Re：選舉人團制度的麻煩——城市、都會區、選舉與美國：英語精讀講義

Hello Internet.

你好，網際網路。

Let's talk about this map,

我們來談談這張地圖，

this argument,

這個論點，

and the Electoral College in general.

以及普遍意義上的選舉人團制度。

In my Trouble with the Electoral College video from 2011,

在我2011年關於《選舉人團的麻煩》的影片中，

I was wrong to use the city limits for that part of the argument 文法

我在那部分論述中使用城市邊界是錯誤的，

rather than the more expansive metro area.

而不是使用更廣闊的大都會區。

The lawyerish nerd inside of me still wants to argue 慣用語

我內心那種如同律師般的書呆子氣仍然想爭辯說

technically correct on that one. 用詞

在這一點上這在技術上是正確的。

I used the city boundaries

我使用了城市邊界

because the metro areas are often vague and absurdly large.

因為大都會區通常很模糊而且大得離譜。

The New York metro area is 6,700 plus square miles

紐約大都會區面積超過6700平方英里

over four states.

跨越四個州。

And from where I partly grew up, 片語動詞

在我長大的部分地區，

it seemed that a lot of that area

似乎那裡很大一部分區域

had nothing to do with New York City proper. 講解

與真正的紐約市毫無關係。

So at the time,

所以在當時，

I disregarded the metro boundaries.

我忽略了大都會區的邊界。

But using the strict city boundaries

但使用嚴格的城市邊界

in that video was the wrong decision

在那支影片中是一個錯誤的決定，

in retrospect. 片語搭配

現在回想起來。

In addition to being a bad argument to make, 文法

除了這是一個站不住腳的論點之外，

it also doesn't address the concerns 片語搭配

它也沒有解決這張地圖

this map expresses.

所表達的擔憂。

And this is correct.

事實確實如此。

Half the population does live in the gray counties. 文法

有一半的人口確實居住在灰色郡中。

And more than that, 表達脈絡

不僅如此，

the map gets at a fundamental division 片語動詞

這張地圖觸及了一個根本的分歧，

in the United States and other countries

在美國和其他國家

that leads partly to the politics we see.

部分導致了我們所看到的政治格局。

The difference between the rural and the urban.

那就是農村和城市之間的差異。

If trends continue, 文法

如果這種趨勢繼續下去，

a higher and higher percentage of the country 文法

國家裡越來越高比例的人口

will live in urban areas.

將居住在城市地區。

In another eight or 16 years,

在未來的8到16年內，

this map will be even more extreme.

這張地圖將會變得更加極端。

The metro areas even denser.

大都會區會更加密集。

Which if you're in favor of the Electoral College, 片語搭配

如果你支持選舉人團制度，

will seem like even more of a reason

這似乎會成為更多

to keep it.

保留它的理由。

Now this is where we must discuss the idea 表達脈絡

現在我們必須討論這個觀點，

that the Electoral College ensures the president

即選舉人團制度能確保總統

is elected by the states.

是由各州選舉產生的。

It doesn't.

其實並沒有。

A candidate can win the Electoral College

一個候選人可以贏得選舉人團的選票，

with just the 11 biggest states.

僅僅憑藉最大的11個州。

This collection may seem unlikely, 表達脈絡

這種組合看起來似乎不太可能，

but as urbanization and the politics it creates continues,

但隨著都市化及其所帶來的政治影響不斷加深，

it becomes increasingly likely.

這變得越來越可能。

The Electoral College doesn't ensure the president

選舉人團制度並不能確保總統

wins with a lot of states

能贏得許多州

or even geographically diverse states.

或者地理上多樣化的州的選票。

Now should the president represent the people 文法

至於總統應該代表人民

or should the president represent the states

還是應該代表各州，

is a question without an answer.

這是一個沒有標準答案的問題。

This is about preference in style of governance.

這關乎治理風格的偏好。

One moves power up to the federal level 慣用語

一種是將權力上移至聯邦層面，

and the other moves power down to the states.

另一種是將權力下放至各州。

And given the vastness of the country

考慮到國家幅員遼闊

and the difference in her geographies,

以及其地理環境的差異，

it's reasonable to believe that states with greater power

有理由相信賦予各州更大的權力

is the better,

是更好的、

less divisive solution to the problem of governance.

更能減少分歧的治理方案。

But the Electoral College does nothing to help that.

但選舉人團制度對此毫無幫助。

It happens to be that recent wins

碰巧最近的勝利

have been geographically spread,

在地理分布上比較廣泛，

but the Electoral College doesn't ensure that outcome.

但選舉人團制度並不能確保這一結果。

Cram everyone into California 表達脈絡

把所有人都塞進加州，

leaving one person in each state

每個州只留一個人，

and the Electoral College says California alone, 慣用語

那麼選舉人團制度就會說，單憑加州，

she decides.

它就能決定勝負。

We could have a system where the president

我們可以建立一個系統，在這個系統中總統

must win a majority of the states,

必須贏得大多數州的支持，

which is what some think the Electoral College is, 文法

有些人認為選舉人團制度就是這樣，

but it isn't.

但事實並非如此。

The election only happens to make it look that way. 文法

選舉只是一不小心讓它看起來是這樣而已。

The protection of the Electoral College is only an illusion.

選舉人團制度的保護只是一種錯覺。

Even if you still like the Electoral College though, 文法

即使你仍然喜歡選舉人團制度，

it doesn't actually protect the small states.

它實際上並沒有保護小州。

The Electoral College

選舉人團制度

still comes with the most bitter of anti-republic pills. 慣用語

仍然伴隨著最苦澀的反共和藥丸。

For even if you win the election in November,

因為即使你在11月的選舉中獲勝，

your victory can be taken away from you in December. 片語動詞

你的勝利在12月依然可能被剝奪。

The Electoral College votes your state gets 文化背景

你的州獲得的選舉人團選票

aren't really votes,

並不是真正的選票，

but are individual members of the political parties

而是政黨中個別成員，

who perform the real vote for president in December.

他們在12月進行真正的總統投票。

No citizen voted for these electors

沒有公民投票選出這些選舉人

to cast a vote on their behalf. 片語搭配

來代表他們投票。

And many of the electors

而且許多選舉人

are free to vote for whoever they want. 文法

可以自由地把票投給他們想投的任何人。

Their election in December

他們在12月的選舉

is the real election.

才是真正的選舉。

The Electoral College was designed to be able to override the will of the people 講解

選舉人團制度的設計使其能夠違背人民的意願

or its own election process

或其自身的選舉過程，

anytime enough of a small number of unknown,

只要少數不知名的、

unelected political party insiders

未經選舉的政黨內部人士

don't like the result they got.

不喜歡他們得到的結果。

If you're in favor of the Electoral College,

如果你支持選舉人團制度，

you have to accept that by its own rules,

你就必須接受它自身的規則：

it can take away your victory

它可以奪走你的勝利，

under the guise of protecting you from yourself. 片語搭配

打著保護你免受自身傷害的幌子。

This has never happened in American history,

這在美國歷史上從未發生過，

nor should it. 文法

也不應該發生。

But it is crazy to leave in place 片語搭配

但保留這樣一個系統實在是太瘋狂了，

for future elections a system

對於未來的選舉而言，這個系統

that benefits no citizens and protects no states.

既不使公民受益，也不保護各州。

It's time to get rid of the Electoral College 講解

是時候廢除選舉人團制度了，

and have a real discussion about

並開展一場真正的討論，關於

what a modern government and election system 文法

現代政府和選舉系統

should look like.

應該是什麼樣子的。