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美国第三号人物发表告别演讲

(2018-12-21 19:00:41) 下一个

美国第三号人物的告别演讲全文

陌上美国  2018年12月21日,星期五

 

 

12月19日,美国众议院议长,保罗·瑞安在国会发表告别演讲。他激励所有人道:

 

“总是心怀远大理想。总是目光投向远方。”

 

现将演讲全文的中文翻译和英文对照编译如下。

 

来自CNN

 

谢谢你,Trey(他刚刚发表了讲话), 我的好同事好朋友,感谢你今天来之前能梳头(Trey头型一般比较凌乱)。感谢所有的朋友和同事今天和我在一起。也特别感谢国会图书馆的馆长海顿,是他允许我们今天能在这样富丽的大厅集会。

 

每次我来到这里,我都禁不住回想起我生命中的那个关键时刻。
 

那是2012年的一个夏天,在我要对地方商会发表一个讲话之前,我接到一个电话。是罗姆尼总统竞选阵营的贝斯·迈尔斯女士打来的,那时我已知道我在他副总统人选的考虑之中,但是没有任何消息,我也不知道对方对此有多少诚意。

 

贝斯就建议我应该悄悄飞到波士顿和他见面。她一边和我谈细节,我开始意识到,我的生活,我家庭的生活,要有一个巨大变化了。

 

我们结束通话,我发表了原定的演讲。随后,我意识到我需要去国会投票了。

 

Thank you, Trey, for being a great colleague, and an even better friend. And for combing your hair today.

 

Thank you to my great friends and colleagues for joining me here today.

 

Thank you especially to the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Hayden, for having us in this beautiful hall.

 

Anytime I come over here, I can’t help but think back to a pivotal moment in my life.

 

It was the summer of 2012. I was about to speak to a local Chamber of Commerce group when I got a phone call.

 

It was Beth Meyers, from the Romney campaign.

 

At this point, I knew that I was being vetted for vice president, but I hadn’t heard anything. I didn’t know how serious this really was.

 

So Beth starts to walk me through how I would need to fly up to Boston incognito.

 

As she is going through the logistics, it just starts occurring to me that my life—my family’s life—is about to change dramatically.

 

We hang up, I get through the speech I have to give.

 

And then I realize that I have to go vote on the House floor.

 

可是,就在我需要独自一人沉思的时候,我还得去面对密密麻麻的同事和记者。

 

人生总会有十字路口,你会记住那是你人生的拐点。

 

这个大厅,那个时刻,告诉我这样一个道理:你的计划,你的方向,会在瞬间改变。这样意料之外的转折,在我的生命中有过好几回,我自己都不知道下一个会是什么。

 

在我告别之前,我很荣幸,有这样一个集会和大家分享我的想法,并向你们,向这个职位,向这个无以伦比的机构——联邦众议院,说一声再见。

 

So at this moment when I want to be alone with my thoughts, I have to walk right into a swarm of colleagues and reporters.

 

It is one of those inflection points you just remember at certain crossroads in your life.

 

This building, that moment—it reminds me that your plan, your direction, can change in an instant.

 

I have had a number of improbable turns in my life, and I don’t know what’s next.

 

But before I go, I am grateful to have a chance to share a few thoughts and say goodbye: to you, to this job, and to this incredible institution we call the House of Representatives.

 

很久以前,我大学还没毕业的时候,就来到国会山当一个学期的实习生。我当时的计划就是在首都度过一个学期,仅此而已。

 

从那时之后,我碰到了一些令人难以置信的人们,与他们共事。他们是:

 

那些让我在正道直行的引路人,杰克·坎普,比尔·班南特,鲍勃·伍德森;

 

那些思想的巨人,在我所追求的道路上,是他们矫正我的方向。

 

我的选区,南威斯康星人民,他们给我机会,让我为他们服务。

 

总统和副总统,他们是我在政府中的合作伙伴。

 

我的那些同事们,他们有的成了我终生的挚友。

 

A long time ago, I came here to Capitol Hill as an intern for one semester during college. The plan was one semester here in Washington, and that’s it.

 

Since then, I have met and been surrounded by some incredible people.

 

The mentors who helped set me on the right path. Jack Kemp, Bill Bennett, and Bob Woodson.

 

The intellectual giants who guided me in the things I wanted to pursue.

 

The people of Southern Wisconsin who gave me the chance to work for them. 

 

The staff who always made me better. 

The president and the vice president, for being my partners in government.

 

The colleagues who became lifelong friends.

 

当然,还有我的家庭。

 

我的事业其实就起于一个家庭的活动。我母亲,我兄弟托宾,我姐夫奥克雷,是他们最先报名参加我的第一个竞选。

 

现在,我要以家庭为事业的结尾。没有吉娜,丽萨,查理和山姆的牺牲,我不可能在美国众议院议长这个职位上为国效力。这是一个不可思议的征程,我和家人持守与共。

 

我发自内心地感谢你们。

 

多年来,特别是最近,我会忽然意识到自己在思考,父亲会为我感到自豪吗?如果是的话,他会为我的哪些成就而自豪呢?

