奥巴马2012首次竞选活动炮轰共和党

President Barack Obama has made his first campaign trip of 2012, taking his re-election campaign to Ohio, one of the states where the election is likely to be decided. The president defied Republican lawmakers by announcing a key appointment over their objections.

美国总统奥巴马开始了2012年的首次竞选之旅，他来到中北部俄亥俄州展开竞选连任活动，俄亥俄州是对选举有决定性影响的州之一。奥巴马不顾共和党的反对宣布了一项关键的人事任命，惹怒了共和党议员。

A day after the first battle in the presidential election, President Obama directly confronted the opposition Republicans Wednesday by appointing a director for the new U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

就在总统选举第一场仗的一天后，奥巴马总统星期三因为任命美国消费者金融保护局新负责人而与反对党共和党正面交锋。

The president had nominated former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to lead the financial watchdog agency last July. But Senate Republicans refused to confirm him, saying the agency would be too powerful and unaccountable.

奥巴马总统去年7月提名前俄亥俄州检察总长理查德.科德雷为金融监督机关负责人，但参议院共和党人拒绝批准，说这个机关会权力过大且无法负责任。

Mr. Obama told a crowd at a suburban high school the U.S. financial industry needs more regulation, not less.

奥巴马对郊区一所高中的群众说，美国金融业需要更多规范，不是更少规范。

“The only reason Republicans in the Senate have blocked Richard is because they do not agree with the law that set up a consumer watchdog in the first place," said President Obama. "They want to weaken the law. They want to water it down.”

奥巴马说：“参议院共和党人阻挡理查德的唯一原因是，他们一开始就不同意设立消费者监督机关的法律。他们想削弱法律，想减弱它的影响力。”

The president, frustrated by the blocked nomination, Wednesday sidestepped the Senate and appointed Cordray.

奥巴马总统因为提名遭阻挡而受挫，于是星期三绕过参议院的批准直接任命了科德雷。

“When Congress refuses to act and as a result hurts our economy and puts people at risk, then I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them," said Obama.

奥巴马说：“当国会拒绝行动，致使经济受损，使人民处于危险中，我身为总统有义务在他们缺席的情况下完成行动。”

Angry Republican lawmakers were quick to react, saying the president overstepped his authority in making the appointment.

愤怒的共和党议员迅速作出了回应，说总统的任命逾越了他的权力。

A so-called recess appointment can only be made when the Senate is out of session. Republicans say that since Senators have been meeting every three days, the Senate is in session. The White House disagrees.

所谓的休会任命只有在参议院休会期间才能进行。共和党人说，参议员每三天就开会，表示参议院现在是在会期中。白宫不同意这样的说法。

In a written statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Mr. Obama’s move an “uNPRecedented power grab” that “arrogantly circumvented the American people.”

参议院少数党领袖麦康奈尔发表了一份书面声明，称呼奥巴马此举是“前所未有的夺权之举”，“傲慢地绕过了美国人民”。

A statement from House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said he expects the courts to find the appointment to be illegitimate.

众议院议长贝纳的声明则说，他期待法院裁定任命案是不合法的。