There is a genius lawmaker in New York who has come up with an amazing idea: the state government will fine New Yorkers for not voting.
This is no joke. State Rep. Deborah Glick, a Democrat representing part of Manhattan, is the birthmother of this plan.
Glick says, “Mandatory voting would drastically increase civic participation and transform the political arena by making politicians more reflective of the constituents that elected them.”
It’s brilliant! By forcing people to vote, New York will get better elected officials. Think of it as a reverse poll tax. In fact, it’s a tax on New Yorkers’ Constitutional rights.
American citizens have a right to vote, of course. However, we also have the right to not vote. Therefore, Glick’s “non-vote tax” is an affront to the flip-side of the franchise. New Yorkers have the right to abstain from participating in any election and no temporary politician has the right to deny it.
If Glick’s goal is to increase voter turn-out, an Obamacare-style fine for not completing a transaction is not the solution.
Teaching about our Constitution, our founding, our republican style of government, and the sanctity of our right to vote is the solution to both increasing the vote and not electing people like Glick who don’t understand the right to not vote.
Graham Ledger (@TheDailyLedger) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He hosts “The Daily Ledger” on One America News Network.
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