Consider this one:

考慮一下這個。

If taxes on the rich go up, job creation will go down.

如果富人的稅收增加，創造的就業機會就會減少。

This idea is an article of faith for Republicans and seldom challenged by Democrats

這種想法是共和黨人的信仰文章，很少受到民主黨人的質疑。

and has indeed shaped much of the economic landscape.

並確實塑造了很多經濟格局。

But sometimes the ideas that we are certain are true

但有時我們確信的想法是真實的。

are dead wrong.

都是大錯特錯。

Consider that for thousands of years, humans believed that the Earth

想想看，幾千年來，人類一直認為地球

was the center of the Universe.

是宇宙的中心。

It's not. And an astronomer who still believes that it was

它'不是。而一個天文學家仍然相信這是

would do some pretty terrible astronomy.

會做一些非常可怕的天文學。

Likewise, a policy maker who believes

同樣，一個政策制定者如果認為

that the rich are job creators and therefore should not be taxed

富人是就業的創造者，是以不應該被徵稅。

will do equally terrible policy.

會做同樣可怕的政策。

I have started and helped start dozens of companies

我已經創辦和幫助創辦了幾十家公司。

and initially hired lots of people,

並最初僱用了很多人。

but if there was no-one around who could afford to buy what we have to sell,

但如果周圍沒有人買得起我們要賣的東西。

all those companies and all those jobs would have evaporated.

所有的公司和所有的工作機會都會蒸發掉。

That's why I can say with confidence that rich people don't create jobs.

這就是為什麼我可以自信地說，有錢人不創造就業機會。

Nor do businesses, large or small.

大大小小的企業也不例外。

Jobs are a consequence

工作是一個結果

of a circle of lifelike feedback loop between customers and businesses.

的客戶和企業之間的一圈生活化反饋圈。

And only consumers can set in motion this virtual cycle of increasing demand and

而只有消費者才能啟動這種需求增加的虛擬循環。

hiring.

僱用。

In this sense, an ordinary consumer is more of a job creator than a capitalist like

從這個意義上說，一個普通消費者比資本家這樣的人更能創造就業機會。

me.

我。

That's why, when business people take credit for creating jobs,

這就是為什麼，當企業人員把創造就業的功勞。

it's a little bit like squirrels taking credit for creating evolution.

它'有點像松鼠把創造進化論的功勞。

It's actually the other way round.

其實是反過來的。

Anyone who's ever run a business knows

任何一個曾經經營過企業的人都會知道。

that hiring more people is a course of last resort for capitalists.

僱傭更多的人是資本家的最後手段。

This is what we do if, and only if rising consumer demand requires it.

這就是我們要做的，如果，也只有在消費者需求上升的情況下才會這樣做。

And in this sense, calling ourselves job creators isn't just inaccurate: it's disingenuous.

而從這個意義上說，稱自己為就業創造者不僅是不準確的：它'是虛偽的。

That's why our existing policies are so upside down.

這也是為什麼我們現有的政策如此顛倒的原因。

When the biggest tax exemptions and the lowest tax rates benefit the richest,

當最大的免稅額和最低的稅率使最富有的人受益。

all in the name of job creation,

都是以創造就業機會的名義。

all that happens is that the rich get richer.

所有發生的事情是，富人變得更富有。

Since 1980, the share of income for the top 1% of Americans has more than tripled,

自1980年以來，美國前1%的人的收入份額增加了兩倍多。

while our effective tax rates have gone down by fifty percent.

而我們的實際稅率卻下降了百分之五十。

If it was true that lower taxes for the rich and

如果真的給富人降稅，而且。

more wealth for the wealthy led to job creation,

富人擁有更多的財富，導致了就業機會的創造。

today, we would be drowning in jobs. (Laughter) (Applause) Thank you.

今天，我們會被淹沒在工作中。(笑聲)(掌聲)謝謝。

And yet, unemployment and underemployment is at record highs.

然而，失業率和就業不足率卻屢創新高。

Another reason that this idea is so wrong-headed

這個想法如此錯誤的另一個原因是......。

is that there can never be enough super rich people to power a great economy.

是永遠也不可能有足夠的超級富豪來推動一個偉大的經濟體。

Somebody like me makes 100s, or 1000s of times as much as the median American.

