Alan Siegel: Let's simplify legal jargon!

58,088 views ใƒป 2010-03-24

TED


ืื ื ืœื—ืฅ ืคืขืžื™ื™ื ืขืœ ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืื ื’ืœื™ืช ืœืžื˜ื” ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ืคืขื™ืœ ืืช ื”ืกืจื˜ื•ืŸ.

ืžืชืจื’ื: Noya Glick ืžื‘ืงืจ: Ariella Cwikel
00:15
So, basically we have public leaders,
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ืื–, ื‘ืขื™ืงืจื•ืŸ, ื™ืฉ ืœื ื• ืžื ื”ื™ื’ื™ ืฆื™ื‘ื•ืจ,
00:18
public officials who are out of control;
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ืคืงื™ื“ื™ ืฆื™ื‘ื•ืจ ืฉื™ืฆืื• ืžืฉืœื™ื˜ื”.
00:21
they are writing bills that are unintelligible,
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ื”ื ื›ื•ืชื‘ื™ื ื”ืฆืขื•ืช ื—ื•ืง ื‘ืœืชื™ ืžื•ื‘ื ื•ืช ื‘ืขืœื™ืœ.
00:23
and out of these bills are going to come
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ื•ืžืชื•ืš ื”ืฆืขื•ืช ื—ื•ืง ืืœื• ื™ืฆืื•
00:25
maybe 40,000 pages of regulations, total complexity,
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ืื•ืœื™ 40,000 ืขืžื•ื“ื™ื ืฉืœ ืชืงื ื•ืช, ืกื™ื‘ื•ืš ืžื•ื—ืœื˜
00:30
which has a dramatically negative impact on our life.
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ืฉื™ืฉ ืœื” ื”ืฉืคืขื” ืฉืœื™ืœื™ืช ื“ืจืžื˜ื™ืช ืขืœ ื—ื™ื™ื ื•.
00:33
If you're a veteran coming back from Iraq or Vietnam
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ืื ืืชื” ื™ื•ืฆื ืฆื‘ื ืฉืฉืจืช ื‘ืขื™ืจืืง ืื• ื•ื™ื™ื˜ื ืื
00:37
you face a blizzard of paperwork to get your benefits;
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ืขืœื™ืš ืœื”ืชืžื•ื“ื“ ืžื•ืœ "ื™ื" ืฉืœ ื ื™ื™ืจืช ืขืœ ืžื ืช ืœืงื‘ืœ ืืช ื”ื”ื˜ื‘ื•ืช ืฉืœืš.
00:41
if you're trying to get a small business loan,
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ืื ืืชื” ืžื ืกื” ืœื”ืฉื™ื’ ื”ืœื•ื•ืื” ืงื˜ื ื” ืœืขืกืง,
00:43
you face a blizzard of paperwork.
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ืืชื” ื ื™ืฆื‘ ืžื•ืœ "ื™ื" ืฉืœ ื ื™ื™ืจืช.
00:45
What are we going to do about it? I define simplicity
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ืžื” ืื ื—ื ื• ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ืœืขืฉื•ืช ื‘ืงืฉืจ ืœื–ื”? ืื ื™ ืžื’ื“ื™ืจ ืคืฉื˜ื•ืช
00:47
as a means to achieving clarity,
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ื›ืืžืฆืขื™ ืœื”ืฉื’ืช ื‘ื”ื™ืจื•ืช,
00:50
transparency and empathy,
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ืฉืงื™ืคื•ืช ื•ืืžืคืชื™ื”,
00:52
building humanity into communications.
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ื”ืžื›ื ื™ืกื” ืื ื•ืฉื™ื•ืช ืœืชืงืฉื•ืจืช.
00:55
I've been simplifying things for 30 years.
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ืื ื™ ืžืคืฉื˜ ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ื‘ืจ 30 ืฉื ื”.
00:58
I come out of the advertising and design business.
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ืื ื™ ืžื’ื™ืข ืžืขืกืงื™ ื”ืคืจืกื•ื ื•ื”ืขื™ืฆื•ื‘.
