英语演讲原文Weekly Address.docx
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英语演讲原文WeeklyAddress
WeeklyAddress
RemarksofPresidentBarackObamaWeeklyAddressSaturday,April18,2009
It’snotnewstosaythatwearelivingthroughchallengingtimes:
TheworsteconomicdownturnsincetheGreatDepression. Acreditcrisisthathasmadethatdownturnworse. Andafiscal1disasterthathasaccumulatedoveraperiodofyears.
Intheyear2000,wehadprojectedbudgetsurplusesinthetrillions,andWashingtonappearedtobeontheroadtofiscalstability. Eightyearslater,whenIwalkedinthedoor,theprojectedbudgetdeficit2forthisyearalonewas$1.3trillion. Andinordertojumpstartourstrugglingeconomy,wewereforcedtomakeinvestmentsthataddedtothatdeficitthroughtheAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentAct.
Butassurelyasourfuturedependsonbuildinganewenergyeconomy,controllinghealthcarecostsandensuringthatourkidsareonceagainthebesteducatedintheworld,italsodependsonrestoringasenseofresponsibilityandaccountabilitytoourfederalbudget. Withoutsignificantchangetosteer3awayfromever-expandingdeficits4anddebt,weareonanunsustainablecourse.
Sotoday,wesimplycannotaffordtoperpetuate5asysteminWashingtonwherepoliticiansandbureaucrats6makedecisionsbehindcloseddoors,withlittleaccountabilityfortheconsequences;wherebillionsaresquandered7onprogramsthathaveoutlivedtheirusefulness,orexistsolely8becauseofthepowerofalobbyistorinterestgroup;andwhereoutdated9technologyandinformationsystemsundermineefficiency,threatenoursecurity,andfailtoserveanengagedcitizenry.
Ifwe’retogoingtorebuildoureconomyonasolidfoundation,weneedtochangethewaywedobusinessinWashington. WeneedtorestoretheAmericanpeople’sconfidenceintheirgovernment–thatitisontheirside,spendingtheirmoneywisely,tomeettheirfamilies’needs.
Thatstartswiththepainstaking10workofexaminingeveryprogram,everyentitlement,everydollarofgovernmentspendingandaskingourselves:
Isthisprogramreallyessential?
Aretaxpayers11gettingtheirmoney’sworth?
Canweaccomplishourgoalsmoreefficiently12oreffectivelysomeotherway?
It’saprocesswehavealreadybegun,scouring13ourbudgetlinebylineforprogramsthatdon’tworksowecancutthemtomakeroomforonesthatdo. Thatmeansendingtaxbreaksforcompaniesshipping14jobsoverseas;stoppingthefraudandabuseinourMedicareprogram;andreformingourhealthcaresystemtocutcostsforfamiliesandbusinesses. Itmeansstrengtheningwhisteblowerprotectionsforgovernmentemployeeswhostepforwardtoreportwasteful15spending. Anditmeansreinstatingthepay-as-you-gorulethatwefollowedduringthe1990s–soifwewanttospend,we’llneedtofindsomewhereelsetocut.
AndthisMonday,atmyfirst,fullCabinetmeeting,Iwillaskallofmydepartmentandagencyheadsforspecificproposalsforcuttingtheirbudgets. Already,membersofmyCabinethavebeguntotrimbackunnecessaryexpenditures16. SecretaryNapolitano,forexample,isendingconsultingcontractstocreatenewsealsandlogosthathavecosttheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity$3millionsince2003. InthelargestDepartment,SecretaryGateshaslaunchedanhistoricprojecttoreformdefense17contractingproceduresandeliminatehundredsofbillionsofdollarsinwastefulspendingandcostoverruns. AndIcommendSenatorsMcCainandLevin–aRepublicanandaDemocrat18–whohaveteameduptoleadthiseffortinCongress.
Finally,inthecomingweeks,Iwillbeannouncingtheelimination19ofdozensofgovernmentprogramsshowntobewastefulorineffective. Inthiseffort,therewillbenosacredcows,andnopetprojects. AllacrossAmerica,familiesaremakinghardchoices,andit’stimetheirgovernmentdidthesame.
ThatiswhyIhaveassembledateamofmanagement,technology,andbudgetexpertstoguideusinthiswork–leaderswhowillhelpusrevampgovernmentoperationsfromtoptobottomandensurethatthefederalgovernmentistrulyworkingfortheAmericanpeople.
IhavenamedJeffreyZients,aleadingCEO,managementconsultant20andentrepreneur,toserveasDeputyDirectorforManagementoftheOfficeofManagementandBudgetandasthefirsteverChiefPerformanceOfficer. Jeffreywillworktostreamline21processes,cutcosts,andfindbestpracticesthroughoutourgovernment.
AneeshChopra,whoiscurrentlytheSecretaryofTechnologyforGovernorKaineofVirginia,hasagreedtoserveasAmerica’sChiefTechnologyOfficer. Inthisrole,Aneeshwillpromotetechnological22innovationtohelpachieveourmosturgentpriorities–fromcreatingjobsandreducinghealthcarecoststokeepingournationsecure.
