Obama Suggest Mandatory Voting

[duane1969]

I personally find the concept of compulsory voting to be contradictory to the concept of freedom. Do we really need the government forcing people to vote? What is the consequence of not voting? Another fine? Jail? Loss of other rights?

I also find it interesting that the answer to countering big spending by the wealthy to influence campaigns is to force people to vote and not to enact campaign finance reform. So the first thought is to enact more laws on the middle class and poor while keeping the big money pouring in from the rich. Nice.

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.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/19/politi...ing/index.html

[deansayso]

Terrible idea. no vote is better than a random vote

[shrewsbury]

another bad idea from Obama

[Bobhikes]

I would be against mandatory voting but I like the idea of automatic voter registration. Oregon just linked automatic voter registration to Drivers licenses. Oregon already requires the licensee to provide proof of citizenship and age. Countries that do this have a much higher voter turn out. We will have to see how it affects Oregon.

[shrewsbury]

I like the idea of automatic voter registration. Oregon just linked automatic voter registration to Drivers licenses.

I would be all for this.

[37jetson]

Under this plan how many times do Democrats get to vote in each election?

[imronron]

Under this plan how many times do Democrats get to vote in each election?

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are..

[mrveggieman]

I agree it was an idiotic idea. The last thing you want is people begrudgingly voting. You will have people who are completely uneducated on the issues and with 0 interest in who gets elected simply pushing buttons and pulling levers. If you think that the idiots in office right now are bad imagine how much worse they will be when you have a legion of apathetic voters helping to turn the tide of the election. If you have no interest in voting or politics you as well as every else is better served by you staying at home and playing video games on election day.

[habsheaven]

Has anyone considered how it is working in countries that have mandatory voting? Wouldn't it make sense to consider that before forming an opinion on it?

[JustAlex]

No, you can't force people to vote, that's a dumb idea...

HOWEVER, if you really want more votes, then freaking move elections to the WEEKEND where people have more time.

Give early voters MORE time.

Create MORE voting stations so it's more convenient for those that have to travel.

OH...But anyone want to guess which party would be very much against having these changes?

Which party desperately tries to suppress voters especially minority and poor voters?

The DISGUSTING, utterly DESPICABLE, and INSUFFERABLE GOP.