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump.We’ll reduce our oil consumption by more than 12 billion barrels.That’s a future worth investing in.So we have a choice.Right now, some folks in Washington would rather spend another $4 billion on subsidies to oil companies each year.Well you know what? We’ve been handing out these kinds of taxpayer giveaways for nearly a century.And outside of Congress, does anyone really think that’s still a good idea? I want this Congress to stop the giveaways to an oil industry that’s never been more profitable, and invest in a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.We should be investing in the technology that’s building the cars and trucks and jets that will prevent us from dealing with these high gas prices year after year after year.Ending this cycle of rising gas prices won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight.But that’s why you sent us to Washington – to solve tough problems like this one.So I’m going to keep doing everything I can to help you save money on gas, both right now and in the future.I hope politicians from both sides of the aisle join me.Let’s put aside the bumper-sticker slogans, remember why we’re here, and get things done for the American people.Thank you, God bless you, and have a great weekend.大家好。本周我來到了維吉尼亞州匹茲堡市的一家工廠,這家工廠帶來了100多個新的工作崗位,他們正在生產下一代噴氣發動機的零部件。
這樣的景象在全國各地不斷涌現。上個月我們的企業又新增23.3萬個就業崗位,過去兩年總共新增約400萬個就業崗位。越來越多的企業選擇回國投資并將工作崗位帶回來。制造業也從上世紀90年代以來首次增加就業崗位,我們制造的產品被銷往世界各地,產品上印著讓我們自豪的四個字:美國制造。
我們不僅僅是正在制造一些東西,我們是在制造更棒的東西。在匹茲堡這里生產的引擎零部件將用于下一代的更輕、更快、更節省燃料的飛機上。
最后一個特點很重要。因為無論你是買機票還是給自己的汽車加油,提高單位燃料的行駛里程是幫助我們節約支出和降低對海外石油依賴的最直接的方式。而最近油價的上漲也深深刺痛著我們,我們必須在這一技術上進行投資。一些政客一直在兜售他們實現2美元油價的三項計劃:開采、開采以及更多的開采。好吧,我的回應是,我們一直都在開采。在政府領導下,美國國內的石油產量處在8年來的最高點。我們開放了數百萬英畝的開采區域,正在運轉的石油鉆井平臺也增加了4倍。但你我都知道我們僅僅擁有2%的世界石油儲量,我們不能單獨依靠開采來降低油價,何況我們還消費了全球20%的石油。我們需要一個最高的能源戰略,減少我們對海外石油的依賴,更多使用國產能源:太陽能、風能、天然氣以及生物燃料等等。
這才是我們追求的戰略。這也是我本周早些時候到訪北卡的一家工廠的原因,那里的工人們正在生產使用天然氣的卡車,混合動力卡車用一箱油能行駛的更遠。
這也是我自主政以來就一直關注高能效汽車的原因。在過去的幾年里,美國人每年的汽車行駛里程基本保持不變,但總的汽油消耗量在不斷下降。換句話說,我們花同樣的錢,得到的利益增加了。如果我們加速推進這一趨勢,我們就可以幫助駕駛員們節約一筆可觀的費用。這也是我們實施新的能效標準的原因,老的標準還是30年前制定的,這樣我們能在未來15年內實現汽車平均用1加侖汽油行駛55英里的目標,這是現狀的兩倍。實現這一目標并不容易,我們需要將汽車生產廠家、產業聯盟以及意見并不一致的人們團結到一起。但這么做是值得的。
因為這樣的汽車并不像前幾年那樣還是空中樓閣。我們的工人,國內的工廠現在正在生產這樣的汽車。每年,我們的汽車、卡車都能用更少的油跑的更遠,很快,你們將能每兩周加一次油而不用每周都去加油站。這樣假以時日,將為一般家庭在油費支出上節省8000多美元。我們將減少超過120億桶的石油消費量。這是值得我們投資的未來。因此,我們要做出選擇。但現在華盛頓的一些人卻寧愿每年花40億美元給石油公司提供補貼。你們可知道。我們已經用納稅人的錢給它們提供了將近一個世紀的補貼了。在國會之外,難道就有人真的認為這是個好主意嗎?我希望國會終止對石油產業的補貼,它們的利潤已經高的不能再高了,我們應該把這些錢投資到更有希望的清潔能源產業上。我們應該投資于生產高能效汽車、卡車和飛機的技術上,避免我們年復一年的受高油價的麻煩。
走出不斷上漲的油價這一惡性循環并不容易,也不能在一夜間完成。但這正是你們選擇我們來到華盛頓的原因,我們就是來解決這樣的難題的。因此我將繼續竭盡所能幫助我們節約油費支出,現在如此將來亦如此。我希望兩黨的政客們都能與我一道。讓我們把空洞的口號放置一邊,牢記使命,為美國人民把事情做好。謝謝,上帝保佑大家,祝大家周末愉快。