Compulsory Voting in Australia...Should the US Adopt This Too?

[exo_doc]

I just found out voting is compulsory in Australia. You either vote, or you pay a fine. And the fines increase significantly every time you don't vote.
This article is an excellent read on why the US should adopt this as a law.
Make Voting Mandatory - Bloomberg

I personally think it would be a great step for the US, but I've been wrong many times before.

 

[pixelsmith]

too many dead people voted here last time, compulsory voting will ruin the ruse.

 

[exo_doc]

too many dead people voted here last time, compulsory voting will ruin the ruse.

You'd think that was the case here in North Carolina where they just passed the most restrictive voting laws in the nation. Voter fraud must be super rampant! (NOT)
It's just a tactic to keep the riff-raff from voting.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

The riffraff is defined as anyone who'd vote for the "other" party.

 

[DaveM]

Compulsory voting in the US would be one more nail in the coffin for any freedoms we now have left. Do I want to vote for Crook #1 or Crook #2? No thank you. Just more BS to turn people into sheeple.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

The best system is the one that makes it as easy as possible for people to vote without the silliness about fake voting. Being forced to do so is a non-starter.

It's not a "vote once and vote often" situation, or even one involving alleged undocumented aliens voting (they don't!) or dead people. As to choosing Crook #1 or Crook #2, well maybe Honest Person #3 would decide to get involved if there was a chance of winning.

 

[exo_doc]

The best system is the one that makes it as easy as possible for people to vote without the silliness about fake voting. Being forced to do so is a non-starter.

It's not a "vote once and vote often" situation, or even one involving alleged undocumented aliens voting (they don't!) or dead people. As to choosing Crook #1 or Crook #2, well maybe Honest Person #3 would decide to get involved if there was a chance of winning.

According to the article, it would solve several problems and voting abuses. I do not like big government, I really don't. BUT, in this case, I think it only makes sense to force people to take some personal responsibility for their country, instead of letting Big Interests do it for them, at THEIR expense.

 

[Randall]

Some sort of reform is certainly needed, but is compulsory voting is the answer? My first reaction was to reject it on the grounds that I don't like being forced to do anything, including what I should be doing anyway. However after some reflection on the issue, it won't affect those who are conscientious enough to vote in the first place, and could very well lead to a much better politically aware citizenry who once motivated might organize and rally behind the candidates they really want rather that simply being force fed "crook#1 or crook#2" anyway.

Obama himself recognizes that the system is broken and needs the cooperation of both parties to get it fixed. However the lousy anti-Obamites made it a policy to oppose everything Obama suggested regardless of how good it was for the country, and that screwed-up an otherwise really great idea. Too bad. So the right person made it to the top of the pyramid ... a pyramid of problems. This isn't to say that the Republican system itself needs to be blamed, just that IMO the idiots that put that strategy in should all be kicked out of office. So get in there and vote them out !

 

[DaveM]

Here is a little information about the people who might force you to vote or be penalized:

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics:

*29 have been accused of spousal abuse
*7 have been arrested for fraud
*19 have been accused of writing bad checks
*117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
*3 have done time for assault
*71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
*14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
*8 have been arrested for shoplifting
*21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
*84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year Can you guess which organization this is?

You guessed it, our 535 members of Congress. Sorry Gene, I am not holding my breath for the 'honest person' to show up.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

All the more reason to find a way to get honest people in there.

 

[ALPHA ROMEO UNIFORM]

Is good idea but money involved at the end result which means Corp Lobby Groups hold the power not Politicians!