評論
打印
Our public life withers when only the most extreme voices get attention.
如果只有最極端的聲音受到重視，那我們的公共生活就會衰落。
Most of all, democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn't matter; that the system is rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some special interest.
最重要的是，當人民大眾覺得自己的呼聲無關緊要，而整個社會體制被有錢、有權或者個別人的利益所操控時，民主就將崩潰。
Too many Americans feel that way right now.
目前，很多美國人都有這種感受。
It's one of the few regrets of my presidency that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better.
這是我總統任期內的幾件憾事之一，各黨派之間的積怨和猜疑并未減弱，而是變得更深。
I have no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I'll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office.
毫無疑問，如果具備林肯或羅斯福那樣的才能，可能黨派之間的嫌隙會調和得好一些，我保證，在我任職期間，我會不斷努力，爭取做到更好。
But, my fellow Americans, this cannot be my task or any President's alone.
但是，美國同胞們，這不僅僅是我的責任，也不僅僅是某位總統的責任。
There are a whole lot of folks in this chamber good people who would like to see more cooperation, would like to see a more elevated debate in Washington, but feel trapped by the demands of getting elected, by the noise coming out of your base.
在座的當中，有不少人期盼在更多方面相互合作，期盼在華盛頓有更高層次的辯論，但卻因為受到選舉利益的羈絆而無法做到。
I know; you've told me. For words kept secret in Washington. And a lot of the unenjoying being trapped in that kind of ringer.
我知道這種情況，聽你們說過。華盛頓的秘密。那樣的聲音中含著許多的悲哀。
But that means if we want a better politics, and I'm addressing the American people now, if we want a better politicsit's not enough to just change a Congressman or change a Senator or even change a President; we have to change the system to reflect our better selves.
如果我們想優化政治形態，僅換掉一個國會議員或參議員，甚至換掉一位總統是不夠的，我們必須改變整個體制，來展現更好的自己。
I think we've got to end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so that politicians can pick their voters, and not the other way around.
我們要取消劃分國會選區的做法，因為劃分選區后，政客們會自己去選擇選民，而不是讓選民選擇他們。
I believe we've got to reduce the influence of money in our politics, so that a handful of families and hidden interests can't bankroll our elections and if our existing approach to campaign finance can't pass muster in the courts, we need to work together to find a real solution.
我們必須降低金錢對政治的影響，這樣就可以防止少數家族和幕后利益集團用資金影響選舉。如果關于競選資金的現行辦法未能獲得法院通過，我們就要共同努力，尋求真正的解決方案。
Cause it's a problem. And most of you don't like raising money. I know. I've done it.
因為這是個問題。而你們大多數人不喜歡集資。我懂。我集資過。
