Re: A simple proposition to fix democracy in U.S.

"Erik Aronesty" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> If we charged people a $200 federal tax penalty for
failing to vote in
> a federal election, it would stir a subtle but powerful
shift in the
> counciousness of the country.
>
> People, feeling compelled to vote, would also feel
compelled to talk
> about voting. If only to complain about it! But that's OK.
This talk
> would lead, over time, to political discussion and
involvement. And,
> finally, a restoration of "Democratic" part of the
Democratic Republic
> known as the United States.
>
> It's a slow process.  But, I think, it's something that's
nonpartisan,
> and something that we can probably agree on.
>
> At the very least, we could begin to enact it on a state
level - in as
> many states as possible.
>
> I would have said that we could start with California.
But now that a
> Republican is in charge, I doubt it would pass.  I'm not
sure that
> Republicans really want people to vote.  I think they'd
rather just
> run the show and have nobody vote at all.
>
> Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

I know I've dropped into this discussion late. Sorry. But, I
would rather give tax credits to those who vote rather than
penalizing those who don't. I agree that all citizens should
vote. Sometimes I even want to personally throttle those I
know that don't vote, and I'm the one that consistently
tells them, "If you didn't vote, you can't gripe later."
But... charging them for not voting... I don't know... that
just doesn't sound like a solid plan to me.