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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 e_armadillo on Monday March 23 2015, @09:43PM
So, by Obama's logic, "Other countries have mandatory voting", maybe the punishment for not voting should be a sound thrashing with a Cane . . .
Give me a fucking break. If you don't vote, don't complain -- end of story. Do we really need to force the people that don't care to vote to vote anyway? Do you really think they will come to the polls ready to make an informed choice? This is all assuming, of course, that there are reasonable choices available, <spoiler>there aren't</spoiler> . . .
If you really want to encourage participation in the system, there are much better ways. But, I am not certain that this is really about encouraging participation, more like asserting authroity and not much more.
"How are we gonna get out of here?" ... "We'll dig our way out!" ... "No, no, dig UP stupid!"
(Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Friday March 27 2015, @08:42PM
Do you really think they will come to the polls ready to make an informed choice?
Most of the people who currently vote don't make informed choices. That's how The One Party candidates keep winning.