TED演讲:不存在'不投票'这种事(8)

 Imagine where this country would be if all the folks who in 2010 created the Tea Party had decided¹ that, 想象一下这个国家将会怎样，如果所有2010年创建茶党的人

you know, politics is too messy, voting is too complicated.  认为政治太肮脏，投票太复杂。

There is no possibility of our votes adding up to anything. 我们的投票永远没有机会贡献任何事。

They didn't preemptively silence themselves.  但他们没有沉默。

They showed up, and in the course of showing up, they changed American politics.  他们表达了自己，在表达自我的过程中，他们改变了美国的政治。

Imagine if all of the followers² of Donald Trump³ and Bernie Sanders had decided not to upend the political status quo 想象一下如果特朗普和桑德斯的所有拥护者决定不去碰触政治现状，

and blow apart the frame of the previously⁴ possible in American politics. They did that by voting. 而是保持原先的美国政治结构会怎样。但他们却通过投票迈出了改变的步伐。

We live in a time right now, divided, often very dark, where across the left and the right, 我们所生活的时代出现了严重的分裂，时常黑暗无比，不论左派右派，

there's a lot of talk of revolution and the need for revolution to disrupt everyday democracy. 都想变革，都有打破常规民主的革命需求。

Well, here's the thing: everyday democracy already gives us a playbook for revolution. 而关键就在于：民主环境已经给了我们革命的脚本。

In the 2012 presidential election, young voters, Latino voters, Asian-American voters, low-income voters, all showed up at less than 50 percent. 在2012年总统选举中，年轻人，拉丁选民，亚裔人，低收入群体，投票率都低于50%。2

In the 2014 midterm elections, turnout was 36 percent, which was a 70-year low.  2014年中期选举是36%，70年来最低。

And in your average local election, turnout hovers⁵ somewhere around 20 percent. 地方选举的平均投票率只有20%左右。

I invite you to imagine 100 percent. Picture 100 percent. Mobilize 100 percent, and overnight, we get revolution. 我想请你们想象一下100%。100%的投票率会是何种景象。100%全体动员，一夜之间，我们就会爆发革命。

Overnight, the policy priorities of this country change dramatically,  一夜之间，国家的政治优先权就会剧烈反转，

and every level of government becomes radically⁶ more responsive to all the people.  所有级别的政府会更积极回应民众的呼声。

What would it take to mobilize 100 percent? 怎样来全动员100%的人呢？

Well, we do have to push back against efforts afoot all across the country right now to make voting harder. 我们正在为此在全国范围内努力，让投票更有力。

But at the same time, we have to actively⁷ create a positive culture of voting that people want to belong to,  同时，要积极创立正面的选举文化，人民乐于追随的文化，

be part of, and experience together. We have to make purpose. We have to make joy. 置身其中，共同经历。要把选举变得有意义，更快乐。

So yes, let's have that revolution, a revolution of spirit, of ideas, of policy and participation,  对，我们现在一起发动革命，精神，观念，政策和参与的革命，

a revolution against cynicism, a revolution against the self-fulfilling sense of powerlessness.  抛弃玩世不恭，抛弃自我无力感。

Let's vote this revolution into existence, and while we're at it, let's have some fun. Thank you very much. 让我们通过选举来实现革命，我们正在路上，让我们享受这个过程。谢谢。

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 hovers   

鸟( hover的第三人称单数 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• A hawk hovers in the sky. 一只老鹰在天空盘旋。
• A hen hovers her chicks. 一只母鸡在孵小鸡。

6 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

7 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。