I think the idea is patent bullshit. It would seem to me to force people to vote would not improve anything other than 'voter turnout', and would possibly put even bigger morons in charge, due to revenge voting.
Am I wrong?
I agree. The last general election here had a turnout of ~65% and I'm quite happy with that. Don't see how forcing people to vote would accomplish anything.
It's a very bad idea, in my opinion.
The less people that vote, the better. It should be made more difficult, so only the fanatics vote.
Dok,
For Craziness in Government.
I'm not voting today, and the reason I'm not voting today is to piss off the people who get pissed off about people not voting.
I'm actually very pro-voting.
All voting should have a 'none of the above, i hate them all' option and uncast votes automatically go there.
if that option ever gets over 60% -> no taxes that year!
Trust me, it is a good idea.
It couldn't possibly go horribly horribly wrong.
Personally, I like the idea of enforced voting. All these anti-government types will start decrying the government getting involved in areas where it shouldn't and start militantly fight against voting in the name of FREEDOM.
It would be hilarious.
Mandatory voting seems like a bad idea in practice. It seems like it would have a lot of potential for failure. But then again, we do make certain kinds of civic engagement mandatory. For example, jury duty. Granted, jury duty doesn't happen every year, and for most people it is only once if ever at all.
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
Essentially, the best course is to empower people to vote. Try to minimize the barriers that prevent people from voting. But ultimately, if the horse doesn't want to drink, you can't drag it to the trough.
However, you should be able to give it a good smack when it complains later about being thirsty.
Australia has this. It's great.
Basically it means that the government tends to put more effort into representing the needs of all people, rather than only the ones who bother to vote.
Also it is
1) laughable easy to avoid a fine. Some excuses that are accepted (I was busy having sex etc) are quite ridiculous.
2) NOT COMPULSORARY TO VOTE. It is compulsorary to turn up and take a vote card. Whether you vote 1 or draw a dick is up to you.
Actually you can both vote 1 and draw a dick if you like. As long as you don't write your name (or someone else's I guess) on the ballot it still counts.
eta: I forgot to vote at the last election and nothing came of it (it was a local election, so it doesn't really count anyway).
Picture of a dick for Prez in '12!!!
:lol:
Quote from: Rumckle on May 19, 2010, 02:16:10 PM
Actually you can both vote 1 and draw a dick if you like. As long as you don't write your name (or someone else's I guess) on the ballot it still counts.
eta: I forgot to vote at the last election and nothing came of it (it was a local election, so it doesn't really count anyway).
It's not exactly enforced voting, though, if its not... you know... enforced.
I guess it is more enforced voicing your opinion.
Also, if you keep getting fined you get your name taken off the electoral role.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on May 18, 2010, 07:02:49 PM
The less people that vote, the better. It should be made more difficult, so only the fanatics vote.
Dok,
For Craziness in Government.
This. At least the crazies get shit done.
Stupid, crazy shit, but they don't sit on their hands often.
And also this:
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 19, 2010, 01:49:19 PM
Mandatory voting seems like a bad idea in practice. It seems like it would have a lot of potential for failure. But then again, we do make certain kinds of civic engagement mandatory. For example, jury duty. Granted, jury duty doesn't happen every year, and for most people it is only once if ever at all.
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
Essentially, the best course is to empower people to vote. Try to minimize the barriers that prevent people from voting. But ultimately, if the horse doesn't want to drink, you can't drag it to the trough.
However, you should be able to give it a good smack when it complains later about being thirsty.
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 19, 2010, 01:49:19 PM
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
I really want this, I want this so much.
I becoming more and more of a fan of insane social experiments lately. I mean, maybe it's just because I've given up all hope in the possibility of ever conducting this nation with some semblance of sanity, but for some reason, I think it would be a perfectly capital idea to elect someone like TGRR Grand National Dictator and supply him with an army of minions and census-workers.
