Voting is a priviledge, not a right... And there should be restrictions and penalties attached, IMH, page 1

You have no Constitutional Right to vote. The United States Constitution leaves this matter completely up to the States. Each State then decides how Electors are determined for that State, and how State-wide elections will be held. The Constitution does state (via Amendments) that certain persons cannot be kept from voting based only on race, age or sex, but beyond that... In the Supreme Court Case of Bush v. Gore in 2000, the Supreme Court stated in it's opinion:

The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States unless and until the state legislature chooses a statewide election as the means to implement its power to appoint members of the Electoral College. U.S. Const., Art. II, §1. This is the source for the statement in McPherson v. Blacker, 146 U.S. 1, 35 (1892), that the State legislature’s power to select the manner for appointing electors is plenary; it may, if it so chooses, select the electors itself, which indeed was the manner used by State legislatures in several States for many years after the Framing of our Constitution. Id., at 28—33. History has now favored the voter, and in each of the several States the citizens themselves vote for Presidential electors. When the state legislature vests the right to vote for President in its people, the right to vote as the legislature has prescribed is fundamental; and one source of its fundamental nature lies in the equal weight accorded to each vote and the equal dignity owed to each voter. The State, of course, after granting the franchise in the special context of Article II, can take back the power to appoint electors. See id., at 35 (“[T]here is no doubt of the right of the legislature to resume the power at any time, for it can neither be taken away nor abdicated”) (quoting S. Rep. No. 395, 43d Cong., 1st Sess.).

Supreme Court Decision: Bush v. Gore, November 2000. (Emphasis mine.)

Now given this, I think that there should be both restrictions and penalties attached to voting, and these should be implemented nationwide.

Restrictions: I think that anyone who shows up to cast their ballot in a National Election (States should still be free to do as they please in State and Local elections) should have to take and pass a simple test. Just one question. And that question is: "Name the three branches of the Federal Government and what they do." If you cannot answer this question, you cannot vote. Now I hear some of you, "But Jax, that's a Literacy Test! That's Unconstitutional!!!". Give it in written form, give it orally, give it in braille, give it in American Sign Language... But JUST GIVE IT!

See, back when I was a kid, we had this thing in school called Civics Class. In this class you learned all about how the Government worked, and your part in the process. You became familiar with the three branches of Government, and how they worked, and what they were resposible for. Today, most of the idiots showing up at the polls think that the position of POTUS is just short of Godhood, and that this one person should be able to fix the problems of this country with a snap of his or her fingers. They have no inkling of the concept of Checks and Balances built into the Constitution, nor where and how the power resides. They have no inkling about how the legislative process works, or what powers are given to the President, or what the Supreme Court does in reference to laws. If you don't know how the damn Government works, you should not be allowed to affect it's makeup!

Penalties: I think that anyone too lazy, or too stupid (refer to above test) to vote should have to pay more taxes than those citizens who actually take the time to become part of the process. There should be a tax break given to citizens who do their duty and engage in the voting process. The others will just have to pay more. This would have the effect of not only causing citizens to educate themselves on the Governmental processes, but it would also encourage them to get off their lazy butts and vote, thus giving results that truly represent the will of the American People.

I can already hear the cynics, "But Jax, our vote doesn't count! It's all fixed!". Fine, you can just go pay your 'Cynics Tax' and whine away, but not engaging in the process is just this side of treasonous in my opinion, especially if you feel this way. If you give up the 'right' to vote, you give up the right to complain about the system!

If we all voted, we could finally get rid of the two party system, and take our country back from the Banksters, the Corporations, the Foriegn Interests, the Special Interest Groups... But if we don't vote, we LOSE the war and become puppets... Slaves to the Corporatocracy. It's time to break the chains!

[edit on 9-2-2010 by JaxonRoberts]

[edit on 9-2-2010 by JaxonRoberts]

reply to post by Digital_Reality

---

No, just snarky jackholes who have nothing more to say than one line cynical remarks, and add zero to the conversation (and quite possibly the gene pool)...

reply to post by JaxonRoberts

---

It was actually a deep post if you think about it. You could make a mistake and vote inappropriately. You could be excluded from voting because of your poor spelling.

Know what!
Lets just let everyone vote that is a lawful citizen and who is not a convicted felon. Its easer, ya-know?

reply to post by Digital_Reality

---

Deny Ignorance and READ the DAMN OP!