01:01
My focus is understanding you people,
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ื”ืžื˜ืจื” ืฉืœื™ ื”ื™ื ืœื”ื‘ื™ืŸ ืืชื›ื ืื ืฉื™ื,
01:05
and how you interact with the government
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ื•ืื™ืš ืืชื ืžืชืงืฉืจื™ื ืขื ื”ืžืžืฉืœื”
01:07
to get your benefits,
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ื›ื“ื™ ืœืงื‘ืœ ืืช ื”ื–ื›ื•ื™ื•ืช ืฉืœื›ื,
01:09
how you interact with corporations to decide whom you're going to do business with,
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ื•ืื™ืš ืืชื ืžืชืงืฉืจื™ื ืขื ืชืื’ื™ื“ื™ื ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ื—ืœื™ื˜ ืขื ืžื™ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืขืกืงื™ื,
01:12
and how you view brands.
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ื•ืื™ืš ืืชื ืชื•ืคืกื™ื ืžื•ืชื’ื™ื.
01:15
So, very quickly, when President Obama said,
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ืื–, ื‘ืžื”ื™ืจื•ืช ืจื‘ื”, ื›ืฉื”ื ืฉื™ื ืื•ื‘ืืžื” ืืžืจ,
01:19
"I don't see why we can't
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"ืื ื™ ืœื ืจื•ืื” ืžื“ื•ืข ืœื ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ืœื ื•
01:21
have a one-page, plain English consumer credit agreement."
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ื”ืกื›ื ืืฉืจืื™ ืœืœืงื•ื—, ืฉืœ ืขืžื•ื“ ืื—ื“ ื•ื‘ืื ื’ืœื™ืช ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”".
01:25
So, I locked myself in a room,
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ืื–, ื ืขืœืชื™ ืืช ืขืฆืžื™ ื‘ื—ื“ืจ,
01:27
figured out the content,
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ื”ื‘ื ืชื™ ืืช ื”ืชื•ื›ืŸ,
01:30
organized the document, and wrote it in plain English.
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ืืจื’ื ืชื™ ืืช ื”ืžืกืžืš, ื•ื›ืชื‘ืชื™ ืื•ืชื• ื‘ืื ื’ืœื™ืช ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”.
01:33
I've had this checked by the two top
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ื‘ื“ืงื• ืื•ืชื• ืฉื ื™ ืขื•ืจื›ื™ ื”ื“ื™ืŸ
01:35
consumer credit lawyers in the country.
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ื‘ืชื—ื•ื ืืฉืจืื™ ืœืœืงื•ื— ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืžื“ื™ื ื”.
01:37
This is a real thing.
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ื–ื” ืืžื™ืชื™.
01:39
Now, I went one step further and said,
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ืขื›ืฉื™ื•, ื”ืœื›ืชื™ ืฆืขื“ ืื—ื“ ืงื“ื™ืžื” ื•ืืžืจืชื™,
01:42
"Why do we have to stick with the stodgy lawyers
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"ืœืžื” ืื ื—ื ื• ืฆืจื™ื›ื™ื ืœื“ื‘ื•ืง ื‘ืขื•ืจื›ื™ ื“ื™ืŸ ืžืฉืขืžืžื™ื
01:44
and just have a paper document? Let's go online."
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ื•ืœืงื‘ืœ ื‘ืกื•ืฃ ืจืง ืขื•ื“ ืžืกืžืš ื ื™ื™ืจ? ื‘ื•ืื• ื ืขืœื” ืื•ื ืœื™ื™ืŸ".
01:48
And many people
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ื•ืื ืฉื™ื ืžืกื•ื™ืžื™ื
01:50
might need help in computation.
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ื›ื ืจืื” ื™ืฆื˜ืจื›ื• ืขื–ืจื” ื‘ื—ื™ืฉื•ื‘.
01:52
Working with the Harvard Business School,
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ื›ืฉืขื•ื‘ื“ื™ื ืขื ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืกืคืจ ืœืขืกืงื™ื ืฉืœ ื”ืจื•ื•ืืจื“,
01:54
you'll see this example when you talk about minimum payment:
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ืืคืฉืจ ืœืจืื•ืช ืืช ื”ื“ื•ื’ืžื ื”ื–ืืช ื›ืฉืžื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืขืœ ืฉื›ืจ ืžื™ื ื™ืžื•ื.
