And the way that we're going to uncover this vestigial organ of America past

我想來告訴大家一段美國歷史

is by asking this question: Why?

因為太不為人知了

As we all know ...

所以從來沒人研究過它

(Laughter)

就這樣過了167年

we're in the middle of yet another presidential election, hotly contested, as you can see.

直到現在

But what you may not know is that American voter turnout ranks near the bottom of all countries in the entire world, 138th of 172 nations.

而我們用來揭秘這段美國歷史的方法

This is the world's most famous democracy.

就是問：為什麼？

So!

我們都知道

Why do we vote on Tuesday?

（笑聲）

Does anybody know?

現在又一屆的總統選舉正如火如荼

And as a matter of fact, Michigan and Arizona are voting today.

如各位所見，煙硝味很重

Here's the answer:

但大家可能不知道，美國的投票率

Absolutely no good reason whatsoever.

在世界排名上是墊底的

I'm not joking.

172國裡排第138

You will not find the answer in the Declaration of Independence, nor will you find it in the Constitution.

這可是世界第一的民主國家耶

It is just a stupid law from 1845.

所以

(Laughter)

到底我們為什麼訂週二為投票日？

In 1845, Americans traveled by horse and buggy.

有人知道嗎？

As did I, evidently.

其實密西根和亞利桑那州是今天投票

It took a day or longer to get to the county seat to vote, a day to get back, and you couldn't travel on the sabbath.

答案是：

So, Tuesday it was.

沒有為什麼

I do not often travel by horse and buggy, I would imagine most of you don't either, so when I found out about this, I was fascinated.

我可不是在說笑

I linked up with a group called -- what else? -- "Why Tuesday?" to go and ask some of our nation's most prominent elected leaders if they knew the answer to the question, "Why do we vote on Tuesday?"

你們找不到答案的

(Video) Rick Santorum: Anybody know?

獨立宣言裡沒提

OK, I'm going to be stumped on this. Anybody know why we vote on Tuesdays?

憲法裡也沒說

Do you happen to know?

這一切只因1845年的一則笨條文

On Tuesdays?

（笑聲）

The day after the first Monday in November.

1845年時，美國人交通都靠馬車

I don't know how that originated.

所以很顯然

Do you happen to know why we do vote on Tuesday?

去趟省城投票往往得花個一、二天

No.

而且安息日（週日）又不能遠遊

No, I don't.

所以就訂週二投票囉

No.

我不常駕馬車出遊

No.

我想你們多半也不常吧

In truth really, I'm not sure why.

所以當我發現這個解釋時，我覺得很妙

Okay thanks very much!

於是組了個叫「為何是週二」的團體

These are people that live for election day, yet they don't know why we vote on that very day.

去尋訪一些國內頗有名望的政治人物

Chris Rock said:

看他們知不知道這個問題的答案：

"They don't want you to vote. If they did, we wouldn't vote on a Tuesday in November.

「為什麼訂週二為投票日？」

"Have you ever thrown a party on a Tuesday?　No, of course not. Nobody would show up."

（影片）Rick Santorum: 有人知道嗎？

(Laughter)

好吧，儘管很冒昧：有人知道我們為何選在週二投票嗎？

Here's the cool part.

您知道嗎？

Because we asked this question, "Why Tuesday?" there is now this bill, the Weekend Voting Act, in the Congress of the United States of America.

Ron Paul：週二嗎？

It would move election day from Tuesday to the weekend ...

11月的第一個週二

So that -- duh -- more people can vote.

我不清楚起源是什麼

(Applause)

您知道我們為何選在週二投票嗎？

It has only taken 167 years, but finally we are on the verge of changing American history.

Newt Gingrich: 不知道

Thank you very much.

Dick Lugar: 不清楚

(Applause)

Dianne Feinstein: 不知道

Thanks a lot.

Darrell Issa: 不知道