第一节 背景介绍
1993年，克林顿在上任美国总统后便想按照自由派理想来改造社会，他颁布新条例开始增税，又相继开展政府的各种计划，试图改造美国医疗健康保险制度，又曾一度想让同性恋在军队中公开化，结果引起了强烈的反对。
克林顿颁布奢侈税的原意是要向富人增税，结果却与预想的相反，不但伤害了中产阶级销售员的收入，还导致了皮草、游艇等高价商品的销售量下跌。最严重的就是改革医疗健保制度的尝试，改革这个制度的初衷就是为了能让全民享受到健康保险和医疗服务，虽然立意崇高，但却是一个非常难以达到的目标。
然而，从世界上其他国家和地区改革医疗健保制度的结果可以看出，它的可行性的确有很多争议的地方。例如，加拿大采用全民健保制度强调价格控制，结果导致国内医疗界几乎没有再研发出新的药品。在加拿大无法取得先进的医疗科技，有能力负担病症开支的加拿大人必须要去美国才能寻求到更好的医疗服务。
克林顿当时委派了自己的妻子希拉里负责领导一个委员会确保健保改革的进行，当时掌握国会参众两院和白宫的民主党，在理论上有机会通过自己的意愿来通过这条法案。然而希拉里领导的委员会并没有征求外部的意见，包括民主党内人士。这条闭门造车般研究出来的改革法案牵扯到众多阶级的利益关系，最后委员会做出的决定连民主党派的议员都不赞成。不但整个计划法案失败，其所带来的影响还导致了民主党在1994年选举中遭受惨败，使得国会参众两院的控制权落入他手，共和党纽特·金里奇成为了众议院长。
此后，克林顿聘请了共和党谋士戴维·葛根作为顾问，决定回到中间路线，同时还聘用了共和党选举策师迪克·莫里斯。莫里斯为克林顿政府制定了一个“三角策略”，让白宫处于国会、民主党和共和党之间，与两个党派保持相等的距离。事实证明，这个策略的确有效。1996年总统大选来临，克林顿的名声逐渐在中间派恢复起来，经济也开始恢复增长，美国国民对克林顿政府的信任与支持，使克林顿在谋取连任的道路上一直处于优势。
在共和党方面，堪萨斯州老牌参议员鲍勃·多尔获得了提名。然后他与克林顿年龄上的差距导致自己处于劣势，而且他并不能提出一个让选民觉得有吸引力的话题。多尔匆忙之间提出了一个“17%齐头税率”的整治方案，结果令选民觉得这条仓促之中做出的议题缺少认真的论证，因而持怀疑的态度。多尔眼看到形式对自己并不乐观，决定破釜沉舟做最后的努力，辞去了参议员和参议院多数党领袖的职位。这个决定短时间内鼓舞了共和党的士气，然而最终却没有取得胜利。在1996年11月5日的总统选举中，克林顿以370：168的选举人票数赢得连任，并在1997年1月20日宣誓连任。
克林顿能够连任总统原因在于他给美国带来了重大的变化，因此大部分美国国民对克林顿政府表示满意。有将近25%的人认为克林顿任内最大的政绩就是使美国的经济达到了空前的繁荣，这是克林顿政府的一大亮点，还有13%的人认可他的外交政策，10%的人认可他在降低国内债务以及降低犯罪率所做的努力。在他的任期内美国的失业率降到了30年来最低，国民收入增加，实现了20世纪60年代以来的最低通货膨胀，给社会带来了2200万个就业机会，美国的国际竞争力也有所上升。此外，在1993年到2000年之间，全美暴力犯罪率下降了27%。这一切的努力奠定了克林顿本人的历史地位。
第二节 克林顿1997年第二次就职演说
January 20， 1997
My fellow citizens：
At this last presidential inauguration of the 20th century， let us lift our eyes toward the challenges that await us in the next century. It is our great good fortune that time and chance have put us not only at the edge of a new century， in a new millennium， but on the edge of a bright new prospect in human affairs， a moment that will define our course， and our character， for decades to come. We must keep our old democracy forever young. Guided by the ancient vision of a promised land， let us set our sights upon a land of new promise.
