Posted on 07/21/2011 4:24:11 AM PDT by suspects
Has a liberal ever met a problem he didn’t throw money at?
Take U.S. Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Somerville). In a recent radio interview on 1510-AM, he addressed the problem (?) of America’s lack of civic engagement and low voter turnout.
“I think there is an obligation — not just a right, but an obligation — to vote,” Capuano said.
His solution? Money. Your money.
Capuano wants to “require people to vote,” but acknowledged that “we aren’t going to put people in jail.” So instead he came up with this idea:
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing to say everybody pays $10 and if you go to vote you get your $10 back. And if you don’t vote that money goes to support the election process.”
So you’re going to confiscate my 10 bucks and hold it hostage unless I show up at the polls? Congressman Capuano, I’ve got an even better idea. How about if we pay your supporters $10 not to vote? Then maybe we can keep this insanity out of Congress.
I’m not worried about this craziness becoming law . . . yet. While Capuano’s proposal is similar to the compulsory voting system in Australia (where the fine for not voting is around $20), fortunately for us, it’s unlikely to come to the United States.
For one thing, attorney Christian Adams, who runs the Election Law Center blog, assures me a scheme like this is almost certainly illegal.
“Vote buying is against the law,” Adams says, and “the definition of vote buying is ‘giving something of value for someone to vote.’ People have gone to jail for stuff like this.”
He recounted the story of Appalachia, Va., where the mayor, a town councilman and two cops were indicted for offering potential voters bags of pork rinds, packs of cigarettes and...
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
Well, not exactly. It's against the law to use your own money to buy votes.
And these guys balk at people having to have IDs to vote because minorities might not be able to afford them?
Typical Lib Congresscritter forgets that America is a land of liberty and freedom.
WE decide who or if we vote sir, NOT YOU or the government.
Is he the Democrat who tried to make
Fluffernutter illegal?
or some other peanut butter additive like jam?
Forcing people to vote is not the way to good responsible government.
All it means is people will get ticked off and just check any box. Of course, my guess is, is a dem congressman is not really interested in good responsible government. He is interested in keeping the gravy train rolling.
And if you vote democrat, we’ll give you 20 bucks. /s
not sure if it's still on the books..
“I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going. Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary,” Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Ma.) told a crowd in Boston on Tuesday rallying in solidarity for Wisconsin union members.
This is not Capuano’s first brush with violent rhetoric. Last month Capuano said, “Politicians, I think are too bland today. I don’t know what they believe in. Nothing wrong with throwing a coffee cup at someone if you’re doing it for human rights.”
Capuano is the civil congressman who expressed a desire to see some blood flow in the Wisconsin demonstrations earlier this year.
Exactly.
I want only LEGAL US Citizens to vote!!! How Quaint.
How do you plan to get $10 from every single person in United States? Over half don't pay taxes...
Gerrymandering means that YOUR VOTE DOESN’T MEAN A DAMN.
Why bother?
Really.
I guess the usual pack of cigs and a sandwich are not bringing in enough democrat votes. Rather than punish people I would suggest that he and other dimocrats add a bottle of Ripple or Thunderbird to go with the deal.
So, will they fine the illegals they are trying to get to the polls, if they don’t show up?
There’s a whole new bureaucracy involved in this progressive gem.
And, let’s just overlook the fact that voting is NOT an obligation, right?
Nah...keep your ‘obligation’. I’ll take my ‘right and privilege’.
This is the second time I've seen this mistake in a week.
The proper phrase is "Every once in a while."
I guess knowing proper English is not a prerequisite for being a journalist? Although, given the extreme leftist tilt of many journalists, I'd guess overall intelligence isn't really necessary, either.
Actually, I was thinking just the opposite.
I was thinking that only those who actually care about the fate of the country and who are informed should be allowed to vote.
I was thinking a $1000 fee per year to vote ($5,000 if you’re a registered Dimocrat) and mandatory testing (which the Dimocrats will fail anyway).
I’ll write the tests.
A stealth POLL TAX from the Democrats.
This is the same garbage the Democrats tried to pull when they were running around with white sheets over their heads.
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