01:58
If you spent 62 dollars for a meal,
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ืื ื”ื•ืฆืืช 62 ื“ื•ืœืจ ืขืœ ืืจื•ื—ื”,
02:01
the longer you take to pay out that loan,
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ื›ื›ืœ ืฉืœื•ืงื— ืœืš ื™ื•ืชืจ ื–ืžืŸ ืœื”ื—ื–ื™ืจ ืืช ื”ื”ืœื•ื•ืื” ื”ื–ื•,
02:04
you see, over a period of time using the minimum payment
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ืืชื” ืชืจืื”, ื‘ืžื”ืœืš ืชืงื•ืคืช ื–ืžืŸ ื‘ื” ืชืฉืชืžืฉ ื‘ืฉื›ืจ ื”ืžื™ื ื™ืžื•ื
02:06
it's 99 dollars and 17 cents.
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ืฉื–ื” 99 ื“ื•ืœืจ ื•-17 ืกื ื˜.
02:09
How about that? Do you think your bank is going to show that to people?
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ืžื” ืืชื ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืขืœ ื–ื”? ื ืจืื” ืœื›ื ืฉื”ื‘ื ืง ืฉืœื›ื ื™ืจืื” ืืช ื–ื” ืœืื ืฉื™ื?
02:12
But it's going to work. It's more effective
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ืื‘ืœ ื–ื” ื”ื•ืœืš ืœืขื‘ื•ื“. ื–ื” ื™ื•ืชืจ ื™ืขื™ืœ
02:14
than just computational aids.
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ืžืกืชื ืขื–ืจื™ ื—ื™ืฉื•ื‘.
02:16
And what about terms like
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ื•ืžื” ืœื’ื‘ื™ ืžื•ื ื—ื™ื ื›ืžื•
02:18
"over the limit"?
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"ื—ืจื™ื’ื” ืžื”ืžืกื’ืจืช"?
02:21
Perhaps a stealth thing.
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ืื•ืœื™ ืžืฉื”ื• ื—ืžืงืžืง.
02:23
Define it in context. Tell people what it means.
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ืชื’ื“ื™ืจ ืืช ื–ื” ื‘ื”ืงืฉืจ ื”ื ื›ื•ืŸ. ืชืกื‘ื™ืจ ืœืื ืฉื™ื ืžื” ื–ื” ืื•ืžืจ.
02:25
When you put it in plain English,
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ื›ืฉืืชื” ืฉื ืืช ื–ื” ื‘ืฉืคื” ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”
02:27
you almost force the institution
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ืืชื” ื›ืžืขื˜ ืžื›ืจื™ื— ืืช ื”ืืจื’ื•ืŸ
02:29
to give the people a way, a default out of that,
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ืœื”ืจืื•ืช ืœืื ืฉื™ื ื“ืจืš ืœืฆืืช ืžื–ื”
02:31
and not put themselves at risk.
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ื•ืœื ืœืกื›ืŸ ืืช ืขืฆืžื.
02:33
Plain English is about
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ืฉืคื” ืคืฉื•ื˜ื” ื”ื™ื ื‘ืขืฆื
02:36
changing the content.
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ืฉื™ื ื•ื™ ื”ืชื•ื›ืŸ.
02:38
And one of the things I'm most proud of
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ื•ืื—ื“ ื”ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื‘ื”ื ืื ื™ ื”ื›ื™ ื’ืื”
02:40
is this agreement for IBM.
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ื”ื•ื ื”ื”ืกื›ื ืฉืœ IBM.
02:42
It's a grid, it's a calendar.
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ื–ื” ืžืืจื’ ื–ืžืŸ, ื–ื” ืœื•ื— ื–ืžื ื™ื.
02:44
At such and such a date, IBM has responsibilities,
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ื‘ืชืืจื™ืš ื–ื” ื•ื–ื”, ืœIBM ื™ืฉ ืžื—ื•ื™ื‘ื•ื™ื•ืช,
02:46
you have responsibilities.