The promise of America was born in the 18th century out of the bold conviction that we are all created equal. It was extended and preserved in the 19th century， when our nation spread across the continent， saved the union， and abolished the awful scourge of slavery.Then， in turmoil and triumph， that promise exploded onto the world stage to make this the American Century.
And what a century it has been. America became the world's mightiest industrial power； saved the world from tyranny in two world wars and a long cold war； and time and again， reached out across the globe to millions who， like us， longed for the blessings of liberty.
Along the way， Americans produced a great middle class and security in old age； built unrivaled centers of learning and opened public schools to all； split the atom and explored the heavens； invented the computer and the microchip； and deepened the wellspring of justice by ****** a revolution in civil rights for African Americans and all minorities， and extending the circle of citizenship， opportunity and dignity to women.
Now， for the third time， a new century is upon us， and another time to choose. We began the 19th century with a choice， to spread our nation from coast to coast. We began the 20th century with a choice， to harness the Industrial Revolution to our values of free enterprise， conservation， and human decency. Those choices made all the difference.
At the dawn of the 21st century a free people must now choose to shape the forces of the Information Age and the global society， to unleash the limitless potential of all our people， and， yes， to form a more perfect union.
When last we gathered，our march to this new future seemed less certain than it does today.We vowed then to set a clear course to renew our nation.
In these four years， we have been touched by tragedy， exhilarated by challenge， strengthened by achievement. America stands alone as the world's indispensable nation. Once again， our economy is the strongest on Earth. Once again， we are building stronger families， thriving communities， better educational opportunities， a cleaner environment. Problems that once seemed destined to deepen now bend to our efforts： our streets are safer and record numbers of our fellow citizens have moved from welfare to work.
And once again， we have resolved for our time a great debate over the role of government. Today we can declare： Government is not the problem， and government is not the solution. We—the American people， we are the solution. Our founders understood that well and gave us a democracy strong enough to endure for centuries， flexible enough to face our common challenges and advance our common dreams in each new day.
As times change， so government must change. We need a new government for a new century—humble enough not to try to solve all our problems for us， but strong enough to give us the tools to solve our problems for ourselves； a government that is smaller， lives within its means， and does more with less. Yet where it can stand up for our values and interests in the world， and where it can give Americans the power to make a real difference in their everyday lives， government should do more， not less. The preeminent mission of our new government is to give all Americans an opportunity，—not a guarantee， but a real opportunity to build better lives.
Beyond that， my fellow citizens， the future is up to us. Our founders taught us that the preservation of our liberty and our union depends upon responsible citizenship. And we need a new sense of responsibility for a new century. There is work to do， work that government alone cannot do： teaching children to read； hiring people off welfare rolls； coming out from behind locked doors and shuttered windows to help reclaim our streets from drugs and gangs and crime； taking time out of our own lives to serve others.
Each and every one of us， in our own way， must assume personal responsibility， not only for ourselves and our families， but for our neighbors and our nation. Our greatest responsibility is to embrace a new spirit of community for a new century. For any one of us to succeed， we must succeed as one America.
The challenge of our past remains the challenge of our future， will we be one nation， one people， with one common destiny， or not？ Will we all come together， or come apart？
The divide of race has been America's constant curse. And each new wave of immigrants gives new targets to old prejudices. Prejudice and contempt， cloaked in the pretense of religious or political conviction are no different. These forces have nearly destroyed our nation in the past. They plague us still. They fuel the fanaticism of terror. And they torment the lives of millions in fractured nations all around the world.
We shall overcome them. And we shall replace them with the generous spirit of a people who feel at home with one another.
Our rich texture of racial， religious and political diversity will be a Godsend in the 21st century. Great rewards will come to those who can live together， learn together， work together， forge new ties that bind together.
As this new era approaches we can already see its broad outlines. Ten years ago， the Internet was the mystical province of physicists； today， it is a commonplace encyclopedia for millions of schoolchildren. Scientists now are decoding the blueprint of human life. Cures for our most feared illnesses seem close at hand.
The world is no longer divided into two hostile camps. Instead， now we are building bonds with nations that once were our adversaries. Growing connections of commerce and culture give us a chance to lift the fortunes and spirits of people the world over. And for the very first time in all of history， more people on this planet live under democracy than dictatorship.
