篇一：奥巴马就职演讲的主题
奥巴马英文就职演讲稿
if there is anyone out there who still doubts that america is a place where all
things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our
time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers
this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many
for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must
be different; that their voice could be that difference.its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, democrat and republican,
black, white, latino, asian, native american, gay, straight, disabled and not
disabled
collection of red states and blue states: we are, and always will be, the united states
of america.
its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be
cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the
arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. i just received a very gracious call from senator mccain. he fought long and hard
in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves.
he has endured sacrifices for america that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and
we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. i
congratulate him and governor palin for all they have achieved, and i look forward
to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.i want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart
and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of scranton and rode
with on that train home to delaware, the vice president-elect of the united states,
joe biden.
i would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my bestto my campaign manager david plouffe, my chief strategist david axelrod, and the
best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen,
and i am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done. but above all, i will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs
to you.
i was never the likeliest candidate for this office. we didnt start with much
money or many endorsements. our campaign was not hatched in the halls of washington
- it began in the backyards of des moines and the living rooms of concord and the
front porches of charleston.it was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had
to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. it grew strength
from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left
their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from
the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on
the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of americans who volunteered, and
organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people,
by the people and for the people has not perished from this earth. this is your victory.
i know you didnt do this just to win an election and i know you didnt do it for
me. you did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. for
even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are
the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis
in a century. even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave americans waking
up in the deserts of iraq and the mountains of afghanistan to risk their lives for
us. there are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep
and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough
for college. there is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools
to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.the road ahead will be long. our climb will be steep. we may not get there in
one year or even one term, but america - i have never been more hopeful than i am
tonight that we will get there. i promise you - we as a people will get there. there will be setbacks and false starts. there are many who wont agree with every
decision or policy i make as president, and we know that government cant solve every
problem. but i will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. i will
listen to you, especially when we disagree. and above all, i will ask you join in
the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in america for two-hundred
and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused
hand.
what began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this
autumn night. this victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance
for us to make that change. and that cannot happen if we go back to the way things
were. it cannot happen without you.so let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where
each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves,
but each other. let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything,
its that we cannot have a thriving wall street while main street suffers - in this
country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people. let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness
and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. let us remember that it
was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the republican party to
the white house - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty,
and national unity. those are values we all share, and while the democratic party
has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination
to heal thedivides that have held back our progress. as lincoln said to a nation far more
divided than ours, we are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained
it must not break our bonds of affection. and to those americans whose support i have
yet to earn - i may not have won your vote, but i hear your voices, i need your help,
and i will be your president too. for that is the true genius of america - that america can change. our union can
be perfected. and what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and
must achieve tomorrow.
this election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations.
but one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in atlanta.
shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard
in this election except for one thing - ann nixon cooper is 106 years old.she was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on
the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons
- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin. and tonight, i think about all that shes seen throughout her century in america
- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told
that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that american creed: yes we can.at a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived
to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. yes we can. when there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she sawwhen the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there
to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. yes we can.a man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in berlin, a world was connected
by our own science and imagination. and this year, in this election, she touched her
finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in america, through
the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how america can change. yes
we can.
this is our chance to answer that call. this is our moment. this is our time -
to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore
prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the american dream and reaffirm
that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope,
and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant,
we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:yes we can. thank you, god bless you, and may god bless the united states of america.
篇二：2009奥巴马就职演讲稿中英文对照 奥巴马就职演讲稿中英文对照(cnn) -- barack obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the united states
and the nations first african-american president tuesday. this is a transcript of
his prepared speech.
in his speech tuesday, president obama said america must play its role in ushering
in a new era of peace.
my fellow citizens:i stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have
bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. i thank president bush
for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown
throughout this transition.forty-four americans have now taken the presidential oath. the words have been
spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. yet, every
so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. at these moments,
america has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high
office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our
forebearers, and true to our founding documents. so it has been. so it must be with this generation of americans.that we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. our nation is at war,
against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. our economy is badly weakened,
a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our
collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. homes
have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. our health care is too costly; our
schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy
strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. these are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. less
measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging
fear that americas decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower
its sights.today i say to you that the challenges we face are real. they are serious and
they are many. they will not be met easily or in a short span of time. but know this,
america: they will be met.on this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose
over conflict and discord.in reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never
a given. it must be earned. our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling
for less. it has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure
over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. rather, it has been the
risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men
and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward
prosperity and freedom.for us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans
in search of a new life.for us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the west; endured the lash of the
whip and plowed the hard earth.for us, they fought and died, in places like concord and gettysburg; normandy
and khe sahn.
