奥巴马演讲:奥巴马称华尔街改革将通过
The President praises Congress for passing a financial reform package that brings new accountability to Wall Street and helps provide economic security to individuals, families and businesses.
【Transcript】
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. With today’s vote in the Senate, the United States Congress has now passed a Wall Street reform bill that will bring greater economic security to families and businesses across the country.
It was clear from the moment it began that this recession was not the result of your typical economic downturn. It was the result of recklessness and irresponsibility in certain corners of Wall Street that infected the entire economy –- irresponsibility that cost millions of Americans their jobs, and millions more their hard-earned savings. It’s why businesses cannot get credit and why families haven’t been able to see appreciation in their home values — in fact, the values of their homes have plummeted.
Even before the financial crisis that led to this recession, I spoke on Wall Street about the need for common-sense reforms to protect consumers and our economy as a whole. But the crisis came, and only underscored the need for the kind of reform the Senate passed today — reform that will protect consumers when they take out a mortgage or sign up for a credit card; reform that will prevent the kind of shadowy deals that led to this crisis; reform that would never again put taxpayers on the hook for Wall Street’s mistakes.
The reform that Congress passed today will accomplish these goals. It is a bill that was made possible first and foremost by the tireless efforts of Chairman Chris Dodd and Congressman and Chairman Barney Frank, as well as the leadership of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. I am extraordinarily grateful for their determination in the face of a massive lobbying effort from the financial industry, and I’m also grateful for all of the members of Congress who stood on the side of reform — including three Republican senators who put politics and partisanship aside today to vote for this bill.
The financial industry is central to our nation’s ability to grow, to prosper, to compete and to innovate. This reform will foster that innovation, not hamper it. It’s designed to make sure that everyone follows the same set of rules, so that firms compete on price and quality, not on tricks and traps. It demands accountability and responsibility from everybody. It provides certainty to everyone from bankers to farmers to business owners to consumers. And unless your business model depends on cutting corners or bilking your customers, you have nothing to fear from this reform.
For all those Americans who are wondering what Wall Street reform means for you, here’s what you should expect. If you’ve ever applied for a credit card, a student loan, a mortgage, you know the feeling of signing your name to pages of barely understandable fine print. It’s a big step for most families, and one that’s often filled with unnecessary confusion and apprehension. As a result, many Americans are simply duped into hidden fees and loans they just can’t afford by companies who know exactly what they’re doing.
Those days will soon end. From now on, every American will be empowered with the clear and concise information you need to make financial decisions that are best for you. This bill will crack down on abusive practices and unscrupulous mortgage lenders. It will reinforce the new credit card law we passed banning unfair rate hikes, and ensure that folks aren’t unwittingly caught by overdraft fees when they sign up for a checking account. It will give students who take out college loans clear information and make sure lenders don’t cheat the system. And it will ensure that every American receives a free credit score if they are denied a loan or insurance because of that score. All told, this reform puts in place the strongest consumer financial protections in history, and it creates a new consumer watchdog to enforce those protections.
Because of this reform, the American people will never again be asked to foot the bill for Wall Street’s mistakes. There will be no more taxpayer-funded bailouts — period. If a large financial institution should ever fail, this reform gives us the ability to wind it down without endangering the broader economy. And there will be new rules to end the perception that any firm is “too big to fail,” so that we don’t have another Lehman Brothers or AIG.
Because of reform, the kind of complex, backroom deals that helped trigger this financial crisis will finally be brought into the light of day. And from now on, shareholders and other executives can know that shareholders will have greater say on the pay of CEOs, so that they can reward success instead of failure, and help change the perverse incentives that encouraged so much reckless risk-taking in the past.
In short, Wall Street reform will bring greater security to folks on Main Street — to families who are looking to buy their first home or send their kids to college; to taxpayers who shouldn’t have to pay for somebody else’s mistakes or irresponsibility; to small businesses, community banks and credit unions who play by the rules; to shareholders and investors who want to see their companies grow and thrive.
Now, already, the Republican leader in the House has called for repeal of this reform. I would suggest that America can’t afford to go backwards, and I think that’s how most Americans feel as well. We can’t afford another financial crisis just as we’re digging out from the last one.
