Looking at the Iraqi election got me to thinking, how should we change voting in the US. I am conflicted on this subject. On the one hand, I am a federalist and believe in local control. But maybe we should split federal and state/local voting and to allow better federal elections (and avoid moonbattery every 4 years). SO, here are my proposals: 1. Pass a Constitutional Amendment spliting federal voting off from state voting. Federal law will determine the qualifications and method of voting for federal elections, including primaries. State law will be unchanged and untouched for state and local elections. 2. Spread federal election day into 2 or 3 days, straddling a weekend. 3. For federal elections, require photo id (driver's license, passport, military id). For people who do not have one of the above, a FREE government voting id, with a picture, useably ONLY for voting. 4. Do away with mail ballots. All persons must show up in person to vote. For people in the hospital, arrange for special election commissioners to go around on election day. For people living overseas or traveling, arrange for special election places in US emabssy's and consolutes or military bases. FOr people traveling within the United States, they can vote at a federal election polling place, and the ballot is forwarded to the correct polling place. (I admit though this may be unworkable). 5. Dip fingers in purple ink after voting (I just think it really cool and may do it next election here). 6. Use paper ballots for federal elections. No Diebold moonbat complaints this way. Any other ideas?
I hate #4. Oregon has been successfully conducting elections by mail for sometime. I never want to go back to voting in the booth at the local seniors home. Nice folks, but I'd prefer to send in my ballot the weekend before. What I want is simply a system that accurately counts every ballot. Sounds easy - but its not. I also want the companies that sell election equipment to not donate to any politcal parties or causes. Ever, but that's part of my corrupt government rant. And I would trade requiring positive IDs at the polling booth in return for automatic and universal voter registration.
I agree on number 4 being unworkable. I just really do not like voting by mail. Part of it is my belief in the "cult of liberty" -- to be republicanism is a civil religion and I beleive that the real downfall of the Republic, any republic, is that people stop caring enough to be concerned with political and public afairs. I am not saying you must stay awake all night worrying about where to place a stop sign or what to do about North Korea, but just a bit of interest would be nice. With respect to election equipment, corporations are forbidden from making political donations anyway. And individuals are individuals. I just don't like electionic machines couting votes. As for authomatic/universal registration, I would limit voting to citizens 18 and over. I would only allow those to vote who took the simple step of registering and providing for identification (part of my civil religion idea I guess). In any event, I am 38, fat and balding. I still get carded buying wine. I think voting is important enough to card people for that.
You can't tell me you think it's ok for the CEO of the company that produces AND manages our voting machines to promise to deliver the election to one of the candidates. That's third-world crap. My buds in Central America were laughing their asses off at that one. I do agree with you. All federal elections should be standardized and private corporations should not be in charge of counting the vote. Of all the needless duties the federal government performs, one duty they should be in complete control of is the election process.