 

我在很小的时候父亲就去世了。那时,他还没有机会去教导我的人生道路。我不知道他给我的人生计划是什么,但是,现在的我,肯定不是一开始规划的那样,连边都不沾。

 

我一直在想的其实是:我们的国家是一个何等样的国家!

 

在这个国家,一个来自中西部出身谦卑的人,能有机会经历现在经历的一切。在这个国家,你可以追求你的梦想,不管梦想是什么,不管梦想会把你带向何方。

 

这不正是美国精神吗?

 

And, of course, my family.

 

All of this began as a family affair. My mom, my brother Tobin, and my sister-in-law Oakleigh signed on for my first campaign.

 

And it ends with family, too. I would not have been able to serve as speaker were it not for the sacrifices that Janna, Liza, Charlie, and Sam made. Being a husband and a dad is everything to me.

 

We have come a long way together on this improbable journey.

 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

 

Over the years, and especially lately, I have found myself thinking about whether my dad would be proud of me.

 

Would he be proud of what I’m doing?

 

I lost him at a young age, before he really had a chance to shape my path in life.

 

I don’t know what he thought I would make of myself, but this was certainly not my plan. Not even close.

 

All I keep thinking is: what a country.

 

What a country, where someone of an unassuming Midwest upbringing gets the chance to be a part of all of this. Where you can pursue whatever your passion is, wherever it takes you.

 

That’s the American Idea, isn’t it?

 

你出身的环境不是你的命运,你的挫折也不是你的命运,那只是你经历的一部分。

 

这一切,其实在我们宪法的第一句就写得清清楚楚,甚至写在第一段正文之前:我们的第一任务: 是建成更加完美的联邦。

 

一切的先决条件就是:我们是不完美的,但是我们有一个召唤,要做得更好。

 

所以,我们崇拜我的立国原则——自由,创业精神,(统治者)征得人民的同意——同时我们努力把这些原则运用于日常的问题。

 

我们以此构建了这国家最根本的韧性,就像抗体一样保护我们前进中免遭阻挠。我们以此拓展美国精神,我们以此建设一个更加自信的美国。

 

The condition of your birth isn’t your destiny. Your struggle isn’t your destiny. It is part of our journey.

 

It is all laid out right there in the first words of the Constitution. Before first principles even, a first mission: “to achieve a more perfect union.”

 

We are conditioned to recognize that we are imperfect, but we are called to do better. 

 

So we revere those beautiful founding principles—liberty, free enterprise, consent of the governed—as we work to apply them to the problems of the day.

 

We build up the country’s fundamental resilience—the antibodies that protect us from whatever comes our way.

 

That is how we advance the American Idea. And how we build a more confident America.

 

大家也许都知道,我从来就没想过要当议长。我更愿意研究政策细节,现在依然如此。我现在意识到,你不是简单地“成为议长”。至少这不是我的风格。

 

我不把“权力”当成一种为自己去攫取的东西,不把权力当成奖金去领取,当成奖杯去高举。

 

这只是一种信任,还是短暂的,但要成为世界上最伟大的立法机构的管家,这是个很光荣的事情。

 

人民已经用选票讲话了,很快,众议院就要处于新多数党的领导之下,同时还有我们这个精力充沛的共和党少数派。我祝愿下一届领导一切顺利。

 

因为一切是如此短暂......因为你只是历史的一个小小组成,所以你恰恰要激励自己成大事。

 

从这个意义上,我们的成就非凡。

 

As everyone here knows, I never wanted to become speaker.

 

I was just a policy guy. And I like to think I still am.

 

What I realize now is you don’t really ‘become’ speaker. At least I don’t see it that way.

 

I don’t see power as something you take for yourself, as if it is a prize to claim or a trophy to raise.

 

You accept a temporary trust, to be a steward of the greatest legislative body in the world. It is an awesome thing.

 

Again the people have spoken, and soon the House will become the care of a new majority, and what I know will be a spirited Republican minority. I wish our next leaders well.

 

It is precisely because all of this is so momentary…it is because you are just a small part of history, that you are inspired to do big things.

 

On this score, we have achieved a great deal.

 

三年前,当我们在这个大厅开会时,我们开启了一个伟大的旅程,要让国家在正轨运行,把经济从困顿带向增长,恢复我们的军事实力。

 

我们信守了诺言。

 

至少在这一代人的记忆里,本届国会是最为高产的一届。迄今为止,我们通过了1175条法案,大部分得到了跨党派的支持。当然,作为众院的负责人我必须指出,其中还有750条法案被挡在参议院。但是,其余的都被写进了正式的法律。

 

我们接受了我们这个时代的最大挑战,在这个国家未来的轨道上,我们打下了重大而持久的烙印。

 

Three years ago, when we last gathered in this hall, we began a great journey. To set our nation on a better path. To move our economy from stagnation to growth. To restore our military might.

