什么鲤鱼王进化是红色:美国总统奥巴马发表2011国情咨文(中英文全文)

美国总统奥巴马发表国情咨文(全文)
来源：搜狐文化 2010年01月26日
　　奥巴马国情咨文全文
　　尊敬的议长女士、副总统拜登、国会成员、各位嘉宾和美国同胞，大家好。
　　我国宪法要求美国总统需要向国会提供关于国家状况的相关信息。在过去两百二十年里，我国领导人履行了这一职责。他们不仅在经济繁荣和国家安定的时期发表讲话，也在战争期间和经济衰退之时发表国情咨文。
　　回顾这些历史时刻是非常有吸引力的，并可认为我们国家的进步是不可避免的，美国注定会获得成功。但在当美国股市持续了10年的牛市崩溃、二战期间盟军登陆奥马哈海滩之时，我们是否能够获得胜利还充满质疑。当华尔街股市在黑色星期二崩盘和追求民权的游行者在“血腥星期天”遭到殴打的时候，未来是不确定的。这是考验我们勇气、政府实力的时刻。尽管我们之间存在分歧以及有些犹豫和担心，美国仍然能获得胜利，因为我们是作为一个国以一个人的步伐向前迈进。
　　我们再次受到挑战，必须再次回答历史的疑问。
    　一年之前，我在两场战争之中成为美国总统。当时美国正受到经济衰退造成的冲击，金融系统已到崩溃边缘，政府负债累累。所有政治领域的专家发出警告，认为如果我们不采取行动，美国将出现历史上第二大经济衰退。所以我们迅速和积极的作出反应。一年以后，最严重的经济风暴已经过去。
　　但金融风暴造成的损失仍然存在。十分之一的美国人找不到工作，大批公司破产，房价下跌，小城镇和农村社区损失尤其惨重。对穷苦百姓而言，生活将变得更为艰难。
　　经济衰退也加重了美国家庭的负担。人们无法攒够退休养老和子女上学所需的资金。
　　所以我知道人们充满焦虑。这种现象并不是现在才有。这些努力和奋斗正是我竞选美国总统的原因。多年以来，我曾经在埃尔克哈特、盖尔斯堡、印第安纳州和伊利诺伊州等地亲眼见过人们的苦痛。从大家的来信中，我听到了人们的呼声。我感到最痛心的一封信来自儿童，他们发出询问为什么必须搬家和父母何时才能重返就业岗位。
　　对于这些人而言，变革的到来似乎过于缓慢。一些人感到沮丧，一些人感到愤怒。他们不了解为什么华尔街做出错误举动却获得奖励，而普通民众付出了辛勤汗水却未得到任何回报；他们对美国政府无力解决或者不愿意解决问题而感到不解。他们已经厌倦了党派之争和大喊大叫。他们知道我们无法承受这一切，至少不是现在。
　　所以我们面临巨大而艰辛的挑战。美国人民的希望是民主党和共和党可以消除党派之争，克服冗繁的政治体制。对于那些投票的选民，虽然他们的背景、故事和信仰各不相同，但是他们面临的困境是一样的。他们拥有相同的渴望：获得一份支付账单的工作；得到获取成功的机会；让他们的子女生活更舒适。
　　你知道他们还有什么相同的地方吗？那就是在灾难面前拥有很强的适应能力。在度过历史上最困难的时期以后，美国人民依然忙于生产汽车、教育子女、做生意和重返校园。一名女士曾经写信说：“虽然我们感到压力，但是我们充满希望、努力奋斗。
　　这是由于我们具有一种精神——伟大的道德标准和巨大的力量。我从来没有像今天晚上一样对美国的未来这么充满希望。虽然面临困境，但我们依然强大。我们不会放弃，不会逃避，不允许恐惧和分歧破坏我们的精神。新的十年是美国政府展现美国人民力量的时候。
　　今天晚上，我希望讨论我们实现这一承诺的方式。
        先从经济层面说起。
　　我们现在最紧急的任务是向银行提供资金支持。这些银行也是造成金融危机的罪魁祸首。向银行提供援助并不容易完成。如果有一件事是民主党、共和党和中间党派意见一致的事情，那就是我们痛恨救助银行。我恨它。你们也恨他。他就像牙根管一样普及。
　　但是当我竞选美国总统的时候，我曾经发誓不做普通的事情，而要做需要的事情。如果我们容忍金融系统崩溃，那么失业率会是现在的两倍，会有更多的企业破产，更多人失去房屋。
　　所以我支持上届政府创立的金融援助计划。当我们接手以后，这项计划变得更为透明、更富有责任。因此金融市场现在才变得稳定，我们已经收回大部分援助银行的资金。
　　为了实现其它领域的复苏，我已经提议向大型银行收费。我知道华尔街一定对这一提议不感兴趣。如果这些公司有钱发放高额奖金，它们必须向纳税人支付最温和的费用。因为正是他们在危难之时帮助了这些企业。
    奥巴马：多措施增加就业岗位 增加失业补贴
　　随着金融系统的逐步稳定，我们也采取措施恢复经济增长，尽可能的增加就业岗位，向失业的美国人提供帮助。
　　这也是为什么我们能够为1800多万美国失业人员延长或增加了失业津贴，使得通过统一综合预算汇编法案(COBRA)覆盖的美国家庭医疗保险费用下降65%，并通过了25项不同的税收减免政策。
　　现在让我们重申：我们大举减税。为95%的工薪家庭减税，也减少了小型公司和首次购房者的税款。除此以外，我们还为那些需要照顾孩子的父母、800万支付学费的美国大学生实施减税。
　　因此，数百万美国人可以拥有更多的资金，购买食品、汽油和其它物品。而这一切又帮助企业雇佣更多的员工。我们没有对任何一个人多征收一分钱。
　　由于我们采取的措施，大约两百万人不再失业，获得就业岗位。我们希望在今年年底再增加150万个就业岗位。
　　而使这一切变成现实的方案就是复兴法（Recovery Act）。没错，正是《复兴法案》，也就是人们通常所称的《刺激法案》，左派和右派经济学家都认为是它保住了工作岗位，避免灾难的发生。但是你不必完全相信他们的话。那么和凤凰城的企业主谈谈吧。他们会告诉你这项法案使他们的职工总数提高两倍。你也可以与费城的制造企业人员交谈，他们会说一开始对这项法案还充满质疑，但随后看到工时提高以后打消疑虑。
　　这样的故事在美国到处都有。在经历两年的经济衰退以后，美国经济正在复苏，退休基金也开始升值，经济领域重新获得投资，企业也开始再次雇佣新员工。
　　但是我明白在每一个成功的故事里人们遭受的苦难。每天人们都是从极度痛苦中醒来，不知道从哪儿获得以后的收入。他们不断发送简历，但未得到任何回复。这就是我们将就业列为2010年头等大事的原因，也是我要求今晚获得一项新就业提案的原因。
　　创造就业岗位的真正引擎永远是美国商业。但是美国政府会为企业创造必要的条件，以便于企业扩大就业。
　　首先，我们应该开始于主要创建新就业岗位的小型企业领域。这里不仅是大多数新就业岗位的来源之地，也是大型企业的发源地。凭借勇气和决心，小型企业经受了经济衰退的考验，准备发展壮大。但是当你和小企业交谈时会发现，华尔街的大银行将大部分资金借给大型企业。而小型企业要想获得资金却非常艰难，即使它们已经开始盈利。
　　所以今晚，我提议从华尔街金融机构偿还的资金中拿出300亿美元帮助社区银行，给小型企业提供维持运营所需的贷款。我同时提议对小型企业提供新的税收优惠措施。其中一项将覆盖一百万家小型企业。它们征收新员工和提高工资都会享受税收减免政策。接下来，我们可以让现在的美国人修建未来所需的基础设施。从第一条铁路到洲际高速公路，美国一直在建设基础设施，与其它国家展开竞争。没有任何理由只有欧洲、中国拥有全球速度最快的高速铁路，或者能生产清洁能源产品的新工厂。
　　明天我将前往佛罗里达州的坦帕市。受益于复兴法案的支持，那里正在建设一条全新的高速铁路。美国国内还有许多类似的建设项目，将创造就业岗位，帮助货物运输、信息传递。
　　我们应该让更多的美国人参与建设清洁能源设施，同时向使家庭更为节能的美国人提供折扣。为了鼓励美国企业留在美国本土，我们对将工作岗位转移到美国以外地区的企业应该取消税收优惠，而将这些优惠提供给为美国人创造就业岗位的公司。
　　美国众议院已经通过一项就业法案，其中就包括了以上部分条款。作为今年商业领域的头等大事，我认为美国参议院也会通过这项法案。我知道他们会这样做。人们失去工作，正在承受痛苦，需要我们的帮助。我希望就业法案可以尽快提交到我的办公桌上。
　　但实际上，这些措施无法让所有失业人员重新就业。在过去两年内，一共有700万人丧失工作。让所有美国人实现就业的唯一方法就是为美国的长期经济发展奠定新的基础，最终解决美国家庭在数年以来碰到的问题。
　　我们无法再次承受所谓的“经济扩张”。在过去十年，就业岗位增长最为缓慢，美国家庭的平均收入下降，而医疗成本和学费达到新高。当时的经济繁荣是建立在房地产泡沫和金融投机的基础上。
　　从第一天担任美国总统开始，别人就告诉我，解决较大的挑战显得过于野心勃勃，为此付出的努力会受到很大的争议。我还听说我们的政治体制已陷入僵局。我们这届政府应该将问题暂时搁置。
　　对于这些主张，我有一个简单的疑问：我们应该等多久？美国还要将自己的未来搁置多久？
　　你瞧，美国政府在过去几十年一直在等待，即使美国存在的问题日益恶化。与此同时，中国却没有等待，实施经济改革。德国、印度也没有等待。这些国家没有原地踏步，也不想成为次要国家。它们更加注重数学和科学领域，改造基础设施，在清洁能源领域投入大量资金，因为它们希望获得这些就业岗位。我无法接受美国成为二等国家。
　　现在是我们认真对待，解决阻碍经济发展问题的时刻。我们可以先从金融改革开始。我对惩罚银行机构并不感兴趣。一个强大、健康的金融市场可以帮助企业获得贷款，创造就业机会。金融市场会吸收家庭储蓄，然后投资企业，从而提高个人收入。但只有当我们采取措施避免发生第二次金融危机之时，上述一切才能实现。
　　我们需要确保消费者和中产阶级家庭获得做出财务决定所需的金融信息。我们不能允许金融机构采取冒险行动，从而威胁整体经济发展。
　　在对金融改革方案进行部分修改以后，美国众议院已经通过这一法案。一些游说团体试图阻止改革方案获得审批，但我们没有让他们得逞。
　　接下来，我们需要鼓励创新。去年，我们向基础研究领域投入了巨额资金，创造历史。这笔投资将带来全世界价格最为低廉的太阳能电池或者找到杀死癌细胞而不伤害健康细胞的治疗方法。没有任何一个领域比能源行业更适合创新。去年，美国在北卡莱罗纳州对清洁能源进行投资。这将创造1200个就业岗位，生产更为先进的电池。
　　不过，为了在清洁能源领域创造更多的就业岗位，我们需要提高产量、提高效率和更多刺激措施。这不仅意味着需要建立新一代安全和清洁的核电站；也意味着需要作出艰难的选择，开放近海地区，开发石油和天然气；还意味着对生物燃料和清洁煤技术持续投资。美国国会需要通过一项全面的能源和气候法案，为清洁能源推广提供优惠措施，从而使清洁能源成为一种人们可以承受的能源。
　　我非常感谢美国众议院去年通过类似法案，而今年我希望这项法案能够得到美国参议院批准。
　　我很清楚人们对于美国在此严峻的经济环境下是否能够承受这样的变化表示质疑。我也知道一些人对于气候变暖的证据还充满疑惑。但是即使这些证据值得怀疑，鼓励清洁能源发展对于我们的未来也是一项正确的事情。因为清洁能源经济的领导者将成为领导全球经济的国家。美国必须扮演这样的角色。
　　第三，我需要向外出口更多的产品。
       因为我们向其它国家出口的产品越多，美国出现的就业岗位就会越多。所以，我在今天晚上设立一个新的目标：我们将在未来五年使出口量增长一倍，为美国增加200万个就业岗位。未来实现这一目标。我们推出国家出口倡议（National Export Initiative），帮助农场主和小型企业增加出口量，对出口管制措施进行改革，保护国家安全。
　　我们必须像竞争对手一样积极开拓新市场，如果其它国家签署贸易协议而我们却坐在场外，美国将丧失创造就业机会的机遇。但要得到这些好处，我们必须执行这些协议，让我们的贸易伙伴遵守游戏规则。这就是我们继续推动多哈贸易协定的原因，也是美国加强与亚洲国家关系的原因。与此同时，美国也在加强与韩国、巴拿马和哥伦比亚等关键合作伙伴的关系。
　　第四，我们需要投资教育和技能培养。
　　今年，我们发动一场全国范围内的竞赛，改善了学校教学环境，从而打破了左右两方存在的僵局。这个思路其实很简单：只奖励成功，不鼓励失败。不再为了维持现状而投资，而是为了改革而投资。这些改革包括提高学生成绩、鼓励学生在数学和科学领域取得突破、改善教育失败的学校。在美国，儿童的成功应该更依赖于他们的潜力，而不是他们的出生。
　　当我们延续中小学教育法案有效期的时候，我们会与国会一起将教育领域的改革扩展到全部50个州。然而，在现有经济状况下，高学历不再确保能够得到一份好工作。所以，我催促参议院效仿众议院批准一项恢复社区大学的法案。这将是许多工薪家庭子女获取工作技能的重要场所。
　　为了降低大学费用，这项法案将停止无担保的纳税人补贴。取而代之的是向美国家庭提供总额达到10000美元的税收减免政策，同时增加奖学金。我们要告诉另外一百万学生，当他们毕业时，只需要支付学生贷款中10%的资金。全部债务可以在一定期限内免除。因为在美利坚合众国，任何一个人都不应该因为上大学而破产。
