Want to be fined $10 for not voting?
May 19, 2017, 4:03 PM
(AP)
There is weirdness coming out of New York. Of all places!
It’s a voting system based on an existing Australian voting system. I understand the instinct, but the thinking on it is exactly the opposite of what we need.
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There is a representative from Manhattan who wants to fine people who don’t vote $10. So we would have mandatory voting.
When I say this, people freak out. But let me qualify it: We have too many people who vote. We have a problem with the low information voter.
Now, I would fight for people’s right to vote. But we have too many people voting. Do we want people voting only because they would be fined if they didn’t?
Voting should be welcoming and easy. And we should get a receipt when we vote. But this instinct to get people who can’t be bothered to vote means that we will continue to empower the low information voter. The low information voter is how elections are won and lost now; this would make it even worse.
If you don’t know the issues, you have no damn business voting. You just simply don’t. Just like you have no business working on the electricity at your house if you don’t know what you’re doing.
As always, please listen to the full audio clip for complete context.