MANDATORY VOTING

Surely the hoi oligoi would find the consequential crowds at the polling stations anathema?

As at 7.6.2014 206m eligible 146m registered.

It is stupid to require this. In one part it would probably be more expensive to track than the fines. And in another someone not interested would likely may poor decisions and write in Mikey Mouse to show its dissatisfied to vote and thirdly isn't this taking away a freeddom!

On the one hand it would seem to oblige the masses to move about needlessly and on the other oblige the ineducable to endure eternal suffrage.

I see on Wiki that there are 22 countries with mandatory voting laws, but only 10 countries enforce them.

I would like to see higher turnout at the polls, but I'd first look for positive incentives before resorting to negative ones. Like maybe a tax deduction for the time spent on election day.

I wouldn't even go that far. If they don't want to vote, forget about them. I do support laws requiring time off from work to vote, but that's about all the incentive I'm willing to give.

Yeah, I can't think of a way to incentivize voting wisely. I'm afraid too many people would just show up and vote for whatever random name shows up on the ballot. You'd think making the country run better would be enough incentive, but apparently not.

The carrot and the stick, the drama and the karma, the hell and rebirth of a politician returning as a psephologist.

Irregardless of party affiliation and ideology, I noticed that people generally claim that people who vote in a way that is opposite of their own voting makes poor voting decisions. I believe people will always vote the way they want to vote instead of a way somebody else think they should vote. That is a beautiful concept. More important than any of that is this would dramatically weaken the power of money in politics. Trying to get out your base would no longer matter since everyone is voting. Trying to discourage certain voters to not show up at the polls will no longer matter since everyone is voting.

Funny you just came up with this, after our dear brilliant president just "innocently" spoke about it a few days back. What can I say. After vast number of Americans rubbing their eyes with disbelief to see what they have done 6 years ago and than again repeat the same mistake 2 years ago, now is time to come up with a new scams to keep this utopian socialistic/progressive movements in power a little longer. You know, the previous tactics might be too obvious. You don't robe the same bank twice. To winn democrats used every deception known to human raise. Remember Acorn Found? About New Black Panthers intimidations? About bribing voters with money, cigarettes etc. ? How about loading people in the busses and instructing them who they have to vote for? If that was not enough I hope you recall those few cases of trunk full of ballots found in some cars of black dem. voters. Even dead people were voting for Democrats lol.

So now is time for new tactics. Obama and his cronies decided, if they make voting mandatory, all dead bits who reather smoke joint instead of voting, now will be forced to go vote and likely (being stupid they are) will vote democratic ticket.

So this is the whole theory behind the idea. You see, Obama didn't quite finished fulfillment of his dream of fundamental destruction.. I mean transformation of America.
In order to bring us down to like Argentina or Venezuela is, and than Cuba, first he got us by the balls with his health care utopia. By the way how is that working for you so far? Having fun yet? Wait for single payer system. You will really feel the pain and you'll see what he had in mind.
Next would be to take away our guns and free speech. Rest is easy. If you think I am kidding you, than you better pull your head out of send and look around. Watch some real news listen to the radio. I'm not talking rap music or dumb tv shows.

Your English is piss poor. I don't see any reason for you to talk about "our" president, as i see no reason to think that you are, in fact, an American. I think you're a lying sack of propogandistic ****, peddling someone's distorted point of view--probably some authoritarian creep like Putin.

I see you are quite " intelectual". Lol. Look at your own english you socialistic creep. At leat I have excuse: I was not born here. What's your excuse?

Ooh, I think I have an excuse for you: you are just a simple dump ass.

good catch

I have read that the most likely interpretation of the Constitution has it that the state may be able to compel us to show up but it can not make us vote (choose). If this is the case then the question is moot.

In my humble opinion, the country would be much better off if the only eligible voters would be those who would pass a simple civic test. Otherwise they don't know what they vote for.
Making it mandatory equals loosing our liberty. I should have the right to choose not to vote.

Ya, if you have to take a test to become a citizen it makes sense to need to pass a test to vote.

You dident answer his question. Are you a U S citizen? Or are you just another loud mouthed C J clone?

I was US citizen before you were even born you moran! Check your spelling next time before you post anything, Obama boy.

I never said I came up with the idea. I am sure many people over the years have discuss this very topic. Why does this topic have to be democrats vs. republicans? I don't know what candidate would win or lose if voting was mandatory. Every election is different. I just know the winner would be a true representation of what Americans want if everyone casted their vote. Whether or not you vote the same way I vote or the opposite, that doesn't matter to me. This would also make money spent in politics much less effective. This would also force candidates to focus on the ideology of all voters instead of just their base. That applies to both democrats and republicans. Unless your base is the majority of all voters, it would be extremely difficult for you to win. Again, this applies to both republicans and democrats