　　顺便说一句，现在是大学院校采取认真态度减少自身成本的时候。因为它们同样有责任帮助解决教育问题。
　　不过大学费用较高只是中产阶级承受的负担之一。因此，今年我要求副总统拜登指挥一个工作小组，专门针对中产阶级家庭。我们提高了养育儿女税收减免税率，以便于美国人更方面为养老退休进行储蓄。每一个工人都能获得一个退休账户，同时享受幅度更大的税收减免。除此以外，我们还提高了房地产价格。我们在去年推出多项措施，扶持房地产市场，从而允许数百万美国人获得新的贷款，在按揭还贷方面也减少了1500美元的支出。
　　今年我们将加速再融资进程，从而使房屋拥有者可以承受抵押贷款。为了减轻中产阶级身上的负担，我们还需要进行医疗体系改革。
　　在经过一个世纪的努力以后，我们正在逐步接近目标，给美国人的生命带来保障。我们采取的方式将保护每一个美国人摆脱保险业采取的最恶劣行径。医改法案会给小型企业和未参加保险的美国人提供机遇，在一个充满竞争的市场选择一份可以承受的医疗保障计划。这一法案需要每一个保险计划都包括预防护理项目。
　　顺便说一下，我的夫人今年创立了一项全国范围内的活动，希望阻止儿童肥胖人数增多，使儿童更健康。谢谢。她觉得有些害羞。
　　我们推行的医改方案将保留美国民众的权利，他们可以继续享有现有的医保计划和私人医生。医改方案将减少数百万家庭和企业的费用支出。
　　然而这是一个复杂的问题，讨论的时间越长，对此提出质疑的人数越多。由于在医改方案上对美国民众解释的不够，外界提出许多批评。我对此负有责任。我也知道这个问题不会消失。今晚我发言结束以后，我知道会有更多的美国人失去医保计划。还有数百万人会在今年失去医疗保险，我们的赤字也会继续增长。但我不会离开这些美国民众，在座的各位也不能袖手旁观。
　　我希望大家都能再仔细看看我们提出的计划，有很多医生、护士和医疗卫生专家在了解计划后，都认为这比目前的制度有了很大改善。当然，要是两党中有谁还有更好的办法能够降低医保费用、减少赤字、覆盖无保险人群、加强老年医保，都请告诉我。我要对国会说的是，不要回避改革，现在我们已经离得很近了。让我们共同努力，为了美国人民完成这项工作。
　　不过，即使医疗改革能够减少赤字，也无法帮助我们摆脱巨大的财政缺口。挑战依然存在，还有其他问题难以解决。
　　我先从关于政府开支问题说起吧。本世纪初，美国预算曾有过超2000亿美元的盈余。到我上任时，年度赤字达到1万亿美元，而且预计未来10年这一数字将达到8万亿。其中，经济衰退造成3万亿美元预算缺口。这就是我来这里之前的情况。若是在正常情况下，我自然要开始减少赤字。但是，我们赶上了经济危机，为了防止经济陷入第二次大萧条，我们的国债又添1万亿美元。
　　我坚信这么做是正确的。但是，既然全国的家庭都在节衣缩食，艰难度日，那么联邦政府也应该如此。所以，今晚我要提出偿付去年1万亿美元经济救助资金的具体步骤。从2011年起的未来三年中，我们准备冻结政府开支，除了国家安全、医疗保险、医疗补助和社会保障等不受影响外，其他所有政府项目均在限制之列。和所有资金短缺的家庭一样，我们会努力把预算控制在需要范围内，放弃那些不需要的。为了推行这一原则，我愿意使用否决权。
　　我们将继续逐项审查预算，取消那些我们负担不起和没有作用的项目。我们已经为来年省下了200亿美元。为了帮助工人家庭，我们将延长中产阶级减税计划，但考虑到创纪录的赤字，石油公司、投资基金经理和那些年收入超过25万美元的人不能享受这一政策。我们负担不起。
　　就算做到这些，我们仍将面临我上任时就存在的巨额财政赤字。更重要的是，医疗保险和补贴以及社会保障的花费将继续飞涨，所以我提出设立一个两党财政委员会。这绝不是要搞假装解决问题的政治噱头，该委员会将在一定时限内提出解决方案。昨天，参议院阻止有关设立该委员会的法案通过。我会签发行政命令来推动这一计划，因为我不能将这一问题再留给下一代人。明天投票时，参议院应恢复“现收现支”法案，该法案是20世纪90年代政府实现创纪录盈余的一个重要原因。
　　我知道民主党内有人会说，有那么多人还在受苦，我们不能只是强调赤字或者冻结政府支出。我同意，所以冻结政策会晚一年开始，到时经济会有所恢复。但同样需要注意的是，如果我们不采取有意义的步骤来控制债务，这可能损害市场、增加借贷成本、危害经济复苏，而所有这些都可能会对就业增长和家庭收入造成更坏影响。
　　我知道我们会听到不同的观点，有人会说如果减少对国民的投入，延长包括富人在内的减税计划，取消更多的法规限制，维持医疗制度现状，赤字自然就会减少。问题是，这些不正是此前8年里政府所做的吗。正是这些使我们陷入危机，正是这些导致了巨额赤字，我们不能再重蹈覆辙。
　　不要再重复过去数十年里充斥华盛顿的那些无聊争斗，是时候做些新的尝试了。让我们加大在国民身上的投入，不要让他们面对如山的债务。让我们履行对投票支持我们的公民的责任。要做到这一点首先必须认识到，我们不仅是在财政方面有赤字，在信任方面同样出现了赤字，人们对于华府的质疑连年增长。为了重塑民众对政府的信心，我们要在宾夕法尼亚大道两端同时有所作为，一方面结束院外游说集团的超大影响力，一方面要政务公开，还民众一个他们本应拥有的政府。
　　这就是我要来这里所要做的，这就是为什么我们历史上首次在网上公布白宫访客，这就是为什么我们要将游说集团排除在决策者、联邦议会和各委员会之外。
　　但我们不能就此止步。现在是时候要求游说集团公布其与政府或国会的所有接触，是时候对游说集团向联邦办公室捐献加以严格限制。上周，最高法院推翻了一项法律，我相信这无异于为包括外国企业在内的特殊利益团体打开了大门，他们将不受限制的在我们选举中大把花钱。我不认为选举应该由美国最强的利益团体甚至是外国势力提供资金，选举应由美国人民决定，因此我要求民主党和共和党通过一项法案，帮助纠正这一错误。
　　我还要呼吁国会继续“特别拨款”改革的步伐。民主党和共和党议员们，你们已经削减了部分开支，做了一些有益的工作，但要恢复公众的信任还需做得更多。例如，一些国会议员要将部分“特别拨款”计划上网公布，我今晚在这里呼吁国会在每次投票前将“特别拨款”计划在网站上公布，让美国人民看看他们的钱都用到了哪里。
　　当然，如果我们不改革工作的方式，那么一切都无从谈起。我并不天真，从来没有想过自己当选就能让天下太平，所有分歧不再，进入什么后党派时代。我知道，两党的分歧是根深蒂固的，这些分歧关乎政府在我们生活中的作用，关乎政策的倾向和国家安全，已经延续了超过两百年，这是我们民主的本质。但是，令国民沮丧的是如今在华盛顿，好像每天都是选举日。我们不能每天只想着让对手成为媒体嘲弄的对象，不能永远抱着分出胜负一决高下的心态。任何一方都不应该因为有权反对就拖延或阻挠所有法案的通过。在华盛顿，人们可能会认为和对方唱反调是游戏规则，无论自己的观点是多么虚伪和恶毒。但是，正是这种做法使得两党都无法对民众有所帮助，更糟的是，这还会使民众对政府更加不信任。
　　我不会放弃改变政坛风气的努力。我知道今年是选举年，上周以来选举热潮已经开始，比以往要早。但是，我们仍然需要治理国家。我要告诉民主党的是，以过往数十年来看，我们还是大多数，人民期望我们来解决问题。如果共和党领导层坚持认为做什么事都要在参议院得到60票，那么国家的责任现在也是你们的。对所有事都说“不”的做法只能算是短期政治，不是领导。我们被推选出来是为了服务人民，而不是满足自己的野心。让美国人民看看，我们是可以一起努力的。这个星期，我将在共和党众议员会议上演讲，我还将同民主、共和两党领袖进行月度会议。我知道你们不能等待。
　　回顾历史，没有什么比安全问题更能使我们团结一致。不幸的是，911事件后的那种齐心协力氛围已经逐渐消退。我们可以指出这是谁的责任，但我不想旧事重提。我知道，我们都热爱这个国家，都心系国家安全。因此，让我们停止相互揶揄，拒绝在保护国民和坚持价值观之间作出错误选择，摆脱恐惧和分歧，尽一切可能保卫我们的国家，给美国和整个世界营造一个更有希望的未来。
　　来谈谈我们去年以来的工作。从我上任之时起，我们重新审视了恐怖分子的威胁。我们加大了在国土安全方面的投资，破坏了威胁美国民众生命安全的阴谋。我们正在弥补圣诞炸机案暴露出的漏洞，做好航空安全和情报工作。从太平洋到南亚再到阿拉伯半岛，我们加强了与地区国家的伙伴关系。去年，包括许多高级领导人在内的数百名基地组织及其分支成员被逮捕或击毙，这一数字远远超过2008年。
　　在阿富汗，我们增加了驻军数量，同时加紧训练阿富汗安全部队，使他们能够在2011年7月接管局势，而我们的部队届时可以开始撤回。我们帮助阿政府治理国家、减少腐败、支持所有阿富汗人的权利。我们得到了盟友和伙伴国家的支持，他们增加了承诺，并且明天还将在伦敦重申我们的共同目标。前路依然艰难，但我坚信能够成功。
　　在打击基地组织的同时，我们有责任将伊拉克交由该国人民管理。我作为候选人时曾承诺结束这场战争，如今作为总统的我正在这么做。我们的作战部队将在今年8月底前全部撤出伊拉克。我们将支持伊拉克政府举行选举，并继续与伊拉克人民一道促进地区和平与繁荣。这场战争正在结束，我们的部队正在回家。
　　今晚，所有美国军人，无论男女，无论他们身在伊拉克、阿富汗还是世界其他地方，都应该得到我们的尊重、感谢和全力支持。就像我们有责任为他们提供战场上的一切需求一样，我们同样有责任欢迎和支持他们回国。这就是为什么我们去年大幅增加对退伍军人的投入。
　　如今，我们在进行两场战争的同时，还面临核武器这个可能是对美国人民最大的威胁。我支持约翰—肯尼迪和罗纳德—里根两位总统关于遏制核武器扩散并实现无核世界的看法。为了在保持威慑的前提下减少核武库存，美国和俄罗斯正在完成关于军备控制条约的谈判。今年4月的核安全首脑峰会上，将有44国的首脑为了一个明确的目标来到华盛顿：在未来4年里加强世界各地核原料的保护以确保其永远不会落入恐怖分子手中。
　　这些外交努力增强了我们应对那些违反国际协议、谋求核武器的国家的能力。这就是为什么现在朝鲜面临更加孤立的局面和更严厉的制裁，这就是为什么国际社会更加团结而伊朗更加孤立。如果伊朗领导人继续无视其义务，那么无疑他们也将面临更为严重的后果。我保证。
　　我们推动共同安全和人类的繁荣。我们通过G20保持全球经济复苏；我们与世界各地穆斯林社会一道促进科学、教育和创新；我们已经从气候变化问题的旁观者变成了领导者；我们正在帮助发展中国家，继续与艾滋病毒作斗争；我们正在启动一项新举措，从而更为迅速和有效地应对生物恐怖主义或传染性疾病。
　　正如过去60年来一样，美国将继续采取这些措施。这是因为我们的命运是和其他国家联系在一起的，同样也是因为这样做是正确的。这就是为什么当我们在这里集会时，1万多名美国人正在帮助海地人民恢复和重建，这就是为什么我们和渴望上学的阿富汗女孩站在一起，这就是为什么我们支持伊朗妇女上街游行的权利。美国永远站在自由和人类尊严一边。
    奥巴马：废除美军方关于同性恋“不许问，不许说”的政策
　　无论在国内外，理想都是美国人最伟大的力量源泉。多样性中可见统一，这是宪法给我们的承诺：人人生而平等，无论你是谁，只要你遵守法律就该得到法律的保护，只要你信守普世价值就不会受到区别对待。
　　我们必须不断重申这一承诺。政府民事权利部门正再次起诉侵犯公民权利和就业歧视，我们加强立法反对仇恨引发的暴力行为。今年，我将与国会共同努力，废除剥夺同性恋者为其所热爱祖国服役权利的法律。这是正确的事。我们将打击违反同工同酬法律的行为，使妇女获得平等收入。我们应该继续修正移民系统，保护边界，推行法律，同时确保每个遵守规则的人都能够为我们国家和经济做贡献。
　　最后，我们的理想和价值观是构建美国的基础。正是这种价值观让来自世界各个角落的人们组成了这个国家，如今这种价值观依然在主宰着美国民众。每天，美国人都在履行自己对家人和雇主的责任，他们一次又一次向邻里伸出援助之手，一次又一次回馈自己的国家。他们以劳动为荣，心灵充实而富有。支持人们生活的不是共和党价值观的亦不是民主党的价值观，是商业和劳动价值，是美国的价值观。
　　不幸的是，很多人认为我们一些企业、媒体等机构已经不再彰显这种价值观。这些地方都有很多显赫人物，他们做着重要的工作，促进了国家的繁荣。然而，每当有CEO业绩不佳却给自己大派红包，银行家为一己私利让民众面临风险时，人们就会心生疑虑。每当游说集团操纵一切、政客之间相互拆台揭短，人们就会失去信心。每当电视批评家让严肃的辩论变成愚蠢的争吵，将讨论问题变成了大喊口号，人们就会不再理会。
　　难怪有那么多的冷嘲热讽，难怪有那么多的失望情绪。
　　我竞选时曾承诺改变。如今，我知道有许多美国人无法肯定他们是否还相信我们可以改变，或者说我能带来改变。