My fellow Americans， as we look back at this remarkable century， we may ask， can we hope not just to follow， but even to surpass the achievements of the 20th century in America and to avoid the awful bloodshed that stained its legacy？ To that question， every American here and every American in our land today must answer a resounding "Yes."
This is the heart of our task. With a new vision of government， a new sense of responsibility， a new spirit of community， we will sustain America's journey. The promise we sought in a new land we will find again in a land of new promise.
In this new land， education will be every citizen's most prized possession. Our schools will have the highest standards in the world， igniting the spark of possibility in the eyes of every girl and every boy. And the doors of higher education will be open to all. The knowledge and power of the Information Age will be within reach not just of the few， but of every classroom， every library， every child. Parents and children will have time not only to work， but to read and play together. And the plans they make at their kitchen table will be those of a better home， a better job， the certain chance to go to college.
Our streets will echo again with the laughter of our children， because no one will try to shoot them or sell them drugs anymore. Everyone who can work， will work， with today's permanent under class part of tomorrow's growing middle class. New miracles of medicine at last will reach not only those who can claim care now， but the children and hardworking families too long denied.
We will stand mighty for peace and *******， and maintain a strong defense against terror and destruction. Our children will sleep free from the threat of nuclear， chemical or biological weapons. Ports and airports， farms and factories will thrive with trade and innovation and ideas. And the world's greatest democracy will lead a whole world of democracies.
Our land of new promise will be a nation that meets its obligations， a nation that balances its budget， but never loses the balance of its values. A nation where our grandparents have secure retirement and health care， and their grandchildren know we have made the reforms necessary to sustain those benefits for their time. A nation that fortifies the world's most productive economy even as it protects the great natural bounty of our water， air， and majestic land.
And in this land of new promise， we will have reformed our politics so that the voice of the people will always speak louder than the din of narrow interests， regaining the participation and deserving the trust of all Americans.
Fellow citizens， let us build that America， a nation ever moving forward toward realizing the full potential of all its citizens. Prosperity and power， yes， they are important， and we must maintain them. But let us never forget： The greatest progress we have made， and the greatest progress we have yet to make， is in the human heart. In the end， all the world's wealth and a thousand armies are no match for the strength and decency of the human spirit.
Thirty-four years ago， the man whose life we celebrate today spoke to us down there， at the other end of this Mall， in words that moved the conscience of a nation. Like a prophet of old， he told of his dream that one day America would rise up and treat all its citizens as equals before the law and in the heart. Martin Luther King's dream was the American Dream. His quest is our quest： the ceaseless striving to live out our true creed. Our history has been built on such dreams and labors. And by our dreams and labors we will redeem the promise of America in the 21st century.
Fellow citizens， we must not waste the precious gift of this time. For all of us are on that same journey of our lives， and our journey， too， will come to an end. But the journey of our America must go on.
And so， my fellow Americans， we must be strong， for there is much to dare. The demands of our time are great and they are different. Let us meet them with faith and courage， with patience and a grateful and happy heart. Let us shape the hope of this day into the noblest chapter in our history. Yes， let us build our bridge. A bridge wide enough and strong enough for every American to cross over to a blessed land of new promise.
May those generations whose faces we cannot yet see， whose names we may never know， say of us here that we led our beloved land into a new century with the American Dream alive for all her children； with the American promise of a more perfect union a reality for all her people； with America's bright flame of ******* spreading throughout all the world.
From the height of this place and the summit of this century， let us go forth. May God strengthen our hands for the good work ahead， and always， always bless our America.
1997年1月20日
同胞们：
藉此20世纪最后一届总统就职演说之际，让我们拭目以待下一世纪我们将面临的挑战。所幸的是时间和机遇不仅将我们置身于一个新世纪的边缘，一个新的千年，而且将我们置身于人类事业一个崭新的、光辉的边缘，一个决定我们未来数十年方向和地位的时刻。我们必须使我们古老的民主永葆青春。在“希望之乡”这一古老憧憬的指引下，让我们着眼于新的“希望之乡”。