Posted on 03/19/2015 8:00:05 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The president whose major policy achievement is mandatory health insurance thinks maybe voting should be mandatory, too.
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," Obama said Wednesday in Cleveland, where he spoke about the importance of middle class economics, and was asked about the issue during a town hall.
"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 clout of millionaires and billionaires in campaign funding has been enormous, and many claim the uber wealthy have undue leverage in politics.
"The people who tend not to vote are young, they're lower income, they're skewed more heavily towards immigrant groups and minority groups," Obama said. "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.
Aside from campaign finance issues, the United States also grapples with one of the lowest voter turnout rates among developed countries.
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.
But mandatory voting could bring its own set of problems. Haydon Manning, associate professor at Flinders University in Australia, said that country's rules can backfire.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
We can’t demand an ID to prove who you are in order to vote, but they CAN make voting mandatory.
“Maybe it’s time for Mandatory Voting”
And he can have the State Security Direktorate/Homeland Security check to make sure you have voted “Correctly” as well!
Obama is planning ahead...after legalizing 20-30 million illegal law breakers, he is concerned they won’t go to the polls fast enough...so he wants to make voting mandatory and give them freebies to make sure they vote for the Communist...err Democrap party. Obama wants total control.
Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it (think LGBLT agenda).
I’m ok w/mandatory voting ONLY IF we also have mandatory concealed carry.
I am totally on board with that.
No skin in the game (tax wise), no say in how the game is played.
Dag nabit, you beat me to the punch.
I wish this story was satire.
They do not need to cement anything, republican leaders and rank and file are fascist/socialists just like the democrat party. Give me one real difference between republican leadership and democrats?
If they could find a way to get all the Gimmedats who turned out for Obama in ‘08 to show up for the mid-terms, the Dems would never lose another election, and we’d be France within a couple of cycles.
THAT is what they are after here.
Well stated. I agree wholeheartedly.
Except for the things on which he wants an outright ban.
Yup. I agree.
Mickey Mouse would stand a much better chance under this system.
[ Im holding out for mandatory sex ]
We already have that, everyone gets screwed
If I recall, in Cuba and the former Soviet union 100% of the people always voted.
Or even better, the government can vote for you by proxy.
Maybe it’s time to impeach the usurper.
Look folks...this guy, Obama is delusional. Like Caligula, Hitler & Nero....Obama lives in his own self-adoring fantasy world!!! Mr. Obama & Joe Biden are not wrapped too tight!!! In fact, they are both insane!!! Does not say much for the American voter!!! “Bibi” has finished off Obama....only Obama has nary a clue ....he is burnt toast!!!
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