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ืœืš ื™ืฉ ืžื—ื•ื™ื‘ื•ื™ื•ืช.
02:48
Received very favorably by business.
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ื”ืชืงื‘ืœ ื‘ืื”ื“ื” ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ืขืกืงื™ื.
02:52
And there is some good news to report today.
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ื•ื™ืฉ ื’ื ืงืฆืช ื—ื“ืฉื•ืช ื˜ื•ื‘ื•ืช ืœืžืกื•ืจ ื”ื™ื•ื.
02:54
Each year, one in 10 taxpayers
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ื‘ื›ืœ ืฉื ื”, ืื—ื“ ืžืชื•ืš 10 ืžืฉืœืžื™ ืžืกื™ื
02:56
receives a notice from the IRS.
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ืžืงื‘ืœ ื”ื•ื“ืขื” ืžืžืก ื”ื›ื ืกื”.
02:58
There are 200 million letters that go out.
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ื™ืฉื ื 200 ืžืœื™ื•ืŸ ืžื›ืชื‘ื™ื ืฉื™ื•ืฆืื™ื.
03:01
Running through this typical letter that they had,
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ื›ืฉืขื•ื‘ืจื™ื ืขืœ ื”ืžื›ืชื‘ ื”ืื•ืคื™ื™ื ื™ ืฉืœื”ื,
03:04
I ran it through my simplicity lab,
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ื”ืจืฆืชื™ ืืช ื–ื” ื‘ืžืขื‘ื“ืช ื”ืคืฉื˜ื•ืช ืฉืœื™,
03:06
it's pretty unintelligible.
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ื–ื” ื“ื™ ืœื ืžื•ื‘ืŸ.
03:08
All the parts of the document in red are not intelligible.
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ื›ืœ ื”ื—ืœืงื™ื ื‘ืžืกืžืš ืฉืจืฉื•ืžื™ื ื‘ืื“ื•ื ืื™ื ื ืžื•ื‘ื ื™ื.
03:12
We looked at doing over 1,000 letters that cover
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ื”ืกืชื›ืœื ื• ืขืœ ื™ื•ืชืจ ืž-1000 ืžื›ืชื‘ื™ื ืฉืžื›ืกื™ื
03:14
70 percent of their transactions in plain English.
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70 ืื—ื•ื– ืžืคืขื•ืœื•ืช ืขืกืงื” ืฉืœ ืžืก ื”ื›ื ืกื” ื‘ืฉืคื” ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”.
03:17
They have been tested in the laboratory.
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ื”ื ื ื‘ื“ืงื• ื‘ืžืขื‘ื“ื”.
03:19
When I run it through my lab,
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ื›ืฉืื ื™ ืžืจื™ืฅ ืืช ื–ื” ื‘ืžืขื‘ื“ื” ืฉืœื™
03:21
this heat-mapping shows everything
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ืžืคืช ื”ื—ื•ื ื”ื–ื• ืžืจืื” ืฉื”ื›ืœ
03:23
is intelligible.
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ื‘ืœืชื™ ืžื•ื‘ืŸ.
03:25
And the IRS has introduced the program.
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ื•ืžืก ื”ื›ื ืกื” ื”ืชื—ื™ืœื• ืœื”ื˜ืžื™ืข ืืช ื”ืชื•ื›ื ื”.
03:27
(Applause)
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(ืžื—ื™ืื•ืช ื›ืคื™ื™ื)
03:32
There are a couple of things going on right now
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ืžืกืคืจ ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืžืชืจื—ืฉื™ื ืขื›ืฉื™ื•
03:35
that I want to bring to your attention.
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ืฉืื ื™ ืจื•ืฆื” ืœื”ื‘ื™ื ืœืชืฉื•ืžืช ืœื™ื‘ื›ื.
03:37
There is a lot of discussion now
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ื™ืฉ ื“ื™ื•ืŸ ืขืจ ืขื›ืฉื™ื•
03:39
about a consumer financial protection agency,
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ืœื’ื‘ื™ ืืจื’ื•ืŸ ื”ื’ื ื” ืคื™ื ื ืกื™ืช ืœืฆืจื›ืŸ,
03:41
how to mandate simplicity.
