The following article proposing that voting should be mandatory was forwarded to me in an e-mail last week. I didn't read it right away because I have already dismissed that proposition. However, I finally did read it and realized it was necessary to point out the flaw in the premise behind the whole article.
Making Voting Mandatory
The very first sentence is misleading. It is clearly an attempt to persuade readers who rely on individuals such as the writer of this article to provide them with factual information. Yet, the writer here is intentionally vague.
The assertion made is that "it's very likely NO U.S. president has ever been elected by a majority of American adults." The premise being that ALL Americans are not represented in the makeup of the government because ALL Americans don't vote.
That premise is wrong!
The fact that many in this nation choose to forgo their duty as a citizen and vote does not diminish the results of an election. Those citizens who choose not to vote have abdicated the election, and thereby their representation, to others. And, in America, they have the freedom to make that choice!
Let's not take away yet another freedom!
Note: The majority of elected presidents have been elected by a majority of those who have chosen to vote. You can view the results here.
Update 6/27/2012:
Here's a good response to the article referenced above. The writer echoes my sentiments exactly!
Voter Apathy Isn’t a Crime