　　请记住一点，我从没有说过改变很容易实现，或者说凭我一已之力就能改变一切。在一个拥有3亿人口的国家，民主有时可能意味着混乱和复杂。当你尝试作出重大改变时，总会引发争论和热议。现实就是这样。
　　要说我们这些公职人员大可小心行事，不去碰难题、踩雷区，可以尽力保持民意支持率，想想如何赢得下一次任期而不是为下一代人做事。但我知道，如果50年、100年甚至200年前的人们也这么想的话，那么我们今天就不会在这里了。我们今天能够站在这里的唯一原因是历代美国人都不畏艰难，不惧失败，努力维系着国家和子孙后代的梦想。
　　我们的政府今年在政治上遇到了一些挫折。但是，我每天早上醒来时想的都是，这和全国众多家庭今年遇到的难题相比根本算不得什么。尽管遇到诸多挫折，但美国人骨子里的坚定和乐观精神促使我一直前行、一直战斗。
　　这种精神让一名艰难经营的小企业主在写给我的信中说，“我们所有人从来没有怀疑过我们会失败”；这种精神让一名妇女表示尽管自己和邻居都深感经济衰退之痛，但“我们很坚强，我们会振作，我们是美国人”；这种精神让一名生活在路易斯安那州的8年岁男孩把零花钱寄给我，并问我是否愿意转交给海地人民；还是这种精神让无数美国人放下一切来到从未到过的地方，从瓦砾下解救素昧平生的人，当一个生命得救后高喊“美国！美国！美国！”
　　这种精神在过去两个多世纪的时间里维系着这个国家，这种精神长存于每个国人心中。我们度过了艰难的一年，度过了艰难的十年，然而新的一年已经到来，新的十年将展现在我们面前。我们不会放弃，我不会放弃。让我们抓住这个时刻，重新开始，带着梦想前行，让我们的国家变得更强。
　　谢谢你们，上帝保佑你们，上帝保佑美国。（雅龙） Here is the text of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address as prepared for delivery at 9 p.m. ET. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:Tonight I want to begin by congratulating the men and women of the 112th Congress, as well as your new Speaker, John Boehner. And as we mark this occasion, we are also mindful of the empty chair in this Chamber, and pray for the health of our colleague – and our friend – Gabby Giffords.It’s no secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that’s a good thing. That’s what a robust democracy demands. That’s what helps set us apart as a nation.But there’s a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passions and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater – something more consequential than party or political preference.We are part of the American family. We believe that in a country where every race and faith and point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one people; that we share common hopes and a common creed; that the dreams of a little girl in Tucson are not so different than those of our own children, and that they all deserve the chance to be fulfilled. That, too, is what sets us apart as a nation.Now, by itself, this simple recognition won’t usher in a new era of cooperation. What comes of this moment is up to us. What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow.I believe we can. I believe we must. That’s what the people who sent us here expect of us. With their votes, they’ve determined that governing will now be a shared responsibility between parties. New laws will only pass with support from Democrats and Republicans. We will move forward together, or not at all – for the challenges we face are bigger than party, and bigger than politics.At stake right now is not who wins the next election – after all, we just had an election. At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else. It’s whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It’s whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but a light to the world. We are poised for progress. Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. We measure progress by the success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into a thriving enterprise. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.That’s the project the American people want us to work on. Together.We did that in December. Thanks to the tax cuts we passed, Americans’ paychecks are a little bigger today. Every business can write off the full cost of the new investments they make this year. These steps, taken by Democrats and Republicans, will grow the economy and add to the more than one million private sector jobs created last year.But we have more work to do. The steps we’ve taken over the last two years may have broken the back of this recession – but to win the future, we’ll need to take on challenges that have been decades in the making.Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn’t always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you’d have a job for life, with a decent paycheck, good benefits, and the occasional promotion. Maybe you’d even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company.That world has changed. And for many, the change has been painful. I’ve seen it in the shuttered windows of once booming factories, and the vacant storefronts of once busy Main Streets. I’ve heard it in the frustrations of Americans who’ve seen their paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear – proud men and women who feel like the rules have been changed in the middle of the game.They’re right. The rules have changed. In a single generation, revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business. Steel mills that once needed 1,000 workers can now do the same work with 100. Today, just about any company can set up shop, hire workers, and sell their products wherever there’s an internet connection.Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They’re investing in research and new technologies. Just recently, China became home to the world’s largest private solar research facility, and the world’s fastest computer.So yes, the world has changed. The competition for jobs is real. But this shouldn’t discourage us. It should challenge us. Remember – for all the hits we’ve taken these last few years, for all the naysayers predicting our decline, America still has the largest, most prosperous economy in the world. No workers are more productive than ours. No country has more successful companies, or grants more patents to inventors and entrepreneurs. We are home to the world’s best colleges and universities, where more students come to study than any other place on Earth.What’s more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea – the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That is why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here. It’s why our students don’t just memorize equations, but answer questions like “What do you think of that idea? What would you change about the world? What do you want to be when you grow up?”The future is ours to win. But to get there, we can’t just stand still. As Robert Kennedy told us, “The future is not a gift. It is an achievement.” Sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age.Now it’s our turn. We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit, and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper. That’s how we’ll win the future. And tonight, I’d like to talk about how we get there.The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation.None of us can predict with certainty what the next big industry will be, or where the new jobs will come from. Thirty years ago, we couldn’t know that something called the Internet would lead to an economic revolution. What we can do – what America does better than anyone – is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. We are the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook. In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives. It’s how we make a living.Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. But because it’s not always profitable for companies to invest in basic research, throughout history our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and inventors with the support that they need. That’s what planted the seeds for the Internet. That’s what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS.Just think of all the good jobs – from manufacturing to retail – that have come from those breakthroughs.Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik¸ we had no idea how we’d beat them to the moon. The science wasn’t there yet. NASA didn’t even exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn’t just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race. In a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology – an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.Already, we are seeing the promise of renewable energy. Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company. After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon. But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard.Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country. In Robert’s words, “We reinvented ourselves.”That’s what Americans have done for over two hundred years: reinvented ourselves. And to spur on more success stories like the Allen Brothers, we’ve begun to reinvent our energy policy. We’re not just handing out money. We’re issuing a challenge. We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo Projects of our time.At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they’re using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities. With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I’m asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, let’s invest in tomorrow’s.Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what they’re selling. So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: by 2035, 80% of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources. Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas. To meet this goal, we will need them all – and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen.Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America’s success. But if we want to win the future – if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas – then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.Think about it. Over the next ten years, nearly half of all new jobs will require education that goes beyond a high school degree. And yet, as many as a quarter of our students aren’t even finishing high school. The quality of our math and science education lags behind many other nations. America has fallen to 9th in the proportion of young people with a college degree. And so the question is whether all of us – as citizens, and as parents – are willing to do what’s necessary to give every child a chance to succeed.That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It’s family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair; that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline.Our schools share this responsibility. When a child walks into a classroom, it should be a place of high expectations and high performance. But too many schools don’t meet this test. That’s why instead of just pouring money into a system that’s not working, we launched a competition called Race to the Top. To all fifty states, we said, “If you show us the most innovative plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, we’ll show you the money.”Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation. For less than one percent of what we spend on education each year, it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning. These standards were developed, not by Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors throughout the country. And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that is more flexible and focused on what’s best for our kids.You see, we know what’s possible for our children when reform isn’t just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals; school boards and communities.Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado; located on turf between two rival gangs. But last May, 97% of the seniors received their diploma. Most will be the first in their family to go to college. And after the first year of the school’s transformation, the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when a student said “Thank you, Mrs. Waters, for showing… that we are smart and we can make it.”Let’s also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child’s success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as “nation builders.” Here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. And over the next ten years, with so many Baby Boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.In fact, to every young person listening tonight who’s contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child – become a teacher. Your country needs you.Of course, the education race doesn’t end with a high school diploma. To compete, higher education must be within reach of every American. That’s why we’ve ended the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that went to banks, and used the savings to make college affordable for millions of students. And this year, I ask Congress to go further, and make permanent our tuition tax credit – worth $10,000 for four years of college. Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers in today’s fast-changing economy, we are also revitalizing America’s community colleges. Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in North Carolina. Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding factories that have since left town. One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she’s earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams too. As Kathy said, “I hope it tells them to never give up.”If we take these steps – if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they’re born until the last job they take – we will reach the goal I set two years ago: by the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.One last point about education. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult and take time. But tonight, let’s agree to make that effort. And let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who can staff our research labs, start new businesses, and further enrich this nation.The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America. To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information – from high-speed rail to high-speed internet.Our infrastructure used to be the best – but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.”We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, and constructed the interstate highway system. The jobs created by these projects didn’t just come from laying down tracks or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town’s new train station or the new off-ramp.Over the last two years, we have begun rebuilding for the 21st century, a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. Tonight, I’m proposing that we redouble these efforts.We will put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges. We will make sure this is fully paid for, attract private investment, and pick projects based on what’s best for the economy, not politicians.Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail, which could allow you go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flying – without the pat-down. As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest are already underway.Within the next five years, we will make it possible for business to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98% of all Americans. This isn’t just about a faster internet and fewer dropped calls. It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age. It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world. It’s about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.All these investments – in innovation, education, and infrastructure – will make America a better place to do business and create jobs. But to help our companies compete, we also have to knock down barriers that stand in the way of their success.Over the years, a parade of lobbyists has rigged the tax code to benefit particular companies and industries. Those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up paying no taxes at all. But all the rest are hit with one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and it has to change.So tonight, I’m asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the system. Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years – without adding to our deficit.To help businesses sell more products abroad, we set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014 – because the more we export, the more jobs we create at home. Already, our exports are up. Recently, we signed agreements with India and China that will support more than 250,000 jobs in the United States. And last month, we finalized a trade agreement with South Korea that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. This agreement has unprecedented support from business and labor; Democrats and Republicans, and I ask this Congress to pass it as soon as possible.Before I took office, I made it clear that we would enforce our trade agreements, and that I would only sign deals that keep faith with American workers, and promote American jobs. That’s what we did with Korea, and that’s what I intend to do as we pursue agreements with Panama and Colombia, and continue our Asia Pacific and global trade talks.To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I’ve ordered a review of government regulations. When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them. But I will not hesitate to create or enforce commonsense safeguards to protect the American people. That’s what we’ve done in this country for more than a century. It’s why our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe. It’s why we have speed limits and child labor laws. It’s why last year, we put in place consumer protections against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies, and new rules to prevent another financial crisis. And it’s why we passed reform that finally prevents the health insurance industry from exploiting patients.Now, I’ve heard rumors that a few of you have some concerns about the new health care law. So let me be the first to say that anything can be improved. If you have ideas about how to improve this law by making care better or more affordable, I am eager to work with you. We can start right now by correcting a flaw in the legislation that has placed an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on small businesses.What I’m not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition. I’m not willing to tell James Howard, a brain cancer patient from Texas, that his treatment might not be covered. I’m not willing to tell Jim Houser, a small business owner from Oregon, that he has to go back to paying $5,000 more to cover his employees. As we speak, this law is making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their parents’ coverage. So instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let’s fix what needs fixing and move forward.Now, the final step – a critical step – in winning the future is to make sure we aren’t buried under a mountain of debt.We are living with a legacy of deficit-spending that began almost a decade ago. And in the wake of the financial crisis, some of that was necessary to keep credit flowing, save jobs, and put money in people’s pockets.But now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. That is not sustainable. Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same.So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. This would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was president.This freeze will require painful cuts. Already, we have frozen the salaries of hardworking federal employees for the next two years. I’ve proposed cuts to things I care deeply about, like community action programs. The Secretary of Defense has also agreed to cut tens of billions of dollars in spending that he and his generals believe our military can do without.I recognize that some in this Chamber have already proposed deeper cuts, and I’m willing to eliminate whatever we can honestly afford to do without. But let’s make sure that we’re not doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. And let’s make sure what we’re cutting is really excess weight. Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may feel like you’re flying high at first, but it won’t take long before you’ll feel the impact.Now, most of the cuts and savings I’ve proposed only address annual domestic spending, which represents a little more than 12% of our budget. To make further progress, we have to stop pretending that cutting this kind of spending alone will be enough. It won’t.The bipartisan Fiscal Commission I created last year made this crystal clear. I don’t agree with all their proposals, but they made important progress. And their conclusion is that the only way to tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending wherever we find it – in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending, and spending through tax breaks and loopholes.This means further reducing health care costs, including programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which are the single biggest contributor to our long-term deficit. Health insurance reform will slow these rising costs, which is part of why nonpartisan economists have said that repealing the health care law would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit. Still, I’m willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year: medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits.To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. And we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.And if we truly care about our deficit, we simply cannot afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. Before we take money away from our schools, or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break.It’s not a matter of punishing their success. It’s about promoting America’s