Reply #79: Voting and not voting [View All]

Very pleased to see this large discussion of a most important
matter.  As for my own input, there are a few things (most of
which have been addressed) that are crucial.  So - forget
about making voting day a holiday; many people don't get
holidays off no matter what -- firemen, policemen, hospital
workers, etc.  Instead, vote by mail, in every state in our
union.  There would be no need to find and pay for polling
places, precinct workers,  boxes and boxes of supplies to be
carted back and forth...etc. etc. and little need for or use
of DRE equipment, Diebold et al.    Oregon does it, and I
think it is working out. 
Next...as someone mentioned, use IRV, so that there will not
be any need for another election should there be no clear
winner (of more than 50% of the votes). 
And...Any party that has qualified its candidate for the
primary ballot, should have that candidate's name on the final
ballot.......all parties should be represented.  Yes, it's
probably true that the number of votes for these people will
not be sufficient on the first ballot, BUT, if there is a
close vote, then we go to IRV, and see who it is that will
come out on top when the candidates who get less than (??%) of
the vote are eliminated, and the re-count, gives the second
place choices on the ballots of those eliminated candidates to
the remaining bunch. See if we come up with someone who does
have more than 50%....and do it again if the second choice
option doesn't bring a final result.
And....let's eliminate the electoral college....just have a
popular vote (but I know that would take some legislative
work...so we can work on the rest of it first,  yes?) And no
"winner takes all" in the electoral college, if it
is decided we must keep that antiquated mess.  Proportional
representation of the votes should be the order of the day, I
hope. 
Finally...I am offended by the description of all non-voters
as stupid or uninformed or uncaring, etc. In our intellectual
and political superiority, we should not forget that there are
many many people out there who have trouble getting to the
polls, who don't get time off from their bosses, who may have
sick kids on election day, or flat tires, or a sudden attack
of stomach flu...it  happens.  As for remedies for the
future...Yes, we should do a better job of educating our
children and new citizens in the responsibilities that go
along with citizenship...so work with your state and local
school boards; go and check out the texts they are
using...complain, bitch, moan, gripe if the stuff is namby
pamby George cutting down the cherry tree crap.  See if you
can get Howard Zinn on the accepted alternate texts.....and
check your school libraries for reading materials that give an
alternate view...good luck on that !  We've got our work cut
out for us, let's get busy.