 

And we have kept our promises.

 

This House is the most productive we have had in at least a generation.

 

To date, we have passed 1,175 bills, more than half of them with bipartisan support.

 

And—it is my duty as speaker to say this—nearly 750 bills that the House has passed remain stuck in the United States Senate.

 

But the rest made it into law.

 

We have taken on some of the biggest challenges of our time, and made a great and lasting difference in the trajectory of this country.

 

我们开始了历史性的军事和国防的重建;

 

我们通过了对敌人的严苛制裁;

 

我们引入了新的职业和技术教育体系;

 

进行了创纪录的政府监管改革,帮助了小企业主;

 

实现了人民长期以来期盼的国产能源生产的增长,这必将帮助美国获得新能源领域的领先地位;

 

遏制了阿片类止疼药上瘾的势头,这在国会历史上,是我们应对单一毒品危机的最重大的努力;

 

实施了司法改革,给更多人以改过自新的机会;

 

对贩卖人口的罪行实施了里程碑式的打击,已经产生了积极效果,拯救了生命;

 

改革退伍军人医保体系,建立真正的问责制度,最终改善了对老兵的救治;

 

最后,经过多年怀疑,多年的讽刺,人人都说绝不可能,我们却在31年里第一次实现了重大的税制改革。

 

大家想一想,我们的企业税制从同类发达国家中最差,一跃成为最有竞争力的一个。这是我整个职业生涯中为之苦干的目标,这在未来很长的一段时间,会改善人民的生活。

 

这是跨越时代的改革,也是最困难的。也正是这个原因,我们才去做。

 

We began a historic rebuilding of our military and national defense.

 

We enacted new and tough sanctions on some of our biggest foes.

 

We ushered in a new career and technical education system.

 

Record regulatory reform to help small businesses.

 

A long-sought expansion of domestic energy production, to be followed by America’s new energy dominance.

 

To stem the tide of opioid addiction, the most significant effort against a single drug crisis in congressional history.  

 

Criminal justice reform to give more people a chance at redemption.

 

A landmark crackdown on human trafficking that is already yielding results and saving lives.

 

A VA with real accountability, and finally, better care for veterans.

 

And, after years of doubt, years of the cynics saying it could not be done, we achieved the first major overhaul of our tax code in 31 years.

 

Think about it. We went from having the worst tax code in the industrialized world to one of the most competitive.

 

This is something I worked on my entire adult life, and it is something that will help to improve people’s lives for a long time to come.

 

It is one of those elusive generational reforms.

 

It is why we do this.

 

当然,单一一届国会无法解决我们所有的病症,并非每一个成果都是完美。

 

但是,这恰恰是我们伟大的体制在运作。我们精诚合作有所作为,让这个国家更加强大和繁荣,对此我深为自豪。

 

我的引路人,杰克·坎普有一次说,一个政党的核心任务,就是给人民以一个优越的政府理念。在我看来,这不仅仅是一项任务或责任,这是爱。

 

是的,也许挨批判就是你的工作,你也许会整天的去应对这些困扰,很多人是这样做,我并不心存抱怨,对我来说这并不难。

 

但是,说的好听,不如干的出色,不是吗?

 

Certainly one Congress cannot solve all that ails us. Not every outcome has been perfect.

 

But that is our great system at work. And I am darn proud of what we have achieved together to make this a stronger and more prosperous country.

 

My mentor, Jack Kemp, once said that the central task of any political party is to “offer the people superior ideas of government.”

 

I see it as even more than a task or an obligation. It is a labor of love.

 

Yes, you can make a career out of criticism. You can deal from that deck all day long. Many do, and I certainly don’t begrudge that. It seems like an easy living.

 

But well-done is always a better pursuit than well-said, isn’t it?

 

在政治这一行,你可能无辜而受过,这是职业的代价,我心甘情愿。

 

追求一个理念,能真正地改变人的生活,从起始到收获。没有什么能比这个更给人成就感了。对我来说,这就是政治的终极试验场。

 

这最好地体现了“人民自治”这个试验的理念。

 

你越是深入地切身投入,而不是单纯去忍受这个过程,你就越会发现,即使是最复杂的问题,也是有答案的。

 

我现在要走了,但却和刚来的时候同样坚信:只要我们有纸和笔,写下合理的政策,就没有什么挑战我们不能克服。

 

目前我们政坛的现状,却是另一个问题,坦白讲,我对此没有答案。


我们的政治应该是什么样子,我们大家心里都有数。

 

In this business, you catch slings and arrows. It is a price that I have been happy to pay.

