Hi, everybody.
嗨，各位好。
In the coming weeks, we face some important decisions about how to pay down our debt in a way that grows our economy and creates good jobs—decisions that will make a real difference in the strength and pace of our recovery.
在未来的几周时间内，我们面临一些重大的决定，在确保经济增长及创造就业的前提下偿还我们的债务，而这样的决定将为我们的巩固及复苏带来卓越成效。
We began this year with economists and business leaders saying that we are poised to grow in 2013.
新年伊始，经济学家们和企业领导人们都表示我们在2013年蓄势待发。
And there are real signs of progress: Home prices are starting to climb again.
而经济发展已经初露端倪：房屋价格正在重新攀升。
Car sales are at a five-year high.
汽车销量达到五年来的新高。
Manufacturing is roaring back.
制造业再次强势回升。
Our businesses created 2.2 million jobs last year.
去年我们的企业创造了220万个就业岗位。
And we just learned that our economy created more jobs over the last few months than economists originally thought.
而且我们刚刚得知过去几个月的就业数据要比经济学家预计的好得多。
But this week, we also received the first estimate of America's economic growth over the last few months.
但这个星期，我们也看到了对过去几个月美国经济增长的首份评估报告。
And it reminded us that bad decisions in Washington can get in the way of our economic progress.
而且报告显示华盛顿所做出的错误决定阻挡了经济发展的道路。
We all agree that it's critical to cut unnecessary spending.
我们都认为应十分迫切削减不必要的开支。
But we can't just cut our way to prosperity.
但我们不能因此就斩断通向繁荣的道路。
It hasn't worked in the past, and it won't work today.
这在过去不会生效，今天也同样如此。
It could slow down our recovery.
这会减缓我们的复苏速度。
It could weaken our economy.
这会削弱我们的经济。
And it could cost us jobs—now, and in the future.
而且会消耗我们的就业岗位，包括当下以及未来的。
What we need instead is a balanced approach; an approach that says let's cut what we can't afford but let's make the investments we can't afford to live without.
反之，我们所需要的是一项均衡的方案，一项削减我们无力承担的支出但保留对未来生活必不可或缺投资的方案。
Investments in education and infrastructure, research and development —the things that will help America compete for the best jobs and new industries.
投资于教育、基础设施建设、研究及开发等领域，这些将帮助美国在未来的竞争中赢得最好的就业及全新的产业。
Already, Republicans and Democrats have worked together to reduce our deficits by $2.5 trillion.
共和党和民主党已经携手合作削减了我们的2.5万亿赤字。
That's a good start.
这是一个良好的开端。
But to get the rest of the way, we need a balanced set of reforms.
但为了走好剩下的路，我们还需要一系列均衡的改革。
For example, we need to lower the cost of health care in programs like Medicare that are the biggest drivers of our deficit, without just passing the burden off to seniors.
举例而言，我们需要降低医保项目中的医疗成本，而这是财政赤字的最大阻碍，我们不能将重担全压在老人身上。
And these reforms must go hand-in-hand with eliminating excess spending in our tax code, so that the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations can't take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren't available to most Americans.
这些改革需要我们携手并进，减少税收体系中的超额支出，这样最富有的个人和大型企业就无法利用大多数普通人无法利用的税收漏洞和各种抵押项目。
2013 can be a year of solid growth, more jobs, and higher wages.
2013年应是经济稳步增长、带来更多就业机会、工资更高的一年。
But that will only happen if we put a stop to self-inflicted wounds in Washington.
但这一目标唯有华盛顿停止自伤自残之后才能实现。
Everyone in Washington needs to focus not on politics but on what's right for the country; on what's right for you and your families.
华盛顿的每个人都需要关注的不是政治，而是对国家有益的事情，对你们和你们的家庭有益的事情。
That's how we'll get our economy growing faster.
只有这样我们的经济才能更快增长。
That's how we'll strengthen our middle class.
只有这样我们的中产阶级才能更加稳固。
And that's how we'll build a country that rewards the effort and determination of every single American.
只有这样我们才能建设一个回馈每个努力付出及坚持的美国人的国家。
Thanks.
谢谢大家。
And have a great weekend.
祝你们周末愉快。
