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Should the U.S. Adopt Compulsory Voting?
Rasmussen Reports ^ | July 13, 2010 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 07/13/2010 7:44:53 AM PDT by SmartInsight

In Australia, it's against the law for citizens age 18 or older not to vote.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow William Galston has proposed that America adopt the same system to increase voter participation. In the 2008 presidential election, 61.7 percent of eligible Americans voted, according to George Mason University.

I object.

For one thing, Washington should not coerce citizens by making them vote. In a free country, those who do not wish to vote should be free to abstain.

And while there is no proving that higher turnout means more left-leaning votes, political scientists of both stripes tend to believe that mandatory voting delivers more votes to the left than to the right. Again, quantity does not mean quality.

(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; government; voting
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As she says, it's a free country... so far...

But naturally, this is another Dem attempt to get their base of ininformed voters to the poll.

1 posted on 07/13/2010 7:44:54 AM PDT by SmartInsight
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To: SmartInsight
Brookings Institution = notorious anti-American viper pit.
2 posted on 07/13/2010 7:47:30 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: SmartInsight

No. On the contrary we should attempt to bribe people not to vote. Here’s a pack of smokes of you don’t vote. Here’s a sammich if you don’t vote.


3 posted on 07/13/2010 7:47:53 AM PDT by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: SmartInsight

Not only NO, but HELL NO!..................


4 posted on 07/13/2010 7:48:52 AM PDT by Red Badger (No, Obama's not the Antichrist. He's just some guy in the neighborhood.............)
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To: SmartInsight
Absolutely not. We already have far too many clueless people voting.

If anything, the US needs to restrict the privilege of voting so that only net taxpayers, current or retired miliary service members and NO welfare recipients of any sort are permitted to vote.

5 posted on 07/13/2010 7:49:40 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: coloradan

Voting should be restricted to US citizens ONLY!..............


6 posted on 07/13/2010 7:50:17 AM PDT by Red Badger (No, Obama's not the Antichrist. He's just some guy in the neighborhood.............)
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To: SmartInsight

Not everyone should vote just as not everyone should pilot an airplane.


7 posted on 07/13/2010 7:50:55 AM PDT by ryan71 (Let's Roll!)
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To: SmartInsight

How about efforts to stop people from voting multiple times, stopping the dead people from voting, stopping felons from voting, illegal aliens from voting, and other voter fraud. Every election we read stories about some counties having more votes than residents of that county (blue counties of course). But then again... if I recall, proposed measures to stop voter fraud is considered racism.


8 posted on 07/13/2010 7:51:13 AM PDT by GregoTX
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To: SmartInsight

No.


9 posted on 07/13/2010 7:51:54 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: SmartInsight

Should the U.S. Adopt Compulsory Voting?

__________________________

Nope. But we should return to the Constitution when it allowed only land-owners to vote.


10 posted on 07/13/2010 7:53:59 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (PALIN/MCCAIN IN 2012 - barf alert? sarc tag? -- can't decide)
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To: SmartInsight

If this nation wants REAL change,move election Day to April 15th.....


11 posted on 07/13/2010 7:54:10 AM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
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To: SmartInsight

We already do. It’s called the electorial college. You don’t have to show up and your votes are hijacked.


12 posted on 07/13/2010 7:54:17 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie (zerogottago)
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To: pnh102

“We already have far too many clueless people voting”

Sad but true — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1Y8


13 posted on 07/13/2010 7:54:29 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: SmartInsight

Ever notice how the Left tries to ban anything they don’t like, and make mandatory anything they do like?

It’s a personality disorder.


14 posted on 07/13/2010 7:54:37 AM PDT by MNnice
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To: SmartInsight

“this is another Dem attempt to get their base of ininformed voters to the poll”

Exactly.


15 posted on 07/13/2010 7:58:37 AM PDT by Crim (The Obama Doctrine : A doctrine based on complete ignorance,applied with extreme incompetence..)
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To: MNnice

Actually, it’s more like they like to ban anything that hurts their cause and make mandatory anything that helps their cause.

They don’t believe in choice or market forces, which is ironic for people who have chosen to call their party the “democrat” party.


16 posted on 07/13/2010 7:58:55 AM PDT by MNnice
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To: MNnice

We should adopt Robert Heinlein’s system!!


17 posted on 07/13/2010 7:59:26 AM PDT by Jim Ralls
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To: SmartInsight

There are people who have a duty NOT to vote. Any democratic form of government requires a competent, INFORMED citizenry. Any citizen who is not competent and informed has a moral responsibility to NOT vote.

If I don’t know anything about something on the ballot (like judges or something where you can’t find information) I leave that blank, don’t vote on that. My ignorant 50/50 chance of being a decent vote should not negate the vote of somebody who knows what they’re doing.


18 posted on 07/13/2010 8:00:06 AM PDT by butterdezillion (.)
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To: SmartInsight

Hell no!


19 posted on 07/13/2010 8:04:55 AM PDT by Mr. Silverback (We're right, we're free, we'll fight and you'll see!)
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To: SmartInsight
In the 2008 presidential election, 61.7 percent of eligible Americans voted, according to George Mason University.

Did they say how many voted more than once?

ML/NJ

20 posted on 07/13/2010 8:08:22 AM PDT by ml/nj
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