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1、克林顿总统2000年联邦国情咨文演说 名人演讲稿Mr.Speaker,Mr.VicePresident,membersofCongress,honoredguests,myfellowAmericans:Wearefortunatetobealiveatthismomentinhistory.(Applause.)Neverbeforehasournationenjoyed,atonce,somuchprosperityandsocialprogresswithsolittleinternalcrisisandsofewexternalthreats.Neverbeforehavewehads
2、uchablessedopportunity-and,therefore,suchaprofoundobligation-tobuildthemoreperfectunionofourfoundersdreams.Webeginthenewcenturywithover20millionnewjobs;thefastesteconomicgrowthinmorethan30years;thelowestunemploymentratesin30years;thelowestpovertyratesin20years;thelowestAfricanAmericanandHispanicunem
3、ploymentratesonrecord;thefirstback-to-backbudgetsurplusesin42years.Andnextmonth,Americawillachievethelongestperiodofeconomicgrowthinourentirehistory.(Applause.)Wehavebuiltaneweconomy.AndoureconomicrevolutionhasbeenmatchedbyarevivaloftheAmericanspirit:crimedownby20percent,toitslowestlevelin25years;te
4、enbirthsdownsevenyearsinarow;adoptionsupby30percent;welfarerollscutinhalftotheirlowestlevelsin30years.MyfellowAmericans,thestateofourunionisthestrongestithaseverbeen.(Applause.)Asalways,therealcreditbelongstotheAmericanpeople.(Applause.)Mygratitudealsogoestothoseofyouinthischamberwhohaveworkedwithus
5、toputprogressoverpartisanship.Eightyearsago,itwasnotsocleartomostAmericanstherewouldbemuchtocelebrateintheyear2000.Thenournationwasgrippedbyeconomicdistress,socialdecline,politicalgridlock.Thetitleofabest-sellingbookasked:America:WhatWentWrong?Inthebesttraditionsofournation,Americansdeterminedtosett
6、hingsright.Werestoredthevitalcenter,replacingoutmodedideologieswithanewvisionanchoredinbasic,enduringvalues:opportunityforall,responsibilityfromall,acommunityofallAmericans.Wereinventedgovernment,transformingitintoacatalystfornewideasthatstressbothopportunityandresponsibility,andgiveourpeoplethetool
7、stheyneedtosolvetheirownproblems.Withthesmallestfederalworkforcein40years,weturnedrecorddeficitsintorecordsurpluses,anddoubledourinvestmentineducation.Wecutcrime,with100,000communitypoliceandtheBradylaw,whichhaskeptgunsoutofthehandsofhalfamillioncriminals.(Applause.)Weendedwelfareasweknewit-(applaus
8、e)-requiringworkwhileprotectinghealthcareandnutritionforchildren,andinvestingmoreinchildcare,transportation,andhousingtohelptheirparentsgotowork.Wevehelpedparentstosucceedathomeandatwork,withfamilyleave,which20millionsAmericanshavenowusedtocareforanewbornchildorasicklovedone.Weveengaged150,000youngA
9、mericansincitizenservicethroughAmeriCorps,whilehelpingthemearnmoneyforcollege.In1992,wejusthadaroadmap;today,wehaveresults.(Applause.)Butevenmoreimportant,Americaagainhastheconfidencetodreambigdreams.Butwemustnotletthisconfidencedriftintocomplacency.Forwe,allofus,willbejudgedbythedreamsanddeedswepas
10、sontoourchildren.Andonthatscore,wewillbeheldtoahighstandard,indeed,becauseourchancetodogoodissogreat.MyfellowAmericans,wehavecrossedthebridgewebuilttothe21stcentury.Now,wemustshapea21stcenturyAmericanrevolution-ofopportunity,responsibilityandcommunity.Wemustbenow,aswewereinthebeginning,anewnation.At
11、thedawnofthelastcentury,TheodoreRooseveltsaid,theonecharacteristicmoreessentialthananyotherisforesight.itshouldbethegrowingnationwithafuturethattakesthelonglookahead.So,tonight,letustakeourlonglookahead-andsetgreatgoalsforournation.To21stcenturyAmerica,letuspledgethesethings:Everychildwillbeginschoo
12、lreadytolearnandgraduatereadytosucceed.(Applause.)Everyfamilywillbeabletosucceedathomeandatwork,andnochildwillberaisedinpoverty.(Applause.)WewillmeetthechallengeoftheagingofAmerica.Wewillassurequality,affordablehealthcare,atlast,forallAmericans.(Applause.)WewillmakeAmericathesafestbigcountryonEarth.
13、(Applause.)Wewillpayoffournationaldebtforthefirsttimesince1835.(Applause.)WewillbringprosperitytoeveryAmericancommunity.Wewillreversethecourseofclimatechangeandleaveasafer,cleanerplanet.Americawillleadtheworldtowardsharedpeaceandprosperity,andthefarfrontiersofscienceandtechnology.Andwewillbecomeatla
14、stwhatourfounderspledgedustobesolongago-onenation,underGod,indivisible,withlibertyandjusticeforall.(Applause.)Thesearegreatgoals,worthyofagreatnation.Wewillnotreachthemallthisyear.Noteveninthisdecade.Butwewillreachthem.LetusrememberthatthefirstAmericanRevolutionwasnotwonwithasingleshot;thecontinentw
15、asnotsettledinasingleyear.Thelessonofourhistory-andthelessonofthelastsevenyears-isthatgreatgoalsarereachedstepbystep,alwaysbuildingonourprogress,alwaysgainingground.Ofcourse,youcantgaingroundifyourestandingstill.AndfortoolongthisCongresshasbeenstandingstillonsomeofourmostpressingnationalpriorities.S
16、oletsbegintonightwiththem.Again,Iaskyoutopassarealpatientsbillofrights.(Applause.)Iaskyoutopasscommon-sensegunsafetylegislation.(Applause.)Iaskyoutopasscampaignfinancereform.(Applause.)Iaskyoutovoteupordownonjudicialnominationsandotherimportantappointees.(Applause.)And,againIaskyou-Iimploreyou-toraisetheminimumwage.(Applause.)Now,twoyearsago-letmetrytobalancethe