time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their
hands were raw so that we might live a better life. they saw america as bigger than
the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or
wealth or faction.
this is the journey we continue today. we remain the most prosperous, powerful
nation on earth. our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. our
minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were
last week or last month or last year. our capacity remains undiminished. but our time
of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions
-- that time has surely passed. starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust
ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking america. what the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them
-- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer
apply. the question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small,
but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care
they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. where the answer is yes, we intend
to move forward. where the answer is no, programs will end. and those of us who manage
the publics dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits,
and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital
trust between a people and their government.we are the keepers of this legacy. guided by these principles once more, we can
meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation
and understanding between nations. we will begin to responsibly leave iraq to its
people, and forge a hard-earned peace in afghanistan. with old friends and former
foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter
of a warming planet. we will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver
in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and
slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be
broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. america must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.to the muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual
respect. to those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their
societys ills on the west: know that your people will judge you on what you can build,
not what you destroy. to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and
the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that
we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. to the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms
flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
and to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer
afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the worlds
resources without regard to effect. for the world has changed, and we must change
with it.
as we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude
those brave americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant
mountains. they have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie
in arlington whisper through the ages. we honor them not only because they are
guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness
to find meaning in something greater than themselves. and yet, at this moment -- a
moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit
us all.
for as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and
determination of the american people upon which this nation relies. it is the kindness
to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would
rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our
darkest hours. it is the firefighters courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke,
but also a parents willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
篇二：奥巴马就职演讲(中英对照)
MR. OBAMA:
Thank you. Thank you so much. Vice President Biden, Mr. ChiefJustice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellowcitizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to theenduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy.We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin orthe tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional –what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in adeclaration made more than two centuries ago:每一次我们集会庆祝总统就职都是在见证美国宪法的持久力量。我们都是在肯定美国民主的承诺。我们重申，将这个国家紧密联系在一起的不是我们的肤色，也不是我们信仰的教条，更不是我们名字的来源。让我们与众不同，让我们成为美国人的是我们对于一种理念的恪守。200多年前，这一理念在一篇宣言中被清晰阐述：
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, thatamong these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”“我们认为下述真理是不言而喻的，人人生而平等。造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，包括生存、自由和追求幸福的权利。”
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of thosewords with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while thesetruths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that whilefreedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. Thepatriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with theprivileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic,
agovernment of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keepsafe our founding creed.
今天，我们继续着这一未竟的征程，架起这些理念与我们时代现实之间的桥梁。因为历史告诉我们，即便这些真理是不言而喻的，它们也从来不会自动生效。因为虽然自由是上帝赋予的礼物，但仍需要世间的子民去捍卫。1776年，美国的爱国先驱们不是只为了推翻国王的暴政而战，也不是为赢得少数人的特权，建立暴民的统治。先驱们留给我们一个共和国，一个民有、民治、民享的政府。他们委托每一代美国人捍卫我们的建国信条。
For more than two hundred years, we have.Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that nounion founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slaveand half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
在过去的200多年里，我们做到了。从奴役的血腥枷锁和刀剑的血光厮杀中我们懂得了，建立在自由与平等原则之上的联邦不能永远维持半奴隶和半自由的状态。我们赢得了新生，誓言共同前进。
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads andhighways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train ourworkers。Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there arerules to ensure competition and fair play.Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, andprotect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
我们共同努力，建立起现代的经济体系。架设铁路与高速公路，加速了旅行和商业交流。建立学校与大学，培训我们的工人。我们一起发现，自由市场的繁荣只能建立在保障竞争与公平竞争的原则之上。我们共同决定让这个伟大的国家远离危险，保护她的人民不受生命威胁和不幸的侵扰。
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central
authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can becured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise;our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these
are constants inour character.