Quote from: navkat on May 20, 2010, 03:56:23 AM
I becoming more and more of a fan of insane social experiments lately. I mean, maybe it's just because I've given up all hope in the possibility of ever conducting this nation with some semblance of sanity, but for some reason, I think it would be a perfectly capital idea to elect someone like TGRR Grand National Dictator and supply him with an army of minions and census-workers.
It would be kinda boring.
he died.
Like real died? or like assuming a new identity died?
Quote from: navkat on May 20, 2010, 04:13:13 AM
Like real died? or like assuming a new identity died?
he was killed by a mad scientist.
for real.
the guy posts here under the name of Dok Howl.
murderous bastard, but he's all right.
rain god duties are now in the hands of some gnome girl.
Quote from: Iptuous on May 20, 2010, 04:19:21 AM
Quote from: navkat on May 20, 2010, 04:13:13 AM
Like real died? or like assuming a new identity died?
he was killed by a mad scientist.
for real.
the guy posts here under the name of Dok Howl.
murderous bastard, but he's all right.
rain god duties are now in the hands of some gnome girl.
Thank Dog for that much.
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 19, 2010, 01:49:19 PM
Mandatory voting seems like a bad idea in practice. It seems like it would have a lot of potential for failure. But then again, we do make certain kinds of civic engagement mandatory. For example, jury duty. Granted, jury duty doesn't happen every year, and for most people it is only once if ever at all.
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
Essentially, the best course is to empower people to vote. Try to minimize the barriers that prevent people from voting. But ultimately, if the horse doesn't want to drink, you can't drag it to the trough.
However, you should be able to give it a good smack when it complains later about being thirsty.
Election day as a national holiday is a really good idea. Also some sort of community action against nonessential businesses which stay open on that day, to label them as unpatriotic.
Quote from: navkat on May 20, 2010, 03:56:23 AM
I becoming more and more of a fan of insane social experiments lately. I mean, maybe it's just because I've given up all hope in the possibility of ever conducting this nation with some semblance of sanity, but for some reason, I think it would be a perfectly capital idea to elect someone like TGRR Grand National Dictator and supply him with an army of minions and census-workers.
navkat! Where the hell have you been?
Quote from: Doktor Howl on May 18, 2010, 07:02:49 PM
The less people that vote, the better. It should be made more difficult, so only the fanatics vote.
Dok,
For Craziness in Government.
THIS!!!
Quote from: Khara on May 20, 2010, 07:19:44 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on May 18, 2010, 07:02:49 PM
The less people that vote, the better. It should be made more difficult, so only the fanatics vote.
Dok,
For Craziness in Government.
THIS!!!
Voting ballot shall be a finger with your candidate of choice written on it.
really have to care, and you can only do it 10 times in your life, unless you're a mutant. or a finger thief.
Quote from: Hoopla on May 20, 2010, 07:15:15 PM
navkat! Where the hell have you been?
Spending time in New Orleans with the cult of Muffins(tm) (http://forum.themuffins.com/images/smilies/emot-chubbles.gif), taking some time to shake myself out of my intensely argumentative political headspace and get back to unabashed, harebrained nuttiness and debauchery.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Navkat/navkatRaver2010.jpg)
Quote from: Iptuous on May 20, 2010, 07:31:31 PM
Voting ballot shall be a finger with your candidate of choice written on it.
really have to care, and you can only do it 10 times in your life, unless you're a mutant. or a finger thief.
After a while you'll end up with all the inbred hicks deciding who runs the country.
Not saying that's a bad thing.
Can you vote twice if you want to sacrifice more fingers?
Quote from: Vene on May 19, 2010, 11:17:50 PM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 19, 2010, 01:49:19 PM
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
I really want this, I want this so much.
There is all of this high-level Patriotic faith that runs through this country. People love to wrap themselves in the flag on all of these Patriotic holidays like the Fourth, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, etc., etc.,
It seems like a no-brainer that the day we exercise our voice on who represents us and on matters of policy should be one of those days. (Preferably without the binge-drinking. Or maybe that would make the results better?)