 

Because nothing is as fulfilling as pursuing an idea that will truly make a difference in people’s lives, and seeing it through from start to finish. To me, that is the ultimate proving ground of politics.

 

It is the great manifestation of this experiment in self-government.

 

And the more you get into it—when you choose to truly engage in the process rather than merely endure it—the more you come to see that even our most complex problems are solvable.

 

I leave here as convinced as I was at the start that we face no challenge which cannot be overcome by putting pen to paper on sound policy. By addressing head-on the problems of the day.

 

The state of politics these days, though, is another question, and frankly one I don’t have an answer for.

 

我们很清楚我们的政治应该是什么样子。

 

一个良性的充满思想交锋的体系。通过文明的、充满激情的方式,辩论并解决我们的分歧。

 

这不仅仅是个我们的政府制度允许这种方式存在的问题,而是我们的系统赖以生存的根基。

 

一方可能会获胜,一方可能输,但我们不满足于过去,每次都是新的起点,每个人都在为追求真诚的理想而奋斗。

 

但是,今天,真实的分歧很快就被强烈的不信任取代。我们花费更多的时间试图相互定罪而不是表述自己的信念。

 

We have a good sense of what our politics should look like.

 

A great clash of ideas. A civil, passionate discourse through which we debate and resolve our differences.

 

Our system of government doesn’t just allow for that. Our system depends on it.

 

One side may win, and one may lose, but we dust ourselves off and start anew knowing each one fought in pursuit of their honest ideals.

 

But today, too often, genuine disagreement quickly gives way to intense distrust. We spend far more time trying to convict one another than we do developing our own convictions.

 

为了反对而反对。我们每个人都经常发现自己在朝这个程序的错误方向操作。

 

所有矛盾都被技术性地放大了,有谋划地去捕捉人们的恐惧,而游戏规则成了煽动怒火。愤怒变成政治的品牌标志。

 

而且,与任何有市场的东西一样,这种错误的模式在扩大规模和影响。

 

变得更加程序化,更冷酷,更无情。

 

Being against someone has more currency than being for anything. Each of us has found ourselves operating on the wrong side of this equation from time to time.

 

All of this gets amplified by technology, with an incentive structure that preys on people’s fears, and algorithms that play on anger. Outrage is a brand.

 

And, as with anything that gets marketed, it gets scaled up.

 

It becomes more industrialized, more cold, and more unfeeling.

 

事情就是这样:这些无意义的糟杂现象,缺乏激情和能量。

 

非黑即白非敌即友式的站队,然后是千篇一律的愤怒声讨,成了我们做事的首选。

 

真是太耗费精力。它削弱了政治的效力。也阻碍了更多善良的人产生从政、效力公共服务的兴趣。

 

这些症状目前一直困扰着我们。我们必须认识到,它已经在我们的社会和文化中埋下不良的种子。

 

That’s the thing: For all the noise, there is actually less passion, less energy.

 

We default to lazy litmus tests and shopworn denunciations. It is just emotional pabulum fed from a trough of outrage.

 

It is exhausting. It saps meaning from our politics. And it discourages good people from pursuing public service.

 

The symptoms of it are in our face all the time. And we have to recognize that its roots run deep, into our society and our culture today.

 

所有这一切都牵动了我们共同的人性,什么是我们可以去解开的方向。但没有任何根据——那种能证明事情必须变成目前这样的根据。

 

我们都在挣扎。都需要面对生活中的不同战场而战斗。为什么我们要坚持这种痛苦的模式争斗不休?

 

这种政治起始于愤怒,并试图以撕裂对方为终结。那么......我们如何回归鼓励、包容和谦虚,并以之为基础继续发展?

 

我没有答案。

 

All of this pulls on the threads of our common humanity, in what could be our unraveling.

 

But nothing—nothing says it has to be this way.

 

We all struggle. We are all fighting some battle in our lives.

 

So why do we insist on fighting one another so bitterly?

 

This kind of politics starts from a place of outrage, and seeks to tear us down from there.

 

So…how do we get back to aspiration and inclusion, where we start with humility, and seek to build on that?

 

I don’t know the answer to that.

 

这是我今天想提出的让大家思考的内容,因为我们都试图找到新的出路和模式走出当下的困境。

 

我们的文化并不是建立在由政治机构主导塑造的基础之上,而是由文明社会中社区的各种团体协调互助造就。

 

这些就是各种不同背景的人聚集在一起的地方——教堂,慈善机构,团队,PTA(各学校的家长教师联合会)聚会。

 

这是我们建立社会实力的地方,这种模式使我们能够深入根植于各自生活的环境,由此构成一种互助、依赖的生活。

 

重新认识到人与人之间的联系应该回归激励和包容的道路,这些才是公共生活的指导。

 

正如我所说,我们在走向破败失效的政治系统,破坏性的力量肆虐在解决问题的力量之上。

 

这是一个挑战,我希望在自己的未来生活中花更多时间去改善它。

 

What I offer today instead is something to keep in mind as we all try to navigate through this moment.

