Mike Rowe: Voting In-And-Of Itself No Virtue

Western Journalism ^ | August 19, 2016 | Randy DeSoto

[Mozilla]

Television handyman Mike Rowe responded to a fan’s letter calling on him to urge people to get out and vote by contending the more important issue is the type of person who makes it to the polls.

In a Facebook post from earlier this week, the Somebody’s Gotta Do It host on CNN included a letter from a fan, who expressed a great respect for Rowe. “Can you please encourage your huge following to go out and vote this election? I would never impose on you by asking you to advocate one politician over another, but I do feel this election could really use your help,” asked the fan.

“I’m afraid I can’t encourage millions of people whom I’ve never met to just run out and cast a ballot, simply because they have the right to vote,” Rowe replied.

He went on to liken the right to vote to that of owning a gun: both must be done responsibly.

Telling everyone to vote “would be like encouraging everyone to buy an AR-15, simply because they have the right to bear arms. I would need to know a few things about them before offering that kind of encouragement. For instance, do they know how to care for a weapon? Can they afford the cost of the weapon? Do they have a history of violence? Are they mentally stable? In short, are they responsible citizens?” the oft-purveyor of wisdom articulates.

Rowe stated the the right to vote “impacts our society in dramatic fashion.”

[Mozilla]

I agree with Mr. Rowe in the sense that this is how the United States got to where we are now with so many uninformed low information voters being made to vote without any idea of what they were voting for.

[ilgipper]

Agreed. I never boost the idea of voting to anyone. For every vote made, mine is diluted, and I doubt those needing encouragement have much a of clue why they are voting for a particular candidate.

[virgil]

In other words, if you don’t know who you’re voting for, then stay the hell out of a voting booth.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I love that Mike Rowe WILL NOT encourage the CrAzIeS to get out and vote, just for the sake of it.

[Jagdgewehr]

"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user."

Theodore Roosevelt

[BwanaNdege]

Excellent quotation!

[Theoria]

“The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States,”

[latina4dubya]

love this guy even more...

[deweyfrank]

Mike Rowe is a good conservative dude.

[cyclotic]

Dead on.

Think, study then vote.

I believe:
Those on the public dole with a monthly paycheck courtesy of the taxpayers (except social security) should forfeit voting rights until they are off welfare.

Absentee voting should require certain limitations. ie; travel, age, handicap etc.

Early voting should be illegal.

Internet and vote by mail should be illegal

All voter records should be expunged every ten years. If you want to vote, you must re-register once every ten years.

Voting is important and should carry a level of duty and responsibility. If you cant haul your carcass off the couch in the twelve hours the polls are open, sorry for you.

[bert]

-—Think, study then vote-—

that requires mental effort.

there are lots and lots of people that shun mental effort. Many do not vote.

Those that do vote are convinced by who knows what in the final hours before doing their duty to go to the polls

[VRW Conspirator]

Agreed. I never boost the idea of voting to anyone.

Bump, I am inclined to discourage people to vote.

[antidisestablishment]

Only people who pay direct taxes or serve in the military should be able to vote.

People shouldn’t be voting for a paycheck. Anyone whose primary livelihood is derived from entitlement programs should be excluded, to include all government workers and elected officials.

[Jacquerie]

Exactly. But it gets worse.

The Framers' President (II).