U.S. President Barack Obama is devoting most of his time and public appearances these days to one issue - reforming the nation's health care system. But concerns about the cost and scope of reform are growing among members of Congress and the general public. Mr. Obama is making an all-out effort to regain the upper hand.
美国总统奥巴马这些天绝大部分的时间和公开露面都用在一个议题方面，那就是改革美国的卫生医疗体系。但是，国会议员和普通民众对改革所需的费用和范围的担忧也在不断增加。奥巴马总统正在尽最大努力，争取在医疗改革的问题上重新占上风。
President Obama is speaking out about health care reform on a daily basis - stressing its importance to the nation's long term economic well-being.
奥巴马总统现在每天都会谈论医疗改革，强调医疗改革对美国长远经济繁荣发展的重要性。
The latest stop on his campaign was the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he met with doctors, nurses and administrators on Monday. Afterwards, he told reporters that what he heard only strengthened his conviction that health care reform is needed now.
奥巴马推进医疗改革的最新行动是在首都华盛顿的全国儿童医疗中心进行的。他星期一在那里会见了医生、护士和管理人员。之后，奥巴马总统对记者表示，他所听到的更加坚定了现在需要进行医疗改革的信心。
"We spoke about some of the strains on our health care system and some of the strains our health care system places on parents with sick children," said President Obama.
奥巴马说：“我们讨论了我们医疗系统面临的一些紧迫问题，以及我们的医疗体系对家中有病患儿童的父母造成的紧迫压力。”
Mr. Obama said there is a health care crisis in America. And he said politics must not be allowed to get in the way of reform.
奥巴马总统表示，美国存在着卫生医疗危机。他说，一定不能允许在医疗改革当中搀杂政治因素。
"The need for reform is urgent and it is indisputable," said Mr. Obama. "No one denies that we are on an unsustainable path."
奥巴马说：“急需进行改革，这一点无庸置疑。没有人否认我们正处在一条不可持续的道路之上。”
The stepped up White House campaign for health care reform comes at a time when public support for the president's stand on the issue appears to be slipping.
白宫加紧推进医疗改革的同时，公众对奥巴马总统医疗改革立场的支持度出现下滑。
A public opinion poll conducted by The Washington Post newspaper and the ABC television network indicates growing doubts among Americans about the president's handling of the issue.
华盛顿邮报和美国广播公司电视网联合进行的民调显示，美国人对奥巴马总统处理医疗改革的方式显示出越来越大的怀疑。
Less than half of those polled - 49 percent - said they agree with his stand on health care. That is down from 57 percent in April.
民调中49%，即不到一半的受访者表示，他们赞同奥巴马总统在医疗改革问题上的立场。这个比例低于今年4月份57%的支持率。
Shortly after the poll results were released, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele delivered a speech attacking the president's push for health care reform.
在这项民调结果公布后不久，共和党主席迈克尔.斯蒂尔发表了一次演讲，攻击总统对医疗改革的推动。
"The Barack Obama experiment with America is a risk our country cannot afford," said Michael Steele. "It is too much, too fast, too soon."
斯蒂尔说：“巴拉克.奥巴马在美国进行的实验是我们国家无法承受的危险。这场实验太过份、太快、太仓促。”
Other Republicans have spoken in even tougher terms, with one senator suggesting health care could be Barack Obama's political downfall.
其他共和党人的言词甚至更为激烈，一位参议员认为医疗改革可能成为奥巴马的政治滑铁卢。
During his visit to the Children's National Medical Center, President Obama referred to those comments.
奥巴马总统在造访全国儿童医疗中心时谈到了上述言论。
"This isn't about me," he said. "This isn't about politics. This is about a health care system that is breaking America's families, breaking America's businesses and breaking America's economy."
奥巴马说：“这场改革与我本人无关，和政治无关。这是一场对损害美国家庭、损害美国的商业、破坏美国经济的医疗体系进行的改革。”
The president has said he wants Congress to finish work on the legislation before its traditional long summer recess in August.
奥巴马总统表示，他希望国会在8月开始的传统夏季长假开始之前能够完成立法工作。
In a public television interview Monday evening on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Mr. Obama indicated the timing could slip. But he left no doubt that he wants to see a bill soon.
奥巴马总统星期一晚间在接受“吉姆.莱赫新闻时间”电视采访的时候指出，改革的时机稍纵即逝。他毫无疑问地表示，他希望不久能够看到一项医疗改革法案。
"If somebody comes to me and says it is basically done, it is going to spill over by a few days or a week, that is different," said President Obama.
奥巴马说：“如果有人到我这里说，法案基本上差不多了，再过几天或者一个星期就会最终完成。那当然意义不同。”
The president also made clear he is not surprised by all of the obstacles opponents have tried to throw in the way of health care reform. He said that if the reform process was easy, it would have been done decades ago.
奥巴马总统还明确表示，他对反对者在医疗改革过程中设置的所有障碍都不会感到惊讶。他说，如果改革进程轻而易举，那么医疗改革几十年前就已经会完成了。 |