一路走来，我们从未放弃对集权的质疑。我们同样不屈服于这一谎言：一切的社会弊端都能够只靠政府来解决。我们对积极向上与奋发进取的赞扬，我们对努力工作与个人责任的坚持，这些都是美国精神的基本要义。
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; thatfidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges;that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by actingalone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communismwith muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and scienceteachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads andnetworks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to ourshores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation,and one people.
我们也理解，时代在变化，我们同样需要变革。对建国精神的忠诚，需要我们肩负起新的责任，迎接新的挑战。保护我们的个人自由，最终需要所有人的共同努力。
因为美国人不能再独力迎接当今世界的挑战，正如美国士兵们不能再像先辈一样，用步枪和民兵同敌人(法西斯主义与共产主义)作战。一个人无法培训所有的数学
与科学老师，我们需要他们为了未来去教育孩子们。一个人无法建设道路、铺设网络、建立实验室来为国内带来新的工作岗位和商业机会。现在，与以往任何时候相比，我们都更需要团结合作。作为一个国家，一个民族团结起来。
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled ourresolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economicrecovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess allthe qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive;diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention.My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we
will seize it – so longas we seize it together.
这一代美国人经历了危机的考验，经济危机坚定了我们的决心，证明了我们的恢复力。长达十年的战争正在结束，经济的复苏已经开始。美国的可能性是无限的，因为我们拥有当今没有边界的世界所需要的所有品质：年轻与活力、多样性与开放、无穷的冒险精神以及创造的天赋才能。我亲爱的同胞们，我们正是为此刻而生，我们更要在此刻团结一致，抓住当下的机会。
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when ashrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe thatAmerica’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middleclass. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence andpride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from thebrink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into thebleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else,because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyesof God but also in our own.
因为我们，美国人民，清楚如果只有不断萎缩的少数人群体获得成功，而大多数人不能成功，我们的国家就无法成功。我们相信，美国的繁荣必须建立在不断上升的中产阶级的宽阔臂膀之上，我们知道美国的繁荣只有这样才能实现。只有当每个人都能找到工作中的自立与自豪时才能实现。只有当诚实劳动获得的薪水足够让家庭
摆脱困苦的悬崖时才能实现。我们忠诚于我们的事业，保证让一个出生于最贫穷环境中的小女孩都能知道，她有同其他所有人一样的成功机会。因为她是一个美国人，她是自由的、平等的。她的自由平等不仅由上帝来见证，更由我们亲手保护。
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of ourtime. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revampour tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills theyneed to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means willchange, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determinationof every single American. That is what
this moment requires. That is what willgive real meaning to our creed.我们知道，我们已然陈旧的程序不足以满足时代的需要。我们必须应用新理念和新技术重塑我们的政府，改进我们的税法，改革我们的学校，让我们的公民拥有他们所需要的技能，更加努力地工作，学更多的知识，向更高处发展。这意味着变革，我们的目标是：国家可以奖励每个美国人的努力和果断。这是现在需要的。这将给我们的信条赋予真正的意义。We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measureof security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost ofhealth care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that Americamust choose between caring for the generation that built this country andinvesting in the generation that will build its future. For we remember thelessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of achild with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in thiscountry, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. Werecognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, atany time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in aterrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, andMedicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; theystrengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take therisks that make this country great.我们，人民，仍然认为，每个公民都应当获得基本的安全和尊严。我们必须做出艰难抉择，降低医疗成本，缩减赤字规模。但我们拒绝在照顾建设国家的这一代和投
资即将建设国家的下一代间做出选择。因为我们记得过去的教训：老年人的夕阳时光在贫困中度过，家有残障儿童的父母无处求助。我们相信，在这个国家，自由不只是那些幸运儿的专属，或者说幸福只属于少数人。我们知道，不管我们怎样负责任地生活，我们任何人在任何时候都可能面临失业、突发疾病或住房被可怕的飓风摧毁的风险。 我们通过医疗保险、联邦医疗补助计划、社会保障项目向每个人做出承诺，这些不会让我们的创造力衰竭，而是会让我们更强大。这些不会让我们成为充满不劳而获者的国度，这些让我们敢于承担风险，让国家伟大。
篇三：2013年奥巴马就职演讲稿(中英文版本)
英文版
MR. OBAMA: Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, 1
and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers。
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our
celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character.
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately 2
requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest 3
poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make 4
to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too 5