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ื•ืื™ืš ืœืชืช ืกืžื›ื•ืช ืœืคืฉื˜ื•ืช.
03:43
We see all this complexity.
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ืื ื• ืจื•ืื™ื ืืช ื›ืœ ื”ืกื™ื‘ื•ื›ื™ื•ืช ื”ื–ื•,
03:45
It's incumbent upon us,
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ื–ื” ืžื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืื•ืชื ื•
03:47
and this organization, I believe,
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ื‘ืืจื’ื•ืŸ ื–ื”, ืื ื™ ืžืืžื™ืŸ,
03:49
to make clarity, transparency
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ืœื”ืคื•ืš ื‘ื”ื™ืจื•ืช, ืฉืงื™ืคื•ืช
03:52
and empathy a national priority.
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ื•ื”ื–ื“ื”ื•ืช ืœื—ืฉื™ื‘ื•ืช ืœืื•ืžื™ืช.
03:55
There is no way that we should allow government
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ืื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื ืกื™ื‘ื” ืฉื ืจืฉื” ืœืžืžืฉืœื”
03:57
to communicate the way they communicate.
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ืœืชืงืฉืจ ื›ืคื™ ืฉื”ื™ื ืžืชืงืฉืจืช.
03:59
There is no way we should do business
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ืื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื ืกื™ื‘ื” ืฉื ืขืฉื” ืขืกืงื™ื
04:01
with companies that have agreements
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ืขื ื—ื‘ืจื•ืช ื‘ืขืœื•ืช ื”ืกื›ืžื™ื
04:04
with stealth provisions and that are unintelligible.
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ืขื ืกืขื™ืคื™ื ื—ืžืงืžืงื™ื ื•ืฉืื™ื ื ืžื•ื‘ื ื™ื.
04:06
So, how are we going to change the world?
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ืื–, ืื™ืš ืื ื• ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ืœืฉื ื•ืช ืืช ื”ืขื•ืœื?
04:08
Make clarity, transparency and simplicity a national priority.
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ืชื”ืคื›ื• ื‘ื”ื™ืจื•ืช, ืฉืงื™ืคื•ืช ื•ืคืฉื˜ื•ืช ืœื—ืฉื™ื‘ื•ืช ืœืื•ืžื™ืช.
04:13
I thank you.
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ืื ื™ ืžื•ื“ื” ืœื›ื.
04:15
(Applause)
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(ืžื—ื™ืื•ืช ื›ืคื™ื™ื)
ืขืœ ืืชืจ ื–ื”

ืืชืจ ื–ื” ื™ืฆื™ื’ ื‘ืคื ื™ื›ื ืกืจื˜ื•ื ื™ YouTube ื”ืžื•ืขื™ืœื™ื ืœืœื™ืžื•ื“ ืื ื’ืœื™ืช. ืชื•ื›ืœื• ืœืจืื•ืช ืฉื™ืขื•ืจื™ ืื ื’ืœื™ืช ื”ืžื•ืขื‘ืจื™ื ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ืžื•ืจื™ื ืžื”ืฉื•ืจื” ื”ืจืืฉื•ื ื” ืžืจื—ื‘ื™ ื”ืขื•ืœื. ืœื—ืฅ ืคืขืžื™ื™ื ืขืœ ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืื ื’ืœื™ืช ื”ืžื•ืฆื’ื•ืช ื‘ื›ืœ ื“ืฃ ื•ื™ื“ืื• ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ืคืขื™ืœ ืืช ื”ืกืจื˜ื•ืŸ ืžืฉื. ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ื™ื•ืช ื’ื•ืœืœื•ืช ื‘ืกื ื›ืจื•ืŸ ืขื ื”ืคืขืœืช ื”ื•ื•ื™ื“ืื•. ืื ื™ืฉ ืœืš ื”ืขืจื•ืช ืื• ื‘ืงืฉื•ืช, ืื ื ืฆื•ืจ ืื™ืชื ื• ืงืฉืจ ื‘ืืžืฆืขื•ืช ื˜ื•ืคืก ื™ืฆื™ืจืช ืงืฉืจ ื–ื”.

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