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CNN reports that when asked how to offset the influence of big money in politics, President Barack Obama suggested it's time to make voting a requirement. "Other countries have mandatory voting," said Obama "It would be transformative if everybody voted -- that would counteract money more than anything," he said, adding it was the first time he had shared the idea publicly.
"The people who tend not to vote are young, they're lower income, they're skewed more heavily towards immigrant groups and minority groups. There's a reason why some folks try to keep them away from the polls."
At least 26 countries have compulsory voting, according to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Failure to vote is punishable by a fine in countries such as Australia and Belgium; if you fail to pay your fine in Belgium, you could go to prison. Less than 37% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2014 midterm elections, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. That means about 144 million Americans -- more than the population of Russia -- skipped out.
Critics of mandatory voting have questioned the practicality of passing and enforcing such a requirement; others say that freedom also means the freedom not to do something.
(Score: 2) by jbWolf on Sunday March 22 2015, @07:25PM
I'll tell you who'd I'd be happy to vote for: a brick [jb-wolf.com]. It makes more sense than our current options. And sometimes it feels like I'm dealing with the special olympics... except the special olympics actually makes more sense and has more honor than politics.
I cannot organize a party. I do not have the physical nor mental abilities to do so. I have tried to educate, however. I'll refer you back to my script on my website: The Political Debate [jb-wolf.com]. The download section (which contains the actual script) and the Additional Links section (which contains why I wrote the script [jb-wolf.com]) will be of most interest to you.
I would also argue that Snowden tried to convince other people about some of the points I made and in doing so, lost his ability to make a party of his own and lost his right to vote. It's not so clear cut as you make it out to be.
I agree. I'm just not sure that America is civilized. (As a matter of fact, I'm not sure any nation on Earth is civilized.) I feel that my right to vote has been revoked because there is no fair way for a politician that I would endorse to make it to the big leagues. I would be happy to endorse a candidate that I agree only 80% with. Today, I cannot agree with any major candidate more than 5% hence my statement that I believe my right to vote has been removed. And I'm not some nut job. My opinions are fairly similar to a lot of people on Soylent News.
An interesting quote to provoke some thought on the matter: "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." (Douglas Adams)
I am very patriotic to the constitution, but not to the same set of legal rules that the United States seems to be following. I often like a lot of what you have to say, but I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree on some of this. There are some very nasty things happening in every country you listed, but I'll simultaneously acknowledge they are some of the best countries in to world to live in right now. I'm just afraid the line you draw between the ideal country and the Third Reich and in a different spot from the line I drew.
Which brings me to my actual point. You and I are pretty much on the same side. I like most of what you write (I follow you both here and on Slashdot), but I wrote my first message to challenge you. I don't feel it is responsible for me to cast my vote for those who I vehemently disagree with.
www.jb-wolf.com [jb-wolf.com]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday March 23 2015, @07:01AM
Oh yeah. Your script kinda sucks. You didn't give descriptions of anyone. Mr. Carter has big Mickey Mouse ears, and a big goofy grin. Mr. Reagan is short, mousy, and shifty looking. Leech is a puffed up bag of hot air, with a glossy shine, and an empty head. You gotta give your characters some CHARACTER!!
Otherwise, the script works pretty well for me.
Oh yeah - the redneck. His great-gran-pappy arrived here in 1840 something, not 1940 something, married an Indian squaw, and fought off Comancheros until the Gold Rush. That doesn't change the fact that the Asian dude's great-gran-papppy arrived in the US twenty years before the redneck's great-gran-pappy.
(Score: 2) by jbWolf on Monday March 23 2015, @10:31AM
It both works well and sucks, huh? ;) I'll keep the more character thing in mind for other works. I had two reasons for keeping character descriptions sparse: 1) politicians sometimes lack character and 2) I wanted the actors, directors, and producers to be creative. (Some of the production notes alluded to that.) I felt my job was to keep the writing focused solely on "the politics". But I'll keep your advice in mind and maybe I'll edit it a little bit later if I think I can improve it.
I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of it, though.
www.jb-wolf.com [jb-wolf.com]