美国总统演讲稿.docx

美国总统演讲稿.docx

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美国总统演讲稿

FirstInauguralAddressofWilliamJ.Clinton

January20,1993

Myfellowcitizens:

TodaywecelebratethemysteryofAmericanrenewal.

Thisceremonyisheldinthedepthofwinter.But,bythewordswespeakandthefacesweshowtheworld,weforcethespring.Aspringrebornintheworld'soldestdemocracy,thatbringsforththevisionandcouragetoreinventAmerica.

WhenourfoundersboldlydeclaredAmerica'sindependencetotheworldandourpurposestotheAlmighty,theyknewthatAmerica,toendure,wouldhavetochange.Notchangeforchange'ssake,butchangetopreserveAmerica'sideals;life,liberty,thepursuitofhappiness.Thoughwemarchtothemusicofourtime,ourmissionistimeless.EachgenerationofAmericansmustdefinewhatitmeanstobeanAmerican.

Onbehalfofournation,Isalutemypredecessor,PresidentBush,forhishalf-centuryofservicetoAmerica.AndIthankthemillionsofmenandwomenwhosesteadfastnessandsacrificetriumphedoverDepression,fascismandCommunism.

Today,agenerationraisedintheshadowsoftheColdWarassumesnewresponsibilitiesinaworldwarmedbythesunshineoffreedombutthreatenedstillbyancienthatredsandnewplagues.

Raisedinunrivaledprosperity,weinheritaneconomythatisstilltheworld'sstrongest,butisweakenedbybusinessfailures,stagnantwages,increasinginequality,anddeepdivisionsamongourpeople.

WhenGeorgeWashingtonfirsttooktheoathIhavejustsworntouphold,newstraveledslowlyacrossthelandbyhorsebackandacrosstheoceanbyboat.Now,thesightsandsoundsofthisceremonyarebroadcastinstantaneouslytobillionsaroundtheworld.

Communicationsandcommerceareglobal;investmentismobile;technologyisalmostmagical;andambitionforabetterlifeisnowuniversal.Weearnourlivelihoodinpeacefulcompetitionwithpeopleallacrosstheearth.

Profoundandpowerfulforcesareshakingandremakingourworld,andtheurgentquestionofourtimeiswhetherwecanmakechangeourfriendandnotourenemy.

ThisnewworldhasalreadyenrichedthelivesofmillionsofAmericanswhoareabletocompeteandwininit.Butwhenmostpeopleareworkingharderforless;whenotherscannotworkatall;whenthecostofhealthcaredevastatesfamiliesandthreatenstobankruptmanyofourenterprises,greatandsmall;whenfearofcrimerobslaw-abidingcitizensoftheirfreedom;andwhenmillionsofpoorchildrencannotevenimaginetheliveswearecallingthemtolead,wehavenotmadechangeourfriend.

Weknowwehavetofacehardtruthsandtakestrongsteps.Butwehavenotdoneso.Instead,wehavedrifted,andthatdriftinghaserodedourresources,fracturedoureconomy,andshakenourconfidence.

Thoughourchallengesarefearsome,soareourstrengths.AndAmericanshaveeverbeenarestless,questing,hopefulpeople.Wemustbringtoourtasktodaythevisionandwillofthosewhocamebeforeus.

Fromourrevolution,theCivilWar,totheGreatDepressiontothecivilrightsmovement,ourpeoplehavealwaysmusteredthedeterminationtoconstructfromthesecrisesthepillarsofourhistory.

ThomasJeffersonbelievedthattopreservetheveryfoundationsofournation,wewouldneeddramaticchangefromtimetotime.Well,myfellowcitizens,thisisourtime.Letusembraceit.

Ourdemocracymustbenotonlytheenvyoftheworldbuttheengineofourownrenewal.ThereisnothingwrongwithAmericathatcannotbecuredbywhatisrightwithAmerica.

Andsotoday,wepledgeanendtotheeraofdeadlockanddrift;anewseasonofAmericanrenewalhasbegun.TorenewAmerica,wemustbebold.Wemustdowhatnogenerationhashadtodobefore.Wemustinvestmoreinourownpeople,intheirjobs,intheirfuture,andatthesametimecutourmassivedebt.Andwemustdosoinaworldinwhichwemustcompeteforeveryopportunity.Itwillnotbeeasy;itwillrequiresacrifice.Butitcanbedone,anddonefairly,notchoosingsacrificeforitsownsake,butforourownsake.Wemustprovideforournationthewayafamilyprovidesforitschildren.

OurFounderssawthemselvesinthelightofposterity.Wecandonoless.Anyonewhohaseverwatchedachild'seyeswanderintosleepknowswhatposterityis.Posterityistheworldtocome;theworldforwhomweholdourideals,fromwhomwehaveborrowedourplanet,andtowhomwebearsacredresponsibility.WemustdowhatAmericadoesbest:

offermoreopportunitytoallanddemandresponsibilityfromall.

Itistimetobreakthebadhabitofexpectingsomethingfornothing,fromourgovernmentorfromeachother.Letusalltakemoreresponsibility,notonlyforourselvesandourfamiliesbutforourcommunitiesandourcountry.TorenewAmerica,wemustrevitalizeourdemocracy.