 

Our culture is meant to be shaped not by our political institutions, but by the mediating institutions of civil society, of the community.

 

These are the places where we come together with people of different backgrounds—churches, charities, teams, PTA meetings.

 

It is where we build up our social capital, that currency which keeps us rooted to where we live, and how we live with one another.

 

Rediscovering that human connection is one lane on the road back to aspiration and inclusion as the guiding influences in public life.

 

As I said, the drivers of our broken politics are more obvious than the solutions.

 

This is a challenge I hope to spend more time wrestling with in my next chapter.

 

当我展望未来时,我坚信:这些复杂的问题是可以解决的。

 

也就是说,只要我们在政治上乐意努力,我们的问题是可以解决的。 我认为我们可以在未来几年内解决三大问题。

 

它们是困扰这个国家多年的挑战。

 

当我离开时,我意识到还有很多工作要做。

 

如果我们把它们处理好了,可以肯定我们的国家将迎接又一个伟大的世纪。

 

As I look ahead to the future, this much I know: Our complex problems are solvable.

 

That is to say, our problems are solvable if our politics will allow it. There are three big ones in particular that I think we can tackle in the years ahead.

 

They are challenges that have vexed this country for many years.

 

And as I leave, I recognize so much more work remains to be done.

 

And if we get them right, we can be certain that this will be another great century for our country.

 

众所周知,我的重要个人使命是,帮助贫困人口找到改善生活的解决方案。 我想我们在相对较短的时间内取得了实际进展。

 

四年前,当我们国家迎来扶贫50周年纪念时,一些难以理解的事实也随之被暴露。

 

花费了数十亿美元,创建了大量官僚机构和扶贫计划,但有些问题几乎没有收效。

 

我们已经开始打破这个老大难问题。作为税务改革的一部分,新的经济规划区将为我们的社区带来更多投资和活力。

 

各种具有社会影响力的债券,将帮助那些正在着手解决各种重大问题的社区领导人,获得更多的私人资金投资。这些问题包括,帮助无家可归者,减少有前科的人再度犯罪,等等。

 

You all know that finding solutions to help people lift themselves out of poverty is a personal mission for me. I think we have made real progress here in a relatively short time.

 

Four years ago, when our nation marked the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty, we exposed some hard truths.

 

For all the billions spent, and all the bureaucracies and programs created, the needle had barely moved.

 

We have begun to break this monolith. New opportunity zones, part of tax reform, will bring more investment to distressed communities.

 

Social-impact bonds will push more private capital toward community leaders that are solving big problems, whether it’s helping the homeless or addressing recidivism.

 

新的劳动力改革,职业培训计划,和案例管理方法,将帮助更多人从领救济转向工作。

 

我们还有很长的路要走。但我发现自由创业充满活力。

 

这不仅仅是创造就业机会。它更是关于重新工作,为什么要工作的意义。

 

这不仅仅是让人们脱离困境和边缘化,它更是关于帮助人们走上健康的生活道路。

 

我坚信,一劳永逸地解决贫困的挑战,不仅需要有决心,而且要重新思考如何帮助我们中最弱势的群体,革新方法。

 

New workforce reforms, job training programs, and a case management approach, will help more people move from welfare to work.

 

We have a long way to go. But this is what I find to be so dynamic about free enterprise.

 

It is not just about creating jobs. It is about restoring the meaning of a job, the meaning of work.

 

It is not just about getting people off the sidelines. It is about helping people get on the path of life.

 

I believe firmly that solving our poverty challenges once and for all will require not just a great undertaking, but a great rethinking of how we help the most vulnerable among us.

 

首先要意识到来自社区内部的驱动能提供最好的结果,在各种社区内,解决方案是针对人们的需求量身定制的。这场战斗将以心灵对心灵,真诚对真诚的方式赢得胜利。

 

我们党有很强的支持福利改革的声音,就像我的朋友蒂姆·斯科特建议的一样。

 

但我在这里挑战我的党:不要让这个问题偏离你的意识和良知。

 

每一个生命都很重要,每个人都应该有成功的机会。

 

让我们继续支持那些让人们过上有自我决定权的生活的方案。

 

It begins with realizing that the best results come from within communities, where solutions are tailored and targeted for people’s needs. This battle will be won soul-to-soul and eye-to-eye.

 

We have great advocates for welfare reform in our party, like my friend Tim Scott.

 

But I challenge my party here: Do not let this issue drift from your consciousness.

 

Every life matters, and every person deserves the chance to succeed.

 

Let us keep advancing ideas to allow people to live lives of self-determination.