I said when I took office we can’t simply rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand — on maxed-out credit cards, houses used like ATM machines, or overleveraged firms on Wall Street. We need to rebuild on a firmer, stronger foundation for economic growth. That’s why we invested in renewable energy that’s currently creating new jobs all across America. That’s why we’re reforming our education system so that our workers can compete in the global economy. That’s why we passed health reform that will lower costs for families and businesses. And that’s why I’m about to sign Wall Street reform into law — to protect consumers and lay the foundation for a stronger and safer financial system — one that is innovative, creative, competitive, and far less prone to panic and collapse. Along with the steps we’re taking to spur innovation, encourage hiring and rein in our deficits, this is how we’re ultimately going to build an economy that is stronger and more prosperous than it was before, and one that provides opportunity for all Americans.
Thanks very much.
Q Sir, are you encouraged that the oil has stopped flowing in the Gulf?
THE PRESIDENT: I think it is a positive sign. We’re still in the testing phase. I’ll have more to say about it tomorrow.
END 4:50 P.M. EDT
【相关中文报道】
奥巴马力推金融改革 其法案矛头被指对准华尔街
奥巴马当选美国总统后，有人评论说，“奥巴马将成为历史上最后一个有能力影响全世界的美国总统”。这种观点也许对美国经济自我修复的功能过于悲观，却无疑折射出人们对这位年轻的新总统抱以何等厚望。
外国媒体纷纷赋予奥巴马“金融危机终结者”的名号，学界用“罗斯福新政”比拟一个新时代的到来，欧美股市也在其胜出后全线上涨。在金融海啸席卷全球、实体经济摇摇欲坠的当口，美国人似乎需要一位英雄式的“领军”人物，告诉他们 千金散尽还复来的日子，已经临近了。
然而，事实果真如此吗？美国经济究竟会不会因为这张全新的面孔出现而重抖精神？面对金融海啸的惊涛骇浪，年轻气盛的奥巴马能解决美国的经济问题吗？
力推金融改革法案矛头对准华尔街
4月22日，奥巴马再次来到纽约市库柏联盟学院，就金融法规急需强化的信息发表演说，力促国会通过一项全面的金融系统改革法案。显而易见，由于纽约市是华尔街所在地，自从2007年成为总统候选人之后，奥巴马就不断呼吁华尔街担负起更多责任，采取深化金融监管以及其他步骤。这是2008年金融危机以来，奥巴马第二次就华尔街改革在纽约发表演讲了。
在金融危机两周年前夕，奥巴马再度发表演说推动金融改革的意义颇受全球瞩目。他在演讲中说道：“华尔街不能再不顾后果地进行风险投资，然后指望所有美国纳税人出手相救。”美国必须制订更好的监管其金融系统的规定，否则会重蹈覆辙。奥巴马说，金融崩溃的代价是丧失几百万工作、数千亿美元的损失和美国人及小公司梦想的破灭。他以美国总统的身份痛责金融业，说这个行业经常忘记了因其不负责任、不计后果的行为而承受了苦难的美国老百姓。
奥巴马说，不进行改革，现行的规定使金融衍生品的交易成为赌博，他敦促更多地公布买卖金融衍生品的详细情况。金融衍生性产品的交易错综复杂，经常会导致亏损，并在很大程度上导致了这场金融危机。他还说，改革必须包括消费者保护，限制银行的规模和风险、改变高级管理人员的薪酬方式以及用有序的方式处理将要倒闭的金融机构。
这次演说发表时，美国参议院对一项金融业监管改革方案的谈判正在进入关键阶段。民主共和两党经过唇枪舌剑之后，目前表示已经接近于达成一个共同方案，其中奥巴马方案的框架将得以保留。奥巴马与民主党所掌控的国会，极有可能通过自从1930年代经济大萧条以来，美国最重要的金融改革法案。奥巴马在华尔街所在地纽约发表演说，目的是希望提高政治压力，让方案得到通过。
不过，业界并不看好这些措施能够真正起到限制金融冒险的效果，更多人认为这是民主党为了赢回支持率的一张政治牌。这些人认为这项新规缺乏细节，也可能造成国际金融监管的混乱。在金融全球化深入发展的今天，各国金融体系已高度互联。但金融监管改革既没有统一的标准，也缺乏强有力的执行机构，仍处于各自为政的状态，美国的举措会使国际协调更加难以实施。
警告华尔街不要干扰金融改革
奥巴马在纽约对华尔街金融部门主管讲话时，把美国经济比做“建在流沙上的房子”。他要求美国金融业支持金融改革。奥巴马形容金融改革对避免经济再次崩溃至关重要。奥巴马在讲话中直接针对金融业和该行业内部持怀疑态度的人以及国会中的共和党批评人士提出上述要求，并警告说美国经济存在再次崩溃的危险。
（本段文字来源：中国经济网）
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