Thisbeautifulcapital,likeeverycapitalsincethedawnofcivilization,isoftenaplaceofintrigueandcalculation.Powerfulpeoplemaneuverforpositionandworryendlesslyaboutwhoisinandwhoisout,whoisupandwhoisdown,forgettingthosepeoplewhosetoilandsweatsendsushereandpaysourway.

Americansdeservebetter,andinthiscitytoday,therearepeoplewhowanttodobetter.AndsoIsaytoallofushere,letusresolvetoreformourpolitics,sothatpowerandprivilegenolongershoutdownthevoiceofthepeople.LetusputasidepersonaladvantagesothatwecanfeelthepainandseethepromiseofAmerica.LetusresolvetomakeourgovernmentaplaceforwhatFranklinRooseveltcalled"bold,persistentexperimentation,"agovernmentforourtomorrows,notouryesterdays.Letusgivethiscapitalbacktothepeopletowhomitbelongs.

TorenewAmerica,wemustmeetchallengesabroadaswellathome.Thereisnolongerdivisionbetweenwhatisforeignandwhatisdomestic;theworldeconomy,theworldenvironment,theworldAIDScrisis,theworldarmsrace;theyaffectusall.

Today,asanoldorderpasses,thenewworldismorefreebutlessstable.Communism'scollapsehascalledfortholdanimositiesandnewdangers.ClearlyAmericamustcontinuetoleadtheworldwedidsomuchtomake.

WhileAmericarebuildsathome,wewillnotshrinkfromthechallenges,norfailtoseizetheopportunities,ofthisnewworld.Togetherwithourfriendsandallies,wewillworktoshapechange,lestitengulfus.

Whenourvitalinterestsarechallenged,orthewillandconscienceoftheinternationalcommunityisdefied,wewillact;withpeacefuldiplomacywheneverpossible,withforcewhennecessary.ThebraveAmericansservingournationtodayinthePersianGulf,inSomalia,andwhereverelsetheystandaretestamenttoourresolve.

Butourgreateststrengthisthepowerofourideas,whicharestillnewinmanylands.Acrosstheworld,weseethemembraced,andwerejoice.Ourhopes,ourhearts,ourhands,arewiththoseoneverycontinentwhoarebuildingdemocracyandfreedom.TheircauseisAmerica'scause.

TheAmericanpeoplehavesummonedthechangewecelebratetoday.Youhaveraisedyourvoicesinanunmistakablechorus.Youhavecastyourvotesinhistoricnumbers.AndyouhavechangedthefaceofCongress,thepresidencyandthepoliticalprocessitself.Yes,you,myfellowAmericanshaveforcedthespring.Now,wemustdotheworktheseasondemands.

TothatworkInowturn,withalltheauthorityofmyoffice.IasktheCongresstojoinwithme.Butnopresident,noCongress,nogovernment,canundertakethismissionalone.MyfellowAmericans,you,too,mustplayyourpartinourrenewal.IchallengeanewgenerationofyoungAmericanstoaseasonofservice;toactonyouridealismbyhelpingtroubledchildren,keepingcompanywiththoseinneed,reconnectingourtorncommunities.Thereissomuchtobedone;enoughindeedformillionsofotherswhoarestillyounginspirittogiveofthemselvesinservice,too.

Inserving,werecognizeasimplebutpowerfultruth,weneedeachother.Andwemustcareforoneanother.Today,wedomorethancelebrateAmerica;werededicateourselvestotheveryideaofAmerica.

Anideaborninrevolutionandrenewedthroughtwocenturiesofchallenge.Anideatemperedbytheknowledgethat,butforfatewe,thefortunateandtheunfortunate,mighthavebeeneachother.Anideaennobledbythefaiththatournationcansummonfromitsmyriaddiversitythedeepestmeasureofunity.AnideainfusedwiththeconvictionthatAmerica'slongheroicjourneymustgoforeverupward.

Andso,myfellowAmericans,attheedgeofthe21stcentury,letusbeginwithenergyandhope,withfaithanddiscipline,andletusworkuntilourworkisdone.Thescripturesays,"Andletusnotbewearyinwell-doing,forindueseason,weshallreap,ifwefaintnot."

Fromthisjoyfulmountaintopofcelebration,wehearacalltoserviceinthevalley.Wehaveheardthetrumpets.Wehavechangedtheguard.Andnow,eachinourway,andwithGod'shelp,wemustanswerthecall.

Thankyou,andGodblessyouall.

SecondInauguralAddressofWilliamJ.Clinton

January20,1997

Myfellowcitizens:

Atthislastpresidentialinaugurationofthe20thcentury,letusliftoureyestowardthechallengesthatawaitusinthenextcentury.Itisourgreatgoodfortunethattimeandchancehaveputusnotonlyattheedgeofanewcentury,inanewmillennium,butontheedgeofabrightnewprospectinhumanaffairs,amomentthatwilldefineourcourse,andourcharacter,fordecadestocome.Wemustkeepourolddemocracyforeveryoung.Guidedbytheancientvisionofapromisedland,letussetoursightsuponalandofnewpromise.

ThepromiseofAmericawasborninthe18thcenturyoutoftheboldconvictionthatweareallcreatedequal.Itwasextendedandpreservedinthe19thcentury,whenournationspre

FirstInauguralAddressof