Quote from: BabylonHoruv on May 20, 2010, 08:04:49 AM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 19, 2010, 01:49:19 PM
Mandatory voting seems like a bad idea in practice. It seems like it would have a lot of potential for failure. But then again, we do make certain kinds of civic engagement mandatory. For example, jury duty. Granted, jury duty doesn't happen every year, and for most people it is only once if ever at all.
I would like to see Election Day become a national holiday though. I think there are a lot of people who don't end up voting because they don't think they have the time, or because they truly don't have the time. And there is still a lot of people who aren't aware of absentee and early voting.
Essentially, the best course is to empower people to vote. Try to minimize the barriers that prevent people from voting. But ultimately, if the horse doesn't want to drink, you can't drag it to the trough.
However, you should be able to give it a good smack when it complains later about being thirsty.
Election day as a national holiday is a really good idea. Also some sort of community action against nonessential businesses which stay open on that day, to label them as unpatriotic.
At the very least, it should be mandatory that businesses provide a window of opportunity for their employees to vote on Election Day. If they can't give them the whole day off, they should at least be able to give them two or three hours so they can get to their polling place and back. The last agency I worked had that policy and it was very helpful for me.
I'm surprised that more unions haven't pushed for an election day holiday. You figure something like that would be right up their alley.
Problem being with that is Americans take things just a little bit to seriously and someone is going to get the stupid idea of doing more than just drawing a dick, then we've got a whole new issue and with our luck rights restrictions for our "OWN PROTECTION" which in the end just piss people off.
Quote from: Placid Dingo on May 19, 2010, 02:04:59 PM
Australia has this. It's great.
Basically it means that the government tends to put more effort into representing the needs of all people, rather than only the ones who bother to vote.
Also it is
1) laughable easy to avoid a fine. Some excuses that are accepted (I was busy having sex etc) are quite ridiculous.
2) NOT COMPULSORARY TO VOTE. It is compulsorary to turn up and take a vote card. Whether you vote 1 or draw a dick is up to you.
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on May 21, 2010, 02:16:49 PM
At the very least, it should be mandatory that businesses provide a window of opportunity for their employees to vote on Election Day. If they can't give them the whole day off, they should at least be able to give them two or three hours so they can get to their polling place and back. The last agency I worked had that policy and it was very helpful for me.
If you are working from the time that polls open until the time that polls close on election day, the business must give you time off to vote. It wasn't just the last agency you worked, its a law. If polls are open two hours before your shift and two hours after, (or maybe it is three?) the business isn't required to give you time off, however, as you have ample time to get your own ass to the polling place if it is a priority for you.
- DeadLucky
Quote from: JaegerWolf on May 31, 2010, 07:15:29 PM
Problem being with that is Americans take things just a little bit to seriously and someone is going to get the stupid idea of doing more than just drawing a dick, then we've got a whole new issue and with our luck rights restrictions for our "OWN PROTECTION" which in the end just piss people off.
Americans and Aussies aren't that different. That arguement is null.
I think it would be better, if some Idealist put together a capable, and sensible body of concerned public spirited folks, and started to enforce people into not voting. With intellectual persuasion being the first part of the package. Then, if this didn't work, some mild threats, and firm advice. But there's always one who wants to push that little bit harder than the rest. He may have to be shot, but it will encourage any others with ideas of Voting, to think again.
Once the event is over, if anyone tries to install any kind of Unelected Despotic Interim Administration, your enforcers will have to take responsibility for making sure this doesn't happen. By forming a "Peoples Junta" to hold power, until someone comes along who is more qualified for the jobbetter armed than you are. This means that the whole population are relieved from the burden of having to deal with factionalised Political Power struggles. The whole dynamic of Politics is no longer anything to worry about, so just go back to work, Ok?