re: #453 BigPapa

In Australia you are fined if you do not vote. I’m not suggesting that we move that way, but in a country of a little over 20m, 10.7m voted. Some people would rather pay the $100 I guess.

The failure seems to be more of ‘good men doing nothing’ in letting scoundrels gain following, as opposed to a failure of our system of governance.

In an age where the potential to be more educated about all things is here, the potential for disinformation has risen in lockstep. In the end, you have to do work to become educated. Nothing can change that, not any democracy or system of governance.

That is an interesting idea. It does nothing to address the quality of the voter.

Look, If I really had my way, I would demand a social service requirement for voting. We went over this in very great detail once on another thread, but I rather like expanding on Heinlein’s ideas on the matter.

Those who give a damn enough about their nation to serve in one way or another for some period of time — doing any number of things, it could be teaching, or caring for the elderly, or the military - get to vote. Those who could not be bothered to give to their nation, get all the benefits of living here, save voting.