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 Anal Pumpernickel on Sunday March 22 2015, @09:24PM
No, there are some subtle differences between authoritarianism, and a democratic libertarian government which enforces responsibility.
Your "democratic libertarian government" would strip someone of their citizenship because they made choices you disagree with. It's your "responsibility" to do X, and you didn't do X, so now we'll get government thugs to punish you.
Nice small government you have there. Heinlein was a hardcore authoritarian; don't pretend otherwise. Even a democratic country can be authoritarian; it's why direct democracy is so frightening.
Better than our system today
Let's just stop doing the bad things, not adopt more bad policies.