At his inauguration, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a call to Americans to end what he called "stale politics" so the country can move forward. For decades politics as usual has been the general rule in the U.S. Congress, despite calls by successive presidents for bipartisan cooperation.
奥巴马总统在就职演说里，呼吁美国人民挥别他所说的“陈旧的政治”，以便使这个国家能够迈步向前。尽管历来继任的美国总统都呼吁两党合作，但是几十年来，国会里还是老样子。
During his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama spoke often of the need for a new style of politics, an appeal he expressed again in his inaugural address.
在竞选总统期间，奥巴马经常提到需要新的政治风范，他在就职演说里再度表达这样的诉求。
"We come 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," he said.
奥巴马说：“我们来此宣示，那些无用的抱怨和虚伪的承诺已经终结，那些长久以来扭曲我们政治的相互指控和陈旧教条已经终结。”
Over the decades, many presidents have begun their administrations with pledges to pursue new levels of bipartisanship. Some have been more successful than others.
几十年来，许多美国总统都以誓言追求两党合作的新精神来开始他们的新政府，其中有些人做得比较成功。
The strength of President Obama's victory in last November's election, and initial approaches he made to Republicans before his inauguration, may help smooth the way for his agenda on Capitol Hill.
奥巴马总统去年11月选举的巨大胜利，以及他在就职前对共和党所做出的姿态，也许会使他在国会的日程变得比较顺利。
House Republican leader John Boehner appeared to be seeking to lay the groundwork for cooperation, saying in a statement Tuesday that Republicans "look forward to finding common ground with the President on solutions to the U.S. economic crisis among other issues.
众院共和党领袖伯纳尔似乎在寻求为两党合作奠定基础，他在星期二的一份声明里说，共和党议员“希望在解决美国经济危机和其他议题上，寻求和总统共同的立场”。
In his address, President Obama also referred to what he called a shifting of the political ground, saying "stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply."
在就职演说里，奥巴马总统也提到政治基础的改变。奥巴马说，“陈旧的政治辩论曾经如此长久地消耗我们，现在不应再继续了。”
His task now and in coming months and years will be to reinforce this persuasively and respectfully.
As he exchanged toasts with members of Congress at the traditional post-inaugural luncheon in the Capitol, the new president said Americans who spoke with their votes in last November's election expect their president and representatives to work together.
就职典礼后在传统的国会午餐会上，这位新总统在和国会议员互相祝酒时说，美国人民去年11月用选票发出他们的声音，期待总统和国会议员合作。
"The American people have come together across races and regions and stations. Now we have to do the same. Now it falls to us, the people's representatives, to give our fullest measure of devotion to the cause of freedom, and liberty, and justice, decency and dignity and our chamber should reflect what we know are in the hearts of the American people," he said.
奥巴马说：“美国人民不分种族、宗教和立场都来到这里。现在我们也必须作同样的事。现在落到我们身上，落到人民代表的身上，我们应作出完全的奉献，为自由、正义和尊严而奉献。我们的国会应该反映美国人民内心的渴望。”
Vice President Joseph Biden had this message for those gathered in Statuary Hall in the Capitol.
"Just think to yourselves, look around at the table next to you, look at the people you are sitting next to, and remind yourself, remind yourself what this Constitution is about. There [are] three co-equal branches of government and together there is not a single solitary thing we cannot achieve," he said.
A much-strengthened Democratic majority in the House and Senate, and pressures on lawmakers to deal effectively with the economic crisis, will no doubt help President Obama get his major domestic and foreign-agenda goals through Congress.
由于民主党在参众两院都是多数，加上民众渴望国会议员有效处理经济危机的压力，这些都毫无疑问地可以协助奥巴马透过国会，实现他在内政和外交上的主要目标。
Also helping will be the extensive connections on Capitol Hill of his chief of staff, former Illinois Representative Rahm Emanuel, and the influence of other former congressional staffers serving President Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden.
其他的协助则来自奥巴马的白宫办公厅主任、前伊利诺伊州国会众议员伊麦诺尔在国会的广泛人脉，以及其他曾经服务过奥巴马总统和拜登副总统的前国会助理们的影响力。
Senior members of President Obama's new administration wasted no time after the inauguration getting to work on the most important piece of legislation Congress will consider in decades - an economic recovery bill.
奥巴马新政府的高级成员在就职大典过后，分秒必争地为国会几十年来所必须考虑的最重要立法 “经济复兴法案”工作。
Democrats want that legislation completed by the middle of February. But President Obama has hard work ahead to ease concerns of Republicans about the huge size of the $825 billion measure.
民主党方面希望到2月中旬以前就完成这项立法。奥巴马总统之前已经努力工作，缓解不少共和党议员对这项巨大的8250亿美元法案的顾虑。
Also ahead in coming months will be more hard work on issues such as financial regulation reforms. The success President Obama has on these initial hurdles will provide an early test of his ability to navigate the partisan divides in Congress.
未来几个月必须努力解决的议题，还包括金融管理改革法案。奥巴马总统虽然跨越了最初的障碍取得成功，但他是否能够克服国会的党派分歧，对他执政初期的能力是一个考验。 |