by minimus 33 Replies latest jw friends
Smiddy I think its a good system in Australia where once you are of the age (18) to vote you are required to register as a voter ,failure to do so is a fine ,and when you front up at a polling booth you identify yourself and your name is then crossed off the list as presenting yourself to vote ?
Yes We have this system in the UK, as I said before works just fine.
Surely the same in the USA, no? Has there been a problem we havent heard about over here?
Oh just seen Simons post.
Has it ever occured to anyone in the USA that your country is just too big to manage as a fair democracy (in terms of people numbers not land mass) and maybe the whole federated states thing is becoming tricky to manage?
Has it ever occured to anyone in the USA that your country is just too big to manage as a fair democracy (in terms of people numbers not land mass) and maybe the whole federated states thing is becoming tricky to manage?
Nope. Works just fine when people play by the rules.
I believe we have to follow the rules. Laws are made for a purpose. Follow the rule of law and things generally work out
Has it ever occured to anyone in the USA that your country is just too big to manage as a fair democracy (in terms of people numbers not land mass) and maybe the whole federated states thing is becoming tricky to manage?
The US constitution does not charter a democracy per se. It establishes a federation of states, each of which is a republic with elected officials (not a pure, direct democracy). This is to temper the passions of the moment, reducing the opportunity for tyranny where a slight majority can oppress a slightly smaller minority. Reflect on our recent elections, and you can appreciate the wisdom of this. Congressional "gridlock" between House and Senate is not a problem with our system, but a feature: distribution of power so that no one part of the government has total control (except, perhaps, the IRS!).
Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. That is the reason for limitation of government powers, and for subsidiarity: making government decisions at the most local level possible, not by bodies far removed from those the decision affects.
And to answer Minimus: I cast my ink-on-paper ballot on election day, at the poling place, after showing my current, DHS-approved, state drivers' license. The same card I need to board a plane, buy booze, rent a car, cash a check...
Where I live (WI), when you register you provide your name and address. Then you go to the voting place for your address. They have a list made up from the registration list and make sure you are registered, live at that address, and have a photo ID (or other ID) which proves your live there. Following is what else qualifies and an ID
here you can register with a utility bill at the polling spot. no room there for fraud! Supposedly they check every signature against a master list; (oh sure). The original idea was for representatives of the people to govern, both their own electors, but also make reasonable dealings with the rest of the country, especiqlly monority groups. Now you have to vote for someone who will do the bidding of people in the background, or are some of the background people themselves.
Good luck getting a politician to keep a promise if they even cannot find a way to obscure any real intent.
I am waiting for the day someone finds out I am a registered skeptic.
I know this point can be a controversial subject : here in Australia its compulsory to register & vote if your over the age of 18 .
And i think that`s a fair system to have .But one where YOU have a say in how your country is run
And not bemoan about the state of the country after an election when YOU didn`t bother to vote because its not compulsory
I know people are going to say that takes away their personal freedoms etc,etc.
With a system of compulsory voting if you really so strongly feel that way all you have to do is make your vote void of no account , mark it in such a way as it doesn`t count.
Many JW`s did that myself included when I was a believer I went through the process fullfiling the obligations of registering etc,and when it came time to vote put down "Jehovah`s Kingdom By Christ Jesus and put a couple of scriptures to verify it .
And was never ever questioned about it or fined for not voting.
Now that i`m out of a brainwashed controlling religion that to a degree controlled what I thought and did .
I find it a little bit hard to comprehend that once you have left that behind and that now YOU have control to some extent what happens in your community you don`t take advantage of the opportunity to do so ?
Don't understand the question.
Voters are already required to register, in all precincts in all jurisdictions in all 50 states. The registration process is "proof that they are eligible to vote".
Someone's been watching a little too much Hannity, I fear.