Whoever starred you should be slapped upside the HEAD!

reply to post by GypsK

---

I wish we had a 10 party system, then we would have more of a choice than the ones we do now: Extreme Right or Extreme Left. Either you vote Conservative or vote Liberal. I am neither, so these choices suck for me... But we just keep sliding from one side of the road to the other, all based on the uninformed sheeple and who they want to have a beer with... It's getting to the point where we actually deserve third world status...

reply to post by Digital_Reality

---

Lets just let everyone vote that is a lawful citizen and who is not a convicted felon.

See, this is something I've never understood. Why shouldn't felons not be allowed to vote? Do they somehow not have opinions? There are many felons that are more intelligent and know the issues better than some of the dolts that we have voting today.

reply to post by JaxonRoberts

---

This may be a stupid question,
How come you guys have a two party system? Is that in the US constitution that only two parties may run?
Because here, if I wanted to start a political party tomorrow, I can just do that, start a campaign and run for a seat in the parliment.

Anyway, I can see the downside of it...

reply to post by Digital_Reality

---

It was about as deep as a mud puddle, and as to your stance on who should be allowed to vote (ex-felons), even that is not uniform:

In four states, if you're an ex-felon you're barred from voting for life. There are 5 million Americans (including 1.8 million African-Americans, mostly in Southern states--where 55 percent of African- Americans live) who have paid their debt to society but are prohibited from voting. At the same time, in Maine and Vermont you can vote even if you're in jail.

Source.

In a national election, with national consequences, there should be a national standard, but there isn't. There are no standards whatsoever. In fact, mentally retarded and/or mentally challenged citizens have voting priviledges... Now you want to talk about sheeple???

reply to post by AllexxisF1

---

What a stupid answer. Where do you get that from the OP's post? You can't. It's not possible.

Can you really give one reason why it's not good for people to take and pass the simple test that the OP stated in order to vote?

Please, go back to your fantasy world where everyone is a racist bigot.

reply to post by AllexxisF1

---

WOW! OK, that was IGNORANT to the nth degree! Just for the record, smarty, I am gay and voted Democrat last election...

So much for your brilliant observation! OH, and I HATE the current state of the Republican Party (the party of NO!)...

reply to post by GypsK

---

How come you guys have a two party system? Is that in the US constitution that only two parties may run?

It's not in the Constitution. There are actually tons of parties in the United States. Do a Wiki search for US Political Parties. There probably will be a list. Florida, where I'm from, alone has thirty or so. The reason that only two are prominent is because they have the most money and as time has gone on, people have just grown comfortable with the two parties.

[edit on 2/9/2010 by octotom]

reply to post by octotom

---

I see,
thanks for explaining... I should really read up on us politics because I don't get half of what is said about it on ATs,

reply to post by JaxonRoberts

---

Id rather include certain citizens right to vote than disclude. I'm for taking a look at reinstating the rights of qualifying felons. I am however not interested in a literacy test or

anyone too lazy, or too stupid (refer to above test) to vote should have to pay more taxes

I'm for more freedoms not less..

Making someone who is stupid or lazy pay more taxes is ridiculous. It doesn't even make sense.

Originally posted by octotom
reply to post by GypsK

---

How come you guys have a two party system? Is that in the US constitution that only two parties may run?

It's not in the Constitution. There are actually tons of parties in the United States. Do a Wiki search for US Political Parties. There probably will be a list. Florida, where I'm from, alone has thirty or so. The reason that only two are prominent is because they have the most money and as time has gone on, people have just grown comfortable with the two parties.

[edit on 2/9/2010 by octotom]

There iss another aspect to this as well. And that is that in america, we have the right to as many political parties as we want.

However, in the media, anything outside the 'big 2' is painted as radical, extremist, terrorist, anti-patriots.

Lamar, the author of SOPA comes back with an even worse bill
  Posted 19 days ago with 122 member flags

Senator Paul is being detained at the Nashville Airport by the TSA
  Posted 17 days ago with 89 member flags

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas takes stand against U.S Government
  Posted 17 days ago with 88 member flags

Ron Paul Gets Cut Off on Fox News When Talking About The Media Not Mentioning Him
  Posted 19 days ago with 87 member flags

This is what happens when Ford announces they are hiring
  Posted 18 days ago with 77 member flags

Romney: "I\'m Not Concerned About the Very Poor"
  Posted 8 days ago with 73 member flags

Obama To Ignore Judge’s Ruling To Appear In Court Over Eligibility Hearing
  Posted 18 days ago with 69 member flags

The Girl Killed by Obama: She "never saw it coming"
  Posted 2 days ago with 62 member flags

Newest topics, updated in real-time:

Newest topics getting flags, in real-time:

Newest topics getting replies, in real-time: