奥巴马-第1章

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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　America's　decline　is　inevitable；　and　that　the　next　generation　must　lower　its　sights。


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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。

On　this　day；　we　e　to　proclaim　an　end　to　the　petty　grievances　and　false　promises；　the　recriminations　and　worn…out　dogmas；　that　for　far　too　long　have　strangled　our　politics。

We　remain　a　young　nation；　but　in　the　words　of　Scripture；　the　time　has　e　to　set　aside　childish　things。　The　time　has　e　to　reaffirm　our　enduring　spirit；　to　choose　our　better　history；　to　carry　forward　that　precious　gift；　that　noble　idea；　passed　on　from　generation　to　generation　the　God…given　promise　that　all　are　equal；　all　are　free；　and　all　deserve　a　chance　to　pursue　their　full　measure　of　happiness。

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。

For　everywhere　we　look；　there　is　work　to　be　done。　The　state　of　the　economy　calls　for　action；　bold　and　swift；　and　we　will　act　　not　only　to　create　new　jobs；　but　to　lay　a　new　foundation　for　growth。　We　will　build　the　roads　and　bridges；　the　electric　grids　and　digital　lines　that　feed　our　merce　and　bind　us　together。　We　will　restore　science　to　its　rightful　place；　and　wield　technology's　wonders　to　raise　health　care's　quality　and　lower　its　cost。　We　will　harness　the　sun　and　the　winds　and　the　soil　to　fuel　our　cars　and　run　our　factories。　And　we　will　transform　our　schools　and　colleges　and　universities　to　meet　the　demands　of　a　new　age。　All　this　we　can　do。　And　all　this　we　will　do。

Now；　there　are　some　who　question　the　scale　of　our　ambitions　　who　suggest　that　our　system　cannot　tolerate　too　many　big　plans。　Their　memories　are　short。　For　they　have　forgotten　what　this　country　has　already　done；　what　free　men　and　women　can　achieve　when　imagination　is　joined　to　mon　purpose；　and　necessity　to　courage。

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　public's　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。

Nor　is　the　question　before　us　whether　the　market　is　a　force　for　good　or　ill。　Its　power　to　generate　wealth　and　expand　freedom　is　unmatched；　but　this　crisis　has　reminded　us　that　without　a　watchful　eye；　the　market　can　spin　out　of　control　　and　that　a　nation　cannot　prosper　long　when　it　favors　only　the　prosperous。　The　success　of　our　economy　has　always　depended　not　just　on　the　size　of　our　gross　domestic　product；　but　on　the　reach　of　our　prosperity；　on　our　ability　to　extend　opportunity　to　every　willing　heart　　not　out　of　charity；　but　because　it　is　the　surest　route　to　our　mon　good。

As　for　our　mon　defense；　we　reject　as　false　the　choice　between　our　safety　and　our　ideals。　Our　Founding　Fathers；　faced　with　perils　we　can　scarcely　imagine；　drafted　a　charter　to　assure　the　rule　of　law　and　the　rights　of　man；　a　charter　expanded　by　the　blood　of　generations。　Those　ideals　still　light　the　world；　and　we　will　not　give　them　up　for　expedience's　sake。　And　so　to　all　other　peoples　and　governments　who　are　watching　today；　from　the　grandest　capitals　to　the　small　village　where　my　father　was　born　Know　that　America　is　a　friend　of　each　nation　and　every　man；　woman　and　child　who　seeks　a　future　of　peace　and　dignity；　and　that　we　are　ready　to　lead　once　more。

Recall　that　earlier　generations　faced　down　fascism　and　munism　not　just　with　missiles　and　tanks；　but　with　sturdy　alliances　and　enduring　convictions。　They　understood　that　our　power　alone　cannot　protect　us；　nor　does　it　entitle　us　to　do　as　we　please。　Instead；　they　knew　that　our　power　grows　through　its　prudent　use；　our　security　emanates　from　the　justness　of　our　cause；　the　force　of　our　example；　the　tempering　qualities　of　humility　and　restraint。

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　in