听听自由的呼声:我是自由主义者

 　　I am a liberal. I believe government is often the solution, not always the problem. I believe government should enact¹ laws that protect rights, not strip them away. I'm for laws that expand equality, not restrict it. I believe in creating policies, not obstructing² them.

　　我是自由主义者。我相信政府常常是问题的解决者，而不是问题。我相信政府应该颁布那些保护权利的法律，而不是废除它们。我挺那些扩大平等的法律，而不是限制平等的法律。我相信有创造性的政策，而不是阻塞一切的政策。

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　　I'm for helping³ those in need, not telling them to fend⁴ for themselves. I support healthcare for all, not healthcare only for those who can afford it. I believe in nutrition assistance for the hungry, not tax breaks for the greedy. I believe in healthy school lunches for children, but not by changing the definition of pizza. I'm for Social Security and Medicare, and I know these programs would be self-sustaining if the FICA cap were removed and everyone paid into the system on 100% of their income.

　　我要帮助那些需要帮助的人，而不是告诉他们自己想办法谋生去。我支持面向所有人的医疗保险，而不是仅仅给那些付得起保险费的人医疗保险。我相信要给饥饿者以食物，而不是为贪婪者免税。我相信给孩子们吃健康的学校午餐，而不是改变制作一份披萨的原料。我挺社保和医保，并且我知道如果联邦社会保险捐款法不设上限，而且每个人都将全部收入存进这个系统，这些计划是会自我保持的。

　　I believe all people should be free to practice whatever the religion they choose, not have their religion chosen for them. I believe people should be free to practice no religion at all, rather than be forced to partake in prayer. I believe religion is a system of beliefs, not a set of scientific facts. I believe there is a difference between laws laid out in the Bible and laws set forth⁵ in the Constitution. I believe all people should have the right to marry whomever they love, not be told their love is a sin.

　　我相信所有人都有选择信何种宗教的自由，而不是让别人为自己选择宗教。我完全相信人人都应该有不信任何宗教的自由，而不是被逼迫加入某种宗教，成为一个祈祷者。我相信宗教是一种信仰系统，而不是一系列科学事实。我相信《圣经》上记载的那些律条和源自宪法的各种法律是有区别的。我相信所有的人本来是有权利和他们所爱之人结婚的，而不是被告知他们的爱情是一桩罪过。

　　I believe in the right of the people to bear arms, not amass⁶ armaments. I'm for keeping Americans safe i n their homes, but not the uninfringeable access to guns. I'm for helping victims of violent crime, not f or blaming them for becoming victims. I believe in equal justice for all, not separate justice for some. I believe rights are inherent to all free citizens, not privileges that can be taken away.

　　我相信人民有携带武器的权利，却不是拥有大规模杀伤性武器。我要让美国人在自己家里能够捍卫自己的安全，而不是侵害他们获取枪支的权利。我要帮助暴力犯罪的牺牲者，而不是指责他们成了牺牲品。我相信司法公正是对所有人，而不是割裂公正,只针对一部分人。我相信权利对所有自由公民是固有的、天生的,而不是能被拿走的特权。

　　I believe in our form of government, but not imposing⁷ it on other nations. I'm for keeping America stron g, but not weakening it with a bloated military. I'm for going to war to defend our country's sovereignty ,not for sending troops to fight in every country's civil war. I'm for supporting veterans by helping th em when they return from service, not dishonoring their service by cutting their benefits.

　　我信任我们政府的组成形式，但不会将它强加给其它国家。我要让美国保持强大，但不会甩膨胀的军力削弱它。我打仗是为了捍卫我们国家的独立自主，而不是派逍部队去参加其它国家的内战。当老兵退役时，我支持帮助他们，而不是靠砍掉他们的津贴来侮辱他们为国家作出的贡献。

　　I believe in regulated capitalism⁸, not an unfettered free market. I'm for subsidizing the development of new energy technologies, but not the production of carbon-emitting fossil fuels. I'm for protecting the environment, not destroying it. I believe we should address man-made climate change, not deny it exists.

　　我相信有调节的资本主义，而不是无限制的自由市场。我力挺补贴新能源科技发展，但不是释放二氧化碳的化石燃料生产。我保护环境，而不是摧毁它。我相信我们应该处理人为的环境改变，而不是拒绝承认它的存在。

　　I believe in more people voting, not fewer. I'm for term limits, not lifetime terms. I believe elected officials should serve their individual constituents⁹, not their corporate¹⁰ donors¹¹. I believe money is currency, not speech, and that corporations are businesses, not people.

　　我相信要让更多的人投票，而非更少。我力挺限制领导人的任期，而不是活多久就领导一个国家多久。我相信选上的官员应该为每个选民服务，而不是那些捐了钱的法人们。我相信钱是货币，而不是演讲。我还相信公司呀、法人呀就是商业行为，而不是真正的人。

　　In other words, I believe in democracy and that's why I am a liberal.

　　就这样说吧，我相信民主，那就是我为什么是自由主义者。

1 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

2 obstructing   

阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• You can't park here, you're obstructing my driveway. 你不能在这里停车，你挡住了我家的车道。
• He was charged for obstructing the highway. 他因阻碍交通而受控告。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

5 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

6 amass   

vt.积累，积聚

参考例句：

• How had he amassed his fortune?他是如何积累财富的呢？
• The capitalists amass great wealth by exploiting workers.资本家剥削工人而积累了巨额财富。

7 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

8 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。

9 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

11 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》