AneeshandJeffreywillworkcloselywithourChiefInformationOfficer,VivekKundra,whoisresponsibleforsettingtechnologypolicyacrossthegovernment,andusingtechnologytoimprovesecurity,ensuretransparency,andlowercosts. ThegoalistogiveallAmericansavoiceintheirgovernmentandensurethattheyknowexactlyhowwe’respendingtheirmoney–andcanholdusaccountablefortheresults.
Noneofthiswillbeeasy. Bigchangeneveris. Butwiththeleadershipoftheseindividuals,Iamconfidentthatwecanbreakourbadhabits,putanendtothemismanagementthathasplaguedourgovernment,andstartlivingwithinourmeansagain. Thatishowwewillgetourdeficitsundercontrolandmovefromrecoverytoprosperity. AndthatishowwewillgivetheAmericanpeoplethekindofgovernmenttheyexpectanddeserve–onethatisefficient,accountableandfully23worthy24oftheirtrust.
Thankyou.
■文章重点单词注释：
1
fiscal
adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的
参考例句：
Theincreaseoftaxationisanimportantfiscalpolicy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
Thegovernmenthastwobasicstrategiesoffiscalpolicyavailable.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。
2
deficit
n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差
参考例句：
Thedirectorshavereportedadeficitof2.5milliondollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
Wehaveagreatdeficitthisyear.我们今年有很大亏损。
3
steer
vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶
参考例句：
Ifyoupushthecar,I'llsteerit.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
It'snousetryingtosteertheboyintoacourseofactionthatsuitsyou.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。
4
deficits
n.不足额（deficit的名词复数）；赤字；亏空；亏损
参考例句：
TheMinistryofFinanceconsistentlyoverestimateditsbudgetdeficits.财政部一贯高估预算赤字。
来自《简明英汉词典》
Manyoftheworld'sfarmersarealsoincurringeconomicdeficits.世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。
来自辞典例句
5
perpetuate
v.使永存，使永记不忘
参考例句：
Thismonumentwasbuilttoperpetuatethememoryofthenationalhero.这个纪念碑建造的意义在于纪念民族英雄永垂不朽。
Wemustperpetuatethesystem.我们必须将此制度永久保持。
6
bureaucrats
n.官僚（bureaucrat的名词复数）；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言
参考例句：
Thatisthefateofthebureaucrats,nottheinspirationofstatesmen.那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。
来自辞典例句
BigbusinessanddozensofanonymousbureaucratshaveasmuchpowerasJapan'stopelectedleaders.大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。
来自辞典例句
7
squandered
v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花（squander的过去式和过去分词）
参考例句：
Hesquanderedallhismoneyongambling.他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
Shefeltasindignantasifherownmoneyhadbeensquandered.她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。
来自飘（部分）
8
solely
adv.仅仅，唯一地
参考例句：
Successshouldnotbemeasuredsolelybyeducationalachievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
Thetowndependsalmostsolelyonthetouristtrade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
9
outdated
adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时
参考例句：
Thatlistofaddressesisoutdated,manyhavechanged.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
Manyofusconformtotheoutdatedcustomslaiddownbyourforebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。
10
painstaking
adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的
参考例句：
Sheisnotverycleverbutsheispainstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。
Throughyearsofourpainstakingefforts,wehaveatlastachievedwhatwehavetoday.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。
11
taxpayers
纳税人，纳税的机构（taxpayer的名词复数）
参考例句：
Financeforeducationcomesfromtaxpayers.教育经费来自纳税人。
Shewasdeclaimingagainstthewasteofthetaxpayers'money.她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。
12
efficiently
adv.高效率地，有能力地
参考例句：
Theworkeroilsthemachinetooperateitmoreefficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
Localauthoritieshavetolearntoallocateresourcesefficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。
13
scouring
擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤
参考例句：
Thepolicearescouringthecountrysidefortheescapedprisoners.警察正在搜索整个乡村以捉拿逃犯。
Thisiscalledthescouringtraininwoolprocessing.这被称为羊毛加工中的洗涤系列。
14
shipping
n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）
参考例句：
WestruckabargainwithanAmericanshippingfirm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
There'sashippingchargeof￡5addedtotheprice.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
15
wasteful
adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的
参考例句：
Itisashametobesowasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
Dutieshavebeenreassignedtoavoidwastefulduplicationofwork.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。
16
expenditures
n.花费（expenditure的名词复数）；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费
参考例句：
Wehaveoverspent.We'llhavetoletupourexpendituresnextmonth.我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。
来自《简明英汉词典》
Thepensionincludesanallowanceoffiftypoundsfortrafficexpenditures.年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。
来自《简明英汉词典》
17
defense
n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩
参考例句：
Theaccusedhastherighttodefense.被告人有权获得辩护。
Thewarhasimpactedtheareawithmilitaryanddefenseworkers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
18
democrat
n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员
参考例句：
TheDemocratandthePubliccriticizedeachother.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
Abouttwoyearslater,hewasdefeatedbyDemocratJimmyCarter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。
19
elimination
n.排除，消除，消灭
参考例句：
Theireliminationfromthecompetitionwasagreatsurprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
Iwaseliminatedfromthe400metresinthesemi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。
20
consultant
n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生
参考例句：
Heisaconsultantonlawaffairstothemayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
Originally,Garhadagreedtocomeupasaconsultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。
21
streamline
vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化
升级会员 