In Australia, voting age citizens are REQUIRED to vote. If they don't, they are liable for a financial fine.

For my own partisan democratic party reasons, I think this idea is BRILLIANT, and would revolutionize American politics.

Why?

Generally, less than fifty percent of REGISTERED US voters, actually turn out to vote. And registering to vote is voluntary, so perhaps that means that something like 25 percent of potential voters actually vote. Dismal participation in a so called democracy. If anyone knows the actual statistics, let us know.

If everyone had to vote, politicians would have to be responsive to all classes of people (and more responsible to the poorer classes) because they would be subject to their vote. As it is now, money rules and the upper class rules. Of course, this would favor the current democratic party, but the change would be so revolutionary, it might even allow the development of a viable third party.

For those who fail to vote, they will have to pay, and the government could always use another revenue source.

Of course, there must be a downside. So, any Aussies have reasons why this is a bad idea or why it isn't working in Oz?

I think a lot of Aussies do not want to vote, see no point in voting and wish we didn't have to vote. BUT we have to vote! The pollies are all the same the opposition leader contradicts the government and eveything becomes boring. So I wonder how many votes are "donkey votes"?

It is a good idea though, and I would love to know what you guys think would happen in the USA if it was introduced.

Sure, why not. And while we are at it, let's require, upon pain of extraction, that all citizens brush their teeth at least once daily. Or, how about requiring citizens to be courteous, hold hands, and love thy neighbors. In fact, the entire 'unwashed' (that's anyone other then the elite intellectual class) really do not need all those Liberties anyway. All they will do is just think for themselves, and go wandering around without someone telling them what to do. How tragic.

Thaiquila, you are one crafty little fellow, you know. You have done an excellent job of camouflaging your vast intellect behind a huge barrier of Collectivist talking points. Perhaps you would be so kind as to publish a manual, telling the rest of us how you accomplished this?

Vast intellect? Who in the world are you referring to? Surely not friend, Taiquila?

In Brazil it's the Law, you have to vote or you suffer stiff fines or worse. On election day all the restaurants that sell alcoholic bevereges shut down - it's miserable!

Whether my intellect is vast or not, I do recognize this is an academic question because the issue of making voting mandatory seems to offend the cultural assumptions of Americans.

To put it bluntly, Americans love the rhetoric that they are the richest country in the world, have the best health care (though 50 million people do not have access to this health system for economic reasons), and have the most "freedom". Freedom in this mindset includes the freedom to just say ($%(&%(& it all at election day, and opt to ignore important political issues, and not register, and not vote. Some might say this is a failure of American democracy.

In any case, the Australian voting rules will not happen in the US. The folks in power obviously don't want it because it threatens their power. I think there is evidence that this includes BOTH the leadership of the republican and democratic parties.

There have been faint voices and mild movements to institutionalize the EXPANSION of registration and voting. For example, motor voter laws where voters can register to vote when registering for your drivers license (an activity more American than voting, for sure). Predictably, these moves to reach the greater masses are often oposed by the economically elitist republican party. Obviously, I support all such expansion schemes.

A great idea I have heard is to move election days to the WEEKEND, maybe even making a two day weekend event, or perhaps a WEEKDAY and make it a national holiday similar to the 4th of July, a patriotic voting party. As it is, election days are on working day weekdays, limiting the participation of the people in non-professional jobs.

Such milder steps are the only way to take the baby steps of bringing American style democracy to .... America.

Thai, you should finally admit that you have been found out. Boon me and others are still young and inexperienced. But I am an old hand here. And, I know what you are doing. And you cannot escape my scrutiny. Normally, I would be vexed at those who mask their genius by appearing...........well. less than cognative. But, I know that you have a purpose, and I approve of your work for furthering the cause of Liberty and turning the masses away from the power of the central State. I must bow to your efforts.

After all, who but a devious person could change so many minds so quickly? By making all of your arguments so easy to refute, you are helping others think poorly of your exagerated position.



Aren't Americans already at or near the top of the richest per capita wealth ratio already? Americans are not tooting their horn and thumbing their nose at others. Instead most of them are trying to promote the cause of Market Liberalism, so others can share in the wealth, which is not a 'zero sum game'. Also, I have been looking for all those 50 million uninsured, or sick part of them anyway, who are in need of health care and lying out in front of the hospitals for want of treatment. And perhaps the Candians, who have universal care, yet can't get the actual treatment because it is so heavily rationed, should be our model? HeHeHe!



