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.Neverbeforehavewehadsuchablessedopportunity-and,therefore,suchaprofoundobligation-tobuildthemoreperfectunionofourfoundersdreams.Webeginthenewcenturywithover20millionnewjobs;thefastesteconomicgrowthinmorethan30years;thelowestunemploymentratesin30years;thelowestpovertyratesin20years;thelowestAfricanAmericanandHispanicunemploymentratesonrecord;thefirstback-to-backbudgetsurplusesin42years.Andnextmonth,Americawillachievethelongestperiodofeconomicgrowthinourentirehistory.(Applause.)Wehavebuiltaneweconomy.AndoureconomicrevolutionhasbeenmatchedbyarevivaloftheAmericanspirit:crimedownby20percent,toitslowestlevelin25years;teenbirthsdownsevenyearsinarow;adoptionsupby30percent;welfarerollscutinhalftotheirlowestlevelsin30years.MyfellowAmericans,thestateofourunionisthestrongestithaseverbeen.(Applause.)Asalways,therealcreditbelongstotheAmericanpeople.(Applause.)Mygratitudealsogoestothoseofyouinthischamberwhohaveworkedwithustoputprogressoverpartisanship.Eightyearsago,itwasnotsocleartomostAmericanstherewouldbemuchtocelebrateintheyear2000.Thenournationwasgrippedbyeconomicdistress,socialdecline,politicalgridlock.Thetitleofabest-sellingbookasked:America:WhatWentWrong?Inthebesttraditionsofournation,Americansdeterminedtosetthingsright.Werestoredthevitalcenter,replacingoutmodedideologieswithanewvisionanchoredinbasic,enduringvalues:opportunityforall,responsibilityfromall,acommunityofallAmericans.Wereinventedgovernment,transformingitintoacatalystfornewideasthatstressbothopportunityandresponsibility,andgiveourpeoplethetoolstheyneedtosolvetheirownproblems.Withthesmallestfederalworkforcein40years,weturnedrecorddeficitsintorecordsurpluses,anddoubledourinvestmentineducation.Wecutcrime,with100,000communitypoliceandtheBradylaw,whichhaskeptgunsoutofthehandsofhalfamillioncriminals.(Applause.)Weendedwelfareasweknewit-(applause)-requiringworkwhileprotectinghealthcareandnutritionforchildren,andinvestingmoreinchildcare,transportation,andhousingtohelptheirparentsgotowork.Wevehelpedparentstosucceedathomeandatwork,withfamilyleave,which20millionsAmericanshavenowusedtocareforanewbornchildorasicklovedone.Weveengaged150,000youngAmericansincitizenservicethroughAmeriCorps,whilehelpingthemearnmoneyforcollege.In1992,wejusthadaroadmap;today,wehaveresults.(Applause.)Butevenmoreimportant,Americaagainhastheconfidencetodreambigdreams.Butwemustnotletthisconfidencedriftintocomplacency.Forwe,allofus,willbejudgedbythedreamsanddeedswepassontoourchildren.Andonthatscore,wewillbeheldtoahighstandard,indeed,becauseourchancetodogoodissogreat.MyfellowAmericans,wehavecrossedthebridgewebuilttothe21stcentury.Now,wemustshapea21stcenturyAmericanrevolution-ofopportunity,responsibilityandcommunity.Wemustbenow,aswewereinthebeginning,anewnation.Atthedawnofthelastcentury,TheodoreRooseveltsaid,theonecharacteristicmoreessentialthananyotherisforesight.itshouldbethegrowingnationwithafuturethattakesthelonglookahead.So,tonight,letustakeourlonglookahead-andsetgreatgoalsforournation.To21stcenturyAmerica,letuspledgethesethings:Everychildwillbeginschoolreadytolearnandgraduatereadytosucceed.(Applause.)Everyfamilywillbeabletosucceedathomeandatwork,andnochildwillberaisedinpoverty.(Applause.)WewillmeetthechallengeoftheagingofAmerica.Wewillassurequality,affordablehealthcare,atlast,forallAmericans.(Applause.)WewillmakeAmericathesafestbigcountryonEarth.(Applause.)Wewillpayoffournationaldebtforthefirsttimesince1835.(Applause.)WewillbringprosperitytoeveryAmericancommunity.Wewillreversethecourseofclimatechangeandleaveasafer,cleanerplanet.Americawillleadtheworldtowardsharedpeaceandprosperity,andthefarfrontiersofscienceandtechnology.Andwewillbecomeatlastwhatourfounderspledgedustobesolongago-onenation,underGod,indivisible,withlibertyandjusticeforall.(Applause.)Thesearegreatgoals,worthyofagreatnation.Wewillnotreachthemallthisyear.Noteveninthisdecade.Butwewillreachthem.LetusrememberthatthefirstAmericanRevolutionwasnotwonwithasingleshot;thecontinentwasnotsettledinasingleyear.Thelessonofourhistory-andthelessonofthelastsevenyears-isthatgreatgoalsarereachedstepbystep,alwaysbuildingonourprogress,alwaysgainingground.Ofcourse,youcantgaingroundifyourestandingstill.AndfortoolongthisCongresshasbeenstandingstillonsomeofourmostpressingnationalpriorities.Soletsbegintonightwiththem.Again,Iaskyoutopassarealpatientsbillofrights.(Applause.)Iaskyoutopasscommon-sensegunsafetylegislation.(Applause.)Iaskyoutopasscampaignfinancereform.(Applause.)Iaskyoutovoteupordownonjudicialnominationsandotherimportantappointees.(Applause.)And,againIaskyou-Iimploreyou-toraisetheminimumwage.(Applause.)Now,twoyearsago-letmetrytobalancethe