 

其次,我相信我们可以成为拯救社会保障支出计划的一代人。坦率地说,我们需要做到这些。

 

我清楚地承认,我对社会保障系统改革的抱负超过了当下政治的现实,我认为这是我们最大的未完成事业。

 

我们都知道需要做些什么。 我们现在拥有强劲的经济增长,社会保障系统的改革则将解决长期困扰我们的债务问题。

 

Second, I believe that we can be the generation that saves our entitlement programs. And frankly we will need to be.

 

I acknowledge plainly that my ambitions for entitlement reform have outpaced the political reality and I consider this our greatest unfinished business.

 

We all know what needs to be done. Strong economic growth, which we have now, and entitlement reform, to address the long-term drivers of our debt.

 

国家的财政收入很快将恢复到50年平均线的水平。

 

持续困扰我们的,是一些强制性的社会支出项目,相关体系已经严重失去平衡并且不可持续。

 

我25年前来到国会实习的时候,就是这种情况,今天仍然如此。

 

不久前,很少有人愿意去认识这个问题,更不用说参与提出解决方案了。我们的政府甚至不愿意审视国家的长期财政状况。这种处理有很大问题。

 

在我们开始试图改变人们的思考方式之前,我们必须先改变辩论方式。

 

我很自豪每年我都是预算委员会主席,我们在众议院通过了平衡预算和偿还债务的路线方案。

 

在本届国会中,我们只差一轮投票就能通过一个真正的医疗保健改革。

 

联邦医疗保健支出仍然是社会保障支出的大头。

 

我们的法案将改革我们医疗保健计划的两个大项,使其可持续发展并满足我国的医疗保健需求。

 

我们花了很长的时间,不过进展比人们意识到的要快。

 

最终,解决这个问题需要有比现在更大力度的政治驱动力。我很遗憾目前还没有到这个程度。

 

但是,到了实现这一目标的时候——未来的道路将基于我们为解决这一问题而制定的框架。

 

我们可以实现这个目标。我们绝对有可以解决这个问题的办法,而不是让这个问题恶化到积重难返。

 

Our revenue will soon return to its 50-year average.

 

What continues to plague us is a mandatory spending system that is deeply out of balance and unsustainable.

 

This was the case when I came here 25 years ago, and remains the case today.

 

Not too long ago, few were willing to recognize the scope of this problem, let alone engage on solutions. Our government was not even inclined to examine our long-term fiscal picture. It just didn’t work that way.

 

We had to go about changing the debate before we could even begin to try and change people’s minds.

 

I’m proud that every year I was Budget Committee chairman, we passed in the House a roadmap to balancing the budget and paying off our debt.

 

In this Congress, we came within one vote of real health care entitlement reform.

 

Federal health care spending remains the principle driver of entitlement spending.

 

Our bill would have reformed two of our major health care programs to make them sustainable and meet the health care needs of our country.  

 

So we have come a long way, and we are closer than people realize.

 

Ultimately, solving this problem will require a greater degree of political will than exists today. I regret that.

 

But when the time comes to do this—and it will—the path ahead will be based on the framework we have laid out to solve this problem.

 

We can get there. We really can tackle this problem before it tackles us.

 

我们必须解决的第三大挑战是修复我们的移民系统。

 

现在,我们再次因为这个大问题的一个分支,陷入一场短期恶战。

 

无论未来几天的结果如何,更大的问题仍将存在。

 

该系统需要严肃负责的改革。对我们的冲击和威胁,可以影响到国家的命运。

 

正确的解决方案组合是存在的。首先,从边境安全和加强内部执法开始。同时推行签证系统的升级。

 

这对我们的经济发展和人民生活都有意义。任何安分守己,努力工作并积极为建设美国添砖加瓦的人,都可以做出贡献。

 

这包括“梦想生”这样的人群,他们不是因为自己的过错来到美国的人,最终却成为无证人口留在了美国。

 

The third big challenge we have to address is fixing our immigration system.

 

Right now, we are yet again locked in another short-term battle over one aspect of this issue.

 

No matter what the outcome is in the coming days, the larger problem will remain.

 

The system will still be in need of serious reform. And no less than our full potential as a nation is at stake.

 

The right mix of solutions is there. Border security and interior enforcement, for starters. But also a modernization of our visa system.

 

So that it makes sense for our economy and our people. So that anyone who wants to play by the rules, work hard, and be a part of our American fabric can contribute. 

 

That includes the Dreamers, those who came here through no fault of their own, and ultimately the undocumented population.

 

想要修复这个系统,必须大幅度改革。为了真正捍卫法制,必须让人们守法。

重申一下,我们这届国会比人们意识到的更接近目标。明年,最高法院将作出裁决,然后两党可以而且应该回到谈判桌上。

实现这一目标,既是经济的要求又是道德的要求。去除交谈中的恶言恶语,还有很长的路要走。

 

In order to fix the system, you have to reset the system. In order to truly enforce the law, you have to get people right with the law.

Again, we came closer in this Congress than people realize. And next year, the Supreme Court will make a ruling and then both parties can and should go back to the table.

