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Proposal to make voting mandatory....

Goobieman

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Proposal to make voting mandatory riles Ridgway

RIDGWAY — Residents of this Old West- meets-New Age town can be fined if their fences are too high, they have too many chickens, their dogs aren't on leashes or their weeds are out of control.

Tom Hennessy would like to add not voting to that list.

Hennessy, a popular Ridgway brewer and pub owner, is proposing that the mostly dirt-street town at the edge of the San Juan Mountains become a national model by enacting a mandatory-voting statute. Residents who don't bother to vote, for no good reason, would be fined.

"We could do this. It would be a paradigm shift," Hennessy said. "We could be the great civics lesson in representative democracy."

The Town Council agreed to put the matter on the ballot for a recent town election as a nonbinding opinion question.

Proposal to make voting mandatory riles Ridgway - The Denver Post

Obviously, if the government can force you to exercice you right to health care -- and fine you if you do not -- it can just as easily force you to exercise your right to vote.
 
But you guys said health care wasn't a right.
I'm sorry -- you think it isn't?
If health care isnt a right, then what is it?
And if the government can force you to exercise one right, then why can it not force you to exercise them all?
 
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As long as "none of the above" is mandated for every ballot I'm on board.
 
As long as "none of the above" is mandated for every ballot I'm on board.
You don't have to actually mark you ballot when you vote.
 
The Town Council agreed to put the matter on the ballot for a recent town election as a nonbinding opinion question.

Ironic, no?
 
If health care isnt a right, then what is it?

A privilege.

Having said that, boy am I ever against this. Just the thought about how they can even enforce this would be Orwellian to a frightening level.
 
No.

Hell no, even.

That said, what are the proposed details of this thing?
 
We are going to force you to pick one of two bad parties so we can reaffirm the idea that the two party system is working!


ick
 
God what a terrible idea. If I want to be lazy and not vote well then damn it that is my right. Although I do find humor in that they are asking the voters to vote if they should be required to vote.
 
Make voting mandatory if you allow PR in congress so we can get some coffee partiers in there :p
 
Proposal to make voting mandatory riles Ridgway - The Denver Post

Obviously, if the government can force you to exercice you right to health care -- and fine you if you do not -- it can just as easily force you to exercise your right to vote.

I'm fine with this only as long as hey change the voting system to allow multiple parties to get voted into office, such as IRV. Otherwise, mandatory voting does nothing but mandate either Democrats or Republicans get elected.
 
Yea thats what I think. If there were maybe 3 or 4 parties on the ballot that had a chance, I would be fine with it.
 
Proposal to make voting mandatory riles Ridgway - The Denver Post

Obviously, if the government can force you to exercice you right to health care -- and fine you if you do not -- it can just as easily force you to exercise your right to vote.

Vote or die!
f7a026ad-d885-11dc-8c94-df4f8cbb4ce7.flv.jpg
 
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We are going to force you to pick one of two bad parties so we can reaffirm the idea that the two party system is working!


ick

Yeah, who would be around to do nothing and then whine about it after all?

Oh, and last time I checked, there were more than two parties on many ballots.
 
I remember in Brazil voting was (is) mandatory. When you vote, you get a receipt of sorts that verifies you voted. This receipt is like a piece of gold. You can't open a bank account, register a business, apply to post-secondary, and many other things without that receipt.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. Voter apathy is growing in modern democracies, rendering them less effective. For instance, in Canada's last Federal election, 40% of the country didn't vote. That means that the politicians in Parliament are only representing 60% of the total country.

On the other hand... forcing people to vote means they might not make an informed choice. They'll vote just because they have to, instead of feeling that it's their civic duty.

I think I could be in favor of it. By forcing people to vote, it could make more people become politically aware.
 
Why would be want to make voting mandatory!! Think about it people!
Do we not have enough idiots voting and putting buffoons into office ?
Why expand upon the already known problem?
 
I remember in Brazil voting was (is) mandatory. When you vote, you get a receipt of sorts that verifies you voted. This receipt is like a piece of gold. You can't open a bank account, register a business, apply to post-secondary, and many other things without that receipt.
Interesting setup.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. Voter apathy is growing in modern democracies, rendering them less effective. For instance, in Canada's last Federal election, 40% of the country didn't vote. That means that the politicians in Parliament are only representing 60% of the total country.
I'm sure some or most of those elected in such less effective democracies are perfectly happy with the reduced effectiveness. And probably work to increase it. But lets not go too tin-foil hat here.

Other factors probably include the decrease in interest about government, more focus on keeping the personal budgets balanced, due to the declining economies, and so forth.

On the other hand... forcing people to vote means they might not make an informed choice. They'll vote just because they have to, instead of feeling that it's their civic duty.
Which is one reason it's a bad idea.

I think I could be in favor of it. By forcing people to vote, it could make more people become politically aware.
Except if your previous point holds true.

I personally think it a really bad idea.

Other means of getting more people to the polls would be better.

In fact, it seems to me that if we can only increase the level of corruption and insanity in government, more people will notice and try to do something.

Then again, there are those who consider the current system (in the USA) to be non-functional, and as a result choose not to vote.

Has anyone looked into this issue (that of poor participation in the voting process) lately? I haven't heard about it.
 
Down Under, voting is compulsory and enforced by a $50 (shock, horror!) fine. However, it's still possible to put in an 'informal' vote (i.e. it's not counted) by spoiling your ballot.

I am personally in favour of it for two reasons: firstly, participation in the political process fosters a greater sense of community and secondly, voting outcomes are made more legitimate by every member of a community participating in the decision.
 
Down Under, voting is compulsory and enforced by a $50 (shock, horror!) fine. However, it's still possible to put in an 'informal' vote (i.e. it's not counted) by spoiling your ballot.

I am personally in favour of it for two reasons: firstly, participation in the political process fosters a greater sense of community and secondly, voting outcomes are made more legitimate by every member of a community participating in the decision.

Do you let illegals vote ? Sorry could not help it !!!!;)
 
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