像我這樣的人賺的錢是美國中產階級的100倍，或者1000倍。

But I don't buy 100s or 1000s of times as much stuff.

但我不買100倍或1000倍的東西。

My family owns three cars, not 3000.

我家有三輛車，不是3000。

I buy a few pairs of pants and shirts a year like most American men,

我和大多數美國男人一樣，每年都會買幾條褲子和襯衫。

occasionally, we go out to eat with friends.

偶爾，我們會和朋友出去吃飯。

I can't buy enough of anything to make up for the fact

我不能買足夠的東西來彌補這個事實

that millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans

數以百萬計的失業和就業不足的美國人。

can't buy any new cars, any clothes, or enjoy any meals out.

不能買任何新車，不能買任何衣服，也不能在外面享受任何飯菜。

Nor can I make up for the falling consumption of the vast majority of middle-class families

我也無法彌補絕大多數中產階級家庭消費下降的問題。

that are barely squeaking by, hurried by spiraling costs,

勉強過關的，被螺旋式上升的成本趕著走。

and trapped by stagnant or declining wages.

並受困於工資停滯或下降。

Here's an incredible fact:

這裡'是一個不可思議的事實。

If the typical American family still retained the same share of income that they did in

如果典型的美國家庭仍然保留著與他們在2007年時相同的收入份額。

1970,

1970,

they'd earn like 45,000 dollars more a year.

他們'會賺像45,000美元一年多。

Imagine what our economy would be like if that were the case.

想象一下，如果是這樣的話，我們的經濟會是什麼樣子。

Significant privileges have come to people like me,

像我這樣的人已經有了重大的特權。

capitalists, for being perceived as job creators at the center of the economic universe,

資本家，因為被認為是經濟宇宙中心的就業創造者。

and the language and metaphors we use

以及我們使用的語言和比喻

to defend the current economic and social arrangements is telling.

捍衛目前的經濟和社會安排，這很能說明問題。

It's a small jump from "job creator" to "the creator". (Laughter) (Applause)

這'是從"工作創造者"到"創造者"的一個小小的跳躍。笑聲）（掌聲）。

This language obviously wasn't chosen by accident,

這種語言顯然不是偶然選擇的。

and it's only honest to admit that when somebody like me calls themselves a "job creator",

和它'只有誠實地承認，當有人像我一樣稱自己是一個"就業創造者"。

we're not just describing how the economy works,

我們'不只是在描述經濟如何運作。

but more particularly, we're making a claim on status and privileges that we deserve.

但更特別的是，我們'正在對我們應得的地位和特權提出要求。

Speaking of special privileges,

說到特權。

the extraordinary differential between the 15% tax rate that capitalists pay

資本家所繳納的15%的稅率之間的巨大差異。

on carried interest, dividends, and capital gains,

對結轉利息、股息和資本收益的影響。

and the 35% top marginal rate on work that ordinary Americans pay

和普通美國人支付的35%的最高邊際工作費率。

is kind of hard to justify without a touch of deification.

是一種很難證明沒有一點神化。

We've had it backwards for the last 30 years.

在過去的30年裡，我們一直在倒退。

Rich people like me don't create jobs.

像我這樣的有錢人不會創造就業機會。

Jobs are a consequence of an eco-systemic feedback loop between customers and businesses.

就業是客戶和企業之間生態系統反饋循環的結果。

And when the middle class thrives, businesses grow and hire, and owners profit.

而當中產階級興旺時，企業就會發展，僱傭，業主就會獲利。

That's why taxing the rich to pay for investments that benefit all

這就是為什麼向富人徵稅，以支付有利於所有人的投資。

is such a fantastic deal for the middle class and the rich.

對於中產階級和富人來說，是如此美妙的交易。

So, ladies and gentlemen, here's an idea worth spreading:

所以，女士們、先生們，這裡有一個值得傳播的想法。

In a capitalist economy, the true job creators are middle class consumers

在資本主義經濟中，真正的就業創造者是中產階級消費者

and taxing the rich to make investments to make the middle class grow and thrive

並向富人徵稅，進行投資，使中產階級發展壯大。

is the single shrewdest thing we can do

是我們能做的最精明的事情了

for the middle class, for the poor, and for the rich.

為中產階級，為窮人，為富人。

Thank you.

謝謝你了

(Applause)

(掌聲)