Getting this right is an economic and moral imperative. And it would go a long way toward taking some of the venom out of our discourse.

 

如果我们能做好这三件事——在扶贫方面取得进展,修复我们的移民制度,应对这场债务危机——我们可以为这个国家创造另一个伟大的世纪。

我意识到近年来我们并没有在这些挑战上取得多大进展,但我仍然相信我们能解决这些问题。

一位好朋友最近向我表示,在今天的政治狂潮中,他对我们的政府体制比以往任何时候都更加有信心。

 

If we do these three things—make progress on poverty, fix our immigration system, confront this debt crisis—we can make this another great century for our country.

I recognize that these challenges are ones we haven’t made much progress on in recent years, but I am confident we still have it in us to solve them.

A good friend recently commented to me that, amid the frenzy of politics today, he has more faith in our system of government than ever before.

 

正如他所说,在我们的系统中,真正糟糕的想法会马上被毙。 而好的主意,只是需要时间来做。

如果政治允许,我们的问题是可以解决的。我知道这点,因为我已经亲自见识过了。

在一个自信的美国,我们不会耸耸肩,推卸责任。

我们卷起袖子继续工作。

一个自信的美国也引领着世界。 不是用咆哮,而是用稳定,有原则的行动。

 

As he put it, in our system, really bad ideas get killed. And good ideas, they just take time.

Our problems are solvable if our politics will allow it. I know it. I have seen it.

In a confident America, we don’t shrug our shoulders and pass the buck.

We roll up our sleeves and get on with our work.

A confident America leads the world, too. Not with bluster, but with steady, principled action.

 

请记住,历史总是惊人地相似。民主资本主义模式再次面临新时代特有的考验。

我们日常关注点一如往常地集中在,非自由政权和激进伊斯兰极端主义的威胁之上。

也就是说,我强烈敦促双方领导人将更多的时间和精力投入到某国对西方的直接挑战上。

某国毫不掩饰地以专政模式的形式提供了一种替代方案,披着21世纪资本主义的外衣。

 

Remember, history has a way of repeating itself. The democratic capitalist model again faces a generational-defining test.

Much of our day-to-day attention is focused on threats from illiberal regimes and radical Islamist extremism, as it should be.

That said, I strongly urge leaders in both parties to devote more time and energy to the direct challenge CN poses to the West.

CN unabashedly offers an alternative in the form of an authoritarian model with a veneer of 21st-century capitalism.

 

我以议长身份到海外访问时,我的感觉是,我们的盟友想知道我们是否还在遵循曾经的游戏规则。

当我们表明我们的做事方式仍然有成果,我们可以为大多数人做最好的事情时,自由就有了成功的基石。

当我们自满时,我们要承受的风险将是看到更多国家走向独裁。

一个自信的美国,通过支持系列国际联盟关系,来直面挑战。

 

The sense I get, from when I have traveled overseas as speaker, is that our allies wonder whether we are still in the game here.

When we show that our way of doing things still has juice, that we can do the most good for the most people, liberty gains ground.

When we get complacent, we risk seeing more countries go in the direction of the autocrats.

A confident America stands up to its challengers by committing to the pillars of international relations.

 

除了重建我们的军队并为我们的情报界提供所需的工具外,这届国会还努力加强与盟国的安全合作,特别是加强与北约和印度太平洋地区组织的关系。

良好的安全合作与强大的经济联系密切相关。这就是为什么我们需要继续寻求良好的自由贸易协定,为美国制造的产品开辟新的市场。

我们不希望我们的竞争对手制定规则并且把我们关在门外。

 

In addition to rebuilding our military and giving our intelligence community the tools it needs, this Congress has worked to strengthen our security cooperation with our allies, particularly through NATO and in the Indo-Pacific region.

Good security cooperation goes hand in hand with strong economic ties. That is why we need to continue to pursue good free trade agreements that open up new markets to American-made products.

We don’t want our competitors writing the rules of the road and shutting us out.

 

一个自信的美国有明确的道德领导力。我们需要继续共同努力,促进全球卫生健康事业,打击贩卖人口,并成为无话语权的人的代言。

我们的经济很强大。我们的军事力量是首屈一指的。这两者构建了美国在世界上强大的领导力。

对于我今天在这里讨论过的每一项挑战,两党都有善意的人已经准备好了,并愿意采取行动。

不是每个人都需要就所有事情达成一致,也不是每个人都需要对所有事情持不同意见。

 

And a confident America exercises clear moral leadership. We need to continue to work together to promote global health initiatives, fight human trafficking, and be a voice for the voiceless.

Our economy is strong. Our military might is second to none. Clear American leadership in the world makes the most of both.

For each of the challenges I have discussed here today, there are people of goodwill in both parties who are ready and willing to take action.

Everyone doesn’t need to agree on everything, and everyone doesn’t need to disagree on everything, either.

