One of the fears of instituting compulsory voting laws in the U.S. is that many uninformed voters would cast ballots that aren't necessarily reflexive of their own ideals. This is a very legitimate concern but this responsibility would fall to the candidates running for office in the short term. This would mean that campaigns would have to work harder to push their platforms and inform all Americans of their stances on the issues. But a longer-term answer to this problem would be to increase civic education. In grade school we all learned the importance of standing up during the Pledge of Allegiance and the significance of the torch and book held by the Statue of Liberty. The importance of voting and being an informed citizen should be added to this list of learned American traditions. Voting needs to be seen not just as a right you attain at the age of 18 but also as a civic duty that makes up a true American. The ability to vote in elections should be the most exciting prospect for anyone turning 18, not buying cigarettes, porn or lottery tickets.
For decades our age group has had the ability to influence many outcomes of different elections. For example, the close election of 1976 could have had a different outcome with Ford's re-election. The elections of 2000 and 2004 could have ended different had the youth-voter turnout been higher in Florida in 2000 or in Ohio in 2004. Increasing voter turnout for our age group is more than just a topic of discussion for political scientists everywhere; it is an opportunity for us to have a voice in where our country goes and where it takes us. We have a greater stake in this world than many of our parents or grandparents. We are affected more by the choices made by those we elect than anyone else. We are the future of this country and without our input we will always be left to clean up the mess of those who came before us. It is time for us young adults to stop complaining about the decisions made by Congress or the President and do something to help change them.
It is time for us to matter again. It is time for us to break our silence and leave our mark on this country.
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As yes, let's FORCE people to vote. I think that if this country started to FORCE me to vote, I wouldn't vote on principle. We live in the land of the FREE (supposedly anyway). As much as I agree that voter apathy is rampant, forcing people to vote is NOT the answer. My choice NOT to vote is as much an expression of my political beliefs as voting for a particular candidate. I.E. in this particular election. McBama and O'Cain are identical - they're arguing over whether they want to sit in the front or that back of the bus that's going over the cliff. The bus is will going over the cliff! Their arguments are exactly the same - they just want to trim in slightly different areas or adjust something else over here. Neither one wants to get out of the bus and address the problems from a different perspective! My choice NOT to vote for either one of these men is just as much an expression of my frustration with the current political process. You want to FORCE me to pick a "lesser of two evils"? Please - a lesser evil is still EVIL!!! If you want to mandate voting - I wouldn't vote on principle.
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If either of the two major parties fielded a candidate who did not speak in useless platitudes and was different from the other candidate on more than just race, age, and catch phrases, you would see a much more energized voter base among the young and educated.
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Why is the solution to every problem in this country the use of government force and coercion against the American people? Fascist.
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Concerning the individuals who feel that they are being coerced or "forced" to vote please take the time to actually READ the article. As I stated in the article, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY PICK SOMEONE TO VOTE FOR. As you said Jochebed, SHOW UP TO THE POLL AND DON'T VOTE ON PRINCIPLE. The only mandate here would be for you to show up to the poll and turn in a blank ballot. After an election cycle or two, both parties would be forced to come to the realization that they are not clear enough on the issues!!!!! Why is everyone satisfied with the fact that 40% (and that's being generous) of the American population make all the political decisions in this country??? This system would also lead to the viability of a multiple-party system instead of the grossly unrepresentative two-party system. Also look up the definition of Fascism.... You sound like all those conservatives who are calling Obama's economic policies "communist".
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Sorry, when I read "mandate" and "compulsory"...how is that not FORCING someone to vote? Fascism (Merriam-Webster) - " a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control" How is this not a description of the trend of the United States of America? There are few activities in the US that don't involve the government. I can't buy a house, get a job, own a dog, drive a car, go to school without getting permission or notifying some level of the government. You want the government to know whether or not I voted...which will inevitably also give them notice of WHO I voted for. How is that not a certain level of fascist control? Certainly it matches the definition of a "police state" in which you can't do anything without the permission or notification of the government.
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Certainly your plan is a GREAT one if all you care about it numbers. If you intend on getting people educated and making good choices, you need to do more. You state that I could show up and turn in a blank ballot...so then there would still just be 40% of the population making political decisions for the rest of us. How has your plan changed ANYTHING at that point? FYI I'm not a conservative. Thanks for lumping me in with them and trying to make a political point that has nothing to do with this discussion. I CAN'T STAND EITHER McBama or O'Cain and am not voting for either.
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