success.In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.So now is the time to act. Now is the time for both sides and both houses of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – to forge a principled compromise that gets the job done. If we make the hard choices now to rein in our deficits, we can make the investments we need to win the future.Let me take this one step further. We shouldn’t just give our people a government that’s more affordable. We should give them a government that’s more competent and efficient. We cannot win the future with a government of the past.We live and do business in the information age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. There are twelve different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different entities that deal with housing policy. Then there’s my favorite example: the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they’re in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked.Now, we have made great strides over the last two years in using technology and getting rid of waste. Veterans can now download their electronic medical records with a click of the mouse. We’re selling acres of federal office space that hasn’t been used in years, and we will cut through red tape to get rid of more. But we need to think bigger. In the coming months, my administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate, and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America. I will submit that proposal to Congress for a vote – and we will push to get it passed.In the coming year, we will also work to rebuild people’s faith in the institution of government. Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you will be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history. Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done: put that information online. And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren’t larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this: if a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it.A 21st century government that’s open and competent. A government that lives within its means. An economy that’s driven by new skills and ideas. Our success in this new and changing world will require reform, responsibility, and innovation. It will also require us to approach that world with a new level of engagement in our foreign affairs.Just as jobs and businesses can now race across borders, so can new threats and new challenges. No single wall separates East and West; no one rival superpower is aligned against us.And so we must defeat determined enemies wherever they are, and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race and religion. America’s moral example must always shine for all who yearn for freedom, justice, and dignity. And because we have begun this work, tonight we can say that American leadership has been renewed and America’s standing has been restored.Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high; where American combat patrols have ended; violence has come down; and a new government has been formed. This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America’s commitment has been kept; the Iraq War is coming to an end.Of course, as we speak, al Qaeda and their affiliates continue to plan attacks against us. Thanks to our intelligence and law enforcement professionals, we are disrupting plots and securing our cities and skies. And as extremists try to inspire acts of violence within our borders, we are responding with the strength of our communities, with respect for the rule of law, and with the conviction that American Muslims are a part of our American family. We have also taken the fight to al Qaeda and their allies abroad. In Afghanistan, our troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan Security Forces. Our purpose is clear – by preventing the Taliban from reestablishing a stranglehold over the Afghan people, we will deny al Qaeda the safe-haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11.Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. But we are strengthening the capacity of the Afghan people and building an enduring partnership with them. This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home.In Pakistan, al Qaeda’s leadership is under more pressure than at any point since 2001. Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe-havens are shrinking. And we have sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: we will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.American leadership can also be seen in the effort to secure the worst weapons of war. Because Republicans and Democrats approved the New START Treaty, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed. Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists.Because of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher and tighter sanctions than ever before. And on the Korean peninsula, we stand with our ally South Korea, and insist that North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons.This is just a part of how we are shaping a world that favors peace and prosperity. With our European allies, we revitalized NATO, and increased our cooperation on everything from counter-terrorism to missile defense. We have reset our relationship with Russia, strengthened Asian alliances, and built new partnerships with nations like India. This March, I will travel to Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador to forge new alliances for progress in the Americas. Around the globe, we are standing with those who take responsibility – helping farmers grow more food; supporting doctors who care for the sick; and combating the corruption that can rot a society and rob people of opportunity.Recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power – it must be the purpose behind it. In South Sudan – with our assistance – the people were finally able to vote for independence after years of war. Thousands lined up before dawn. People danced in the streets. One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him: “This was a battlefield for most of my life. Now we want to be free.”We saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator. And tonight, let us be clear: the United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people.We must never forget that the things we’ve struggled for, and fought for, live in the hearts of people everywhere. And we must always remember that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this struggle are the men and women who serve our country.Tonight, let us speak with one voice in reaffirming that our nation is united in support of our troops and their families. Let us serve them as well as they have served us – by giving them the equipment they need; by providing them with the care and benefits they have earned; and by enlisting our veterans in the great task of building our own nation.Our troops come from every corner of this country – they are black, white, Latino, Asian and Native American. They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that some of them are gay. Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love. And with that change, I call on all of our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and the ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.We should have no illusions about the work ahead of us. Reforming our schools; changing the way we use energy; reducing our deficit – none of this is easy. All of it will take time. And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. The cost. The details. The letter of every law.Of course, some countries don’t have this problem. If the central government wants a railroad, they get a railroad – no matter how many homes are bulldozed. If they don’t want a bad story in the newspaper, it doesn’t get written.And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I know there isn’t a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth.We may have differences in policy, but we all believe in the rights enshrined in our Constitution. We may have different opinions, but we believe in the same promise that says this is a place where you can make it if you try. We may have different backgrounds, but we believe in the same dream that says this is a country where anything’s possible. No matter who you are. No matter where you come from.That dream is why I can stand here before you tonight. That dream is why a working class kid from Scranton can stand behind me. That dream is why someone who began by sweeping the floors of his father’s Cincinnati bar can preside as Speaker of the House in the greatest nation on Earth.That dream – that American Dream – is what drove the Allen Brothers to reinvent their roofing company for a new era. It’s what drove those students at Forsyth Tech to learn a new skill and work towards the future. And that dream is the story of a small business owner named Brandon Fisher.Brandon started a company in Berlin, Pennsylvania that specializes in a new kind of drilling technology. One day last summer, he saw the news that halfway across the world, 33 men were trapped in a Chilean mine, and no one knew how to save them.But Brandon thought his company could help. And so he designed a rescue that would come to be known as Plan B. His employees worked around the clock to manufacture the necessary drilling equipment. And Brandon left for Chile.Along with others, he began drilling a 2,000 foot hole into the ground, working three or four days at a time with no sleep. Thirty-seven days later, Plan B succeeded, and the miners were rescued. But because he didn’t want all of the attention, Brandon wasn’t there when the miners emerged. He had already gone home, back to work on his next project.Later, one of his employees said of the rescue, “We proved that Center Rock is a little company, but we do big things.”We do big things.From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. That’s how we win the future.We are a nation that says, “I might not have a lot of money, but I have this great idea for a new company. I might not come from a family of college graduates, but I will be the first to get my degree. I might not know those people in trouble, but I think I can help them, and I need to try. I’m not sure how we’ll reach that better place beyond the horizon, but I know we’ll get there. I know we will.”We do big things.The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it is because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong.Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America. (wsj)