And this would solve the problem and at the same time promote democracy, right? This is so rich. You would force, ie dictate, your rules upon the people in order to promote Liberty? I love it. Only an idiot would fall for this.



Right. And I can see why the folks in power would not want to touch this with a ten foot vaccinated crowbar. Can you imagine the State requiring those who don't wish to vote, to do so? And when they don't, then sending out enforcers to make them. And imagine them trying this with a population that is fully armed. I can just imagine the casualty listings of all the beurocrats shot in the line of duty, or whatever. You say that is why we must be completely disarmed? I told you , you are one cleavor fellow you know.



This is rich. Give other countries a leg up by requiring Americans to work less and do it over several days. On top of that, they can all hold hands and hum a few tunes, while we all go to classes in order to learn about how wonderful and PC the new rules work. less work time, less productivity. You are really slick!



This is great. Considering that the US is a Representative Federal Republic, not a democracy, and that the things that early Americans used to do are not .............American, I must conclude that you are purposefully trying to look like a boob. And you are pretty good at it. However, like I stated, I am not only a military veteran, but a veteran of politics. And I see through you. Furthermore, I congradulate you, on this approach. While folks such as Boon Me and I use the front door approach, you are using the back door. and you know what? You just might be going a better job than we are.

Forced to vote? Not a good idea. I like the good ol' USA method better. If you care you vote.

He's not referring to you. you can go back to bed Boon Mee.

Don't worry; It's called sarcasm!

No, certainly not! It's called Satire, not sarcasm. Satire is having fun, sarcasm is not always the case. Now to them, it may be sarcsam, because it is their ox that is being gored. However, it is great practice for them. Helps to keep them on their feet, and off their knees at the UN alter.

As much as I like your idea, Thaiquila, I don't agree with forcing people to vote. People have the right to vote not obigation to vote. However, when they choose not to vote, they should not complaint about gas prices, alternative actions, tax cut, interest going up and down, their street are not being clean, no garbage pick up, etc. Politic effects almost everything in Society. Throwing your vote away, Live with it and [FONT=Arial][SIZE=14]NO WHINING!!!

My good friend John L has the right of it. I would most prefer to have people work a little to vote. In the U.S. we have votes all the time - not just once every two or four years. We have local schoolboard elections and many elections that are called for special purposed to fill elected positions that opened for lotsa reasons. Say, like in Britain, where Galloway had to step down from Parliament after it was found out he was being paid off in Saddam Oil coupons in that son of Koffi UN Food-for-Oil scandal. Now he has to find some other ways to get terrorism fundraising to the IRA.

In the U.S. we have voters who supposedly can't figure out how to use a butterfly ballot with only two names on it. Does anyone think it is good to make it easier for such people - or near-people to exercise their vast intellect at the ballot box? (Oh! My great-Uncle spent time in the pillory so I'll just pull the lever for Hillary!) (Gosh! I didn't even know we are supposed to vote for judges - I wonder who they are, Oh well, this name looks nice - I'll vote for Princess Consuella Bannanahammock!)

I think there is a direct relationship with those who appreciate the seriousness in the franchise and those who actually vote. I'd much rather have the result of the informed and motivated rather than the result of voters who will only stir themselves to vote if they ride a church bus from a depressed neighborhood to vote for whatever candidate pays them a $10 - $25 reward, as is routinely done by many DNC vote recruiters. Making it easy for those who don't care to vote is not an improvement.

Unfortunately both England and USA still use the extremely undemocratic first past the post systen controlled by big business and deseigned to disempower a sometimes large percentage of voters who understandably often feel quite frustrated and unrepresented.

The details of the very democratic system of proportional representation whereby, say, if 23% of the vote went to the Liberal Democrats then they would have 23% of Congress and so on.

This system is used in the democracies of Holland, New Zealand (only recently introduced despite strong opposition by big business), Germany, Norway, Denmark et. al. can be found at

www.mmp.org.nz Worth checking out.

Hoohoo! John L, you are the master! All I can say is, "What he said!"