 

我们需要的是足够的有善意的人愿意接受相同的想法。这是一个好的开始。

接下来是什么?好吧,国会明年会出现很多新面孔。我听说这位来自犹他州的新面孔的参议员很棒(指罗姆尼)......

对于新老成员,这些是我的建议。

(国会)这个地方充满了奇迹和机会。但是尽量脚踏实地。我能想到的,要么改变事物,要么改变自己。

所以你必须保持清晰的自我认识。不忘初心,坚持下去。这是我第一次来到这里以来每天早上都在祈祷的事情。做我自己。

 

All you need is enough people of good faith willing to take up an idea. That’s a good start.

What comes next? Well, we’ll have a lot of new faces around Congress next year. I hear great things about this new fresh-faced Senator from Utah…

So here is my advice, for members new and old.

This place is full of wonders and opportunity. But do your best to stay grounded. The way I think of this is, either you change things or they change you.

So you have to keep your sense of self. Work hard at staying who you are. Insist on it. It is what I have prayed about every morning since I first came here. To keep my sense of self.

 

当我接受这份工作时,我知道我很可能会变成一个公众眼里极端的人。这是这份工作的性质。但是令我最自豪的一件事就是,我觉得现在的我和初来的时候并无不同。

 

始终不忘记推动你来国会的初始动力。

记得当你第一次踏上众议院时,你的感受是多么的震撼。保持这种感觉,特别是当所谓的专家告诉你,你需要这样或那样做。

锻炼你落实想法的能力。与那些比你更懂的人一同探讨,倾听,坚持努力。在过程上下功夫。

你会遇到障碍。没关系。给自己留点体面。

 

I knew when I took this job, I would become a polarizing figure. It comes with the territory. But one thing I leave most proud of is that I like to think I am the same person now that I was when I arrived.


Still, never forget the excitement that brought you here.

Remember how awestruck you felt the first time you stepped on to the floor of the House. Keep that feeling, especially when so-called experts tell you that you need to tack this way or that.

Hone your ability to advance ideas. Sit down with people who know more about something than you do, listen, keep at it. Invest in the process.

You’ll hit roadblocks. That’s okay. Give yourself some grace.

 

时间就是一切,所以你必须把它做好。机会稍纵即逝。要时刻准备好,随时采取行动。

专注于与同事建立良好关系。了解不同意见的人。在共同服务的过程中了解不同的人性。建立好的友谊,而不仅仅是工作往来。

你想要良好的人际关系。拥有真诚的人际关系将帮助您克服陷阱,并建立信任。

言出必行。

这很重要。只做你能实现的承诺。

 

Timing is everything though, so you have to get it right. You may not get too many shots at it. You need to be ready when the moment demands action.

Focus on good relationships with your colleagues. Get to know people on the other side of the aisle. Get to know the human side of serving with people. Build personal relationships, so it’s not just transactions.

You want real relationships. Having real relationships will help you overcome pitfalls, and build trust.


When you give your word, keep your word.


This is really important. Give your word only if you can keep it.

 

带着感恩之情,保持和颜悦色。

这让我想到了另一点。

一切都有时限。对我来说,这个服务的季节即将结束。

我有机会做自己非常喜欢的事情,并且做这么久,尽我所能推进美国理念。

我离开时与刚来到这里时一样:彻底的乐观主义者。没有任何其他改变。

如果你愿意为之奋斗,没有什么是不可能的。

如果没有别的,我请你记住一件事。

 

And keep a balanced temperament, with a sense of gratitude.

 

Which brings me to this.


To everything there is a season. For me, this season of service is coming to a close.


I have had the chance to do something I love so much for so long. To do my small part to advance the American Idea.


I leave as I came here: an optimist to the core. I would not have it any other way.


Nothing is impossible if you are willing to go out and fight for it.


If nothing else, I ask you to remember one thing.

 

我们每个人都是一个更大的故事,一个更大的事业中的一份子。

我们所拥有的,的确是一个奇迹。

而这个奇迹使我们成为地球上最自由,最繁荣的国家。

珍惜它。惊叹它。

总是梦想远大。永远抬起目光。

我们已取得伟大的成就,我们仍有能力继续做到这一点。

这里是为人民,

人民的国会,

各种可能性,

谢谢你们,所有这一切。

上帝保佑美国。

 

We are each part of a larger story, a greater cause.


What we have is a miracle, it really is.


And this miracle has made us the most free, the most prosperous nation on Earth—ever.


Cherish that. Marvel at that.


Always dream big. Always raise your gaze.


For just as remarkable as what we have achieved is what we have the capacity to do still.


Here’s to the people.


Here’s to the people’s House.


Here’s to possibilities.


Thank you, for everything.


God bless America.

 

全文链接:

https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/full-text-speaker-ryans-farewell-address

 

翻译:

项西行,琥珀风筝,七彩美国

 

 

 

 
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