美国总统奥巴马每周电台演讲10.21

译文来自恒星网友: 刘浩男的日志

Hi, everybody. In recent weeks, you might have noticed something. Or maybe even heard the sound of it if you live close enough. New homes are going up. In fact, construction workers are breaking ground on new homes in America at the fastest pace in more than four years.

大家好。最近几周，你们可能已经注意到了一些事，如果你们住得比较近，你们甚至可能已经目睹这些事了。新住房正在拔地而起。事实上，建筑工人们正在以四年多来最快的破土动工，建设住房。

At the same time, more homes are being sold. Home values are back on the rise. And foreclosure filings are at their lowest point in the five years since the housing bubble burst and left millions of responsible families holding the bag.

与此同时，更多的新住房已经售出。房价重新增长。自房地产泡沫破裂，导致成千上万的负责任的家庭无辜背负重担起，因无法还贷而失去房屋产权的案例为五年来的最低。

Now, we’re not where we need to be yet. Too many homes are still underwater. Too many families are still having a hard time making the mortgage on their piece of the American Dream.

现在，我们还没有达到我们的目标。还有很多住房没有开建。很多家庭还在为了把住房变成美国梦的一部分而挣扎。

But one of the heaviest drags on our recovery is getting lighter. Now we have to build on the progress we’ve made, and keep moving forward.

但是我们复苏的最大阻力之一减小了。现在我们必须在我们已经取得的进步的基础上更上一层楼。

I never believed that the best way to deal with the housing market was to just sit back, do nothing, and simply wait for things to hit bottom. That would have been a disaster for all the responsible families who – through no fault of their own – were struggling to make ends meet.

我从来不认为应对房地产市场的最好办法是袖手旁观，等待触底。如果那样，对于那些自己没有过错，努力维持收支平衡的家庭来讲，可能已经大难临头了。

Instead, I’ve made helping those homeowners a priority. Since I took office, my Administration has taken action to help millions of families stay in their homes.

与此相反，我已经优先考虑帮助这些家庭作。自从我就任以来，本届政府已经采取行动帮助成千上万的家庭居者有其屋。

We teamed up with attorneys general in almost every state to investigate and crack down on the practices that caused this mess. And in the end, we secured a $25 billion settlement from the biggest banks – one of the biggest settlements in history – and used it to provide relief to families all across America.

我们与几乎各州的首席大法官一道调查和打击造成这类混乱的行径。最终，我们以250亿美元保住了那些最大的银行—这是历史上资金最大的解决方案—以此为全国的家庭提供救助。

We’ve taken action to help responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages. As a result, just this year hundreds of thousands of Americans who were stuck in high-interest loans have been able to take advantage of historically low rates and are saving thousands of dollars every year.

我们已经采取了行动帮助负责任的房主们重新投资于他们的抵押（住房）。结果是，就在今年成千上万的借过高利贷的美国人可能利用历史上最低的利率，他们将每年节约几千美元。

And now I want every homeowner in America to have that chance. I just wish it didn’t require an act of Congress. But it does. So, back in February, I sent Congress a plan to give every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage by refinancing at historically low rates. That’s the equivalent of a $3,000 tax cut.

现在我想让美国的每个房主都有这个机会。我希望这不必要求议会通过一项法案。但是这需要议会通过。所以，回顾一下二月份，我提交给国会一个计划给每个负责任的房主机会，通过利用历史上的最低利率重新投资于他们的抵押（住房），每年节省大约3,000美元。相当于3,000美元的减税。

It’s a plan that we know will work. It has the support of independent, nonpartisan economists and leaders across the housing industry. It’s a no-brainer that should have passed easily.

我们都知道这个计划能奏效。它得到了独立经济学家，无党派经济学家和整个房地产业领导人们的支持。它是不用太费脑筋就可以通过的。

But Republicans in Congress banded together and kept this plan from even coming to a vote.

但是共和党国会议员们抱团儿阻挠，这个计划甚至没有进入投票程序。

They banded together and prevented millions of Americans – including many of you listening today – from saving $3,000 a year. That’s money that could have gone back into the value of your home, or your kid’s college savings account. That’s money that could have gone into your local businesses, so they could hire and create more jobs in your town.

他们抱团儿阻挠成千上万的美国人—包括你们中很多今天正在听我讲话的人们—每年节约3,000美元。这笔钱可能已经用于你们的房子，可能已经进入你们的孩子的大学账户里。这笔钱可能已经进入你们当地的企业，那样它们可以在你们的家乡雇佣更多人和创造更多就业机会。

But Republicans in Congress still won’t let that happen. And that’s only held back the economy, when we should be doing everything we can to accelerate our economic engine.

但是共和党国会议员们还是不会让这些实现。但是这只会在我们应该竭尽全力加速经济增长的时候拖经济的后腿。

Let’s be honest – Republicans in Congress won’t act on this plan before the election. But maybe they’ll come to their senses afterward if you give them a push. So contact your Representative, especially if this plan will help you or someone you know. Tell him or her that American homeowners have waited long enough. Tell them that it’s time for Congress to stop standing in the way of our recovery and to start standing up for you. Thanks and have a great weekend. 

让我们不要回避事实—共和党国会议员在大选前肯定不会采取行动。但是如果你们敦促他们一下他们可能回心转意。所以联系一下你们的议员们，特别是如果这个计划可能帮助你们或你们认识的人们。告诉他们美国的房主们已经望眼欲穿了。告诉他们现在是国会停止横在我们复苏的道路中间而开始为你们挺身而出的时候了。

谢谢，周末愉快。