I understand the argument that requiring a registration means that the voter is more likely to be informed than not. But I don't understand the "If you're registered automatically then it means the government is forcing you to vote" argument. By the same logic, does the government force you to drive once you get a drivers license?

I'm personally in favor of automatic registration, but I can see both sides.

good point on jury duty, though isn't than an OBLIGATION of citizenship?

What I mean is that we use voter registration because it shows 'where you live', but I think the presumption was that you SHOULD participate, and that was just a convenient way of figuring out which courts you might be in. Drivers licenses would be just as easy, or property rolls or anything else.

Essentially what you're saying is that some people want to live off the grid... take all the advantages of being a citizen without any of the responsibilities... which I understand, but it doesn't make it right. Isn't that the primary argument against illegal immigrants?

(05-17-2016 01:17 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:46 PM)Greenroom Wrote:  I don't understand why we cannot vote online. You really want the people to have a say, then put it online. But it is not going to happen in my life time.. since both RNC and DNC cannot keep putting additional restrictions if it is easy to vote online.
File Taxes ok
Vote no way in Hell

You'd disenfranchise older Americans. They hate The Internet!

Also, same issues as current voter fraud. No visual confirmation that the "voter" is the person they claim to be.

With internet voting we'd get over a billion people voting in presidential elections.

(05-17-2016 02:25 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  good point on jury duty, though isn't than an OBLIGATION of citizenship?

What I mean is that we use voter registration because it shows 'where you live', but I think the presumption was that you SHOULD participate, and that was just a convenient way of figuring out which courts you might be in. Drivers licenses would be just as easy, or property rolls or anything else.

Essentially what you're saying is that some people want to live off the grid... take all the advantages of being a citizen without any of the responsibilities... which I understand, but it doesn't make it right. Isn't that the primary argument against illegal immigrants?

Most states put you on the rolls for either having a driver's license or registering to vote.

I wouldn't call it an obligation in all honesty but that' sort of an unsettled moral question.

If it is an obligation it is essentially government mandated servitude.

(05-17-2016 12:38 PM)gsu95 Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 08:36 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:56 PM)gsu95 Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:44 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  No

I'm inclined to go this direction and I'm not 100 percent sure why I feel that way, but it just seems like a cheapening of the franchise.

In Georgia you can register to vote when you get a driver's license or sign up for an ID card, but they don't sign you up.

This borders on government mandate to me. I don't like that.

Yep, it does smack a little of a mandate. What if someone wants to opt out of the process? I know some who say they don't want to vote because in their minds it doesn't matter and their vote won't change anything. They say the process is rigged, a fraud, etc.

Hell, after some of what I've seen on Dems side this year I'm not sure they're all that wrong.

"Being able to elect ones master makes them no less a slave." I've always liked that quote...and now I'm beginning to understand it more and more as time goes by.

(05-17-2016 09:34 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(05-17-2016 12:38 PM)gsu95 Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 08:36 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:56 PM)gsu95 Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:44 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  No

I'm inclined to go this direction and I'm not 100 percent sure why I feel that way, but it just seems like a cheapening of the franchise.

In Georgia you can register to vote when you get a driver's license or sign up for an ID card, but they don't sign you up.

This borders on government mandate to me. I don't like that.

Yep, it does smack a little of a mandate. What if someone wants to opt out of the process? I know some who say they don't want to vote because in their minds it doesn't matter and their vote won't change anything. They say the process is rigged, a fraud, etc.

Hell, after some of what I've seen on Dems side this year I'm not sure they're all that wrong.

"Being able to elect ones master makes them no less a slave." I've always liked that quote...and now I'm beginning to understand it more and more as time goes by.

That's pretty damn apt.
Who said that? I've tried Google, no luck on nailing it down.

(05-17-2016 02:25 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  good point on jury duty, though isn't than an OBLIGATION of citizenship?

What I mean is that we use voter registration because it shows 'where you live', but I think the presumption was that you SHOULD participate, and that was just a convenient way of figuring out which courts you might be in. Drivers licenses would be just as easy, or property rolls or anything else.

Essentially what you're saying is that some people want to live off the grid... take all the advantages of being a citizen without any of the responsibilities... which I understand, but it doesn't make it right. Isn't that the primary argument against illegal immigrants?

I agree. If they really want to solve the problem, they should simply make voting mandatory. If you don't vote, you have to give a legitimate reason or you get fined. Just like jury duty.

(05-19-2016 12:20 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(05-17-2016 02:25 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  good point on jury duty, though isn't than an OBLIGATION of citizenship?

What I mean is that we use voter registration because it shows 'where you live', but I think the presumption was that you SHOULD participate, and that was just a convenient way of figuring out which courts you might be in. Drivers licenses would be just as easy, or property rolls or anything else.

Essentially what you're saying is that some people want to live off the grid... take all the advantages of being a citizen without any of the responsibilities... which I understand, but it doesn't make it right. Isn't that the primary argument against illegal immigrants?

I agree. If they really want to solve the problem, they should simply make voting mandatory. If you don't vote, you have to give a legitimate reason or you get fined. Just like jury duty.

I wouldn't go THAT far.

Choosing not to vote is still 'essentially' voting. I mean even if only one person in the country votes, that's a vote. Choosing not to serve on a jury means that someone else has to take your place... at least up to 12.

I'd make voting registration mandatory, in that you are registered to vote when you get an ID (which you must have for ANY social services).... but if you don't have an opinion, I'd rather you not merely cast a vote for the person with the better sounding name or whatever just because you were forced to by law.

(05-16-2016 08:45 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 08:42 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  ?While they're at it, why not put a photo on the voter registration card? They're already capturing a photo with the DL. Then you have a photo ID to use to vote.

I have no problem with your DL being a dual purpose document. I just think YOU should be the one responsible for registering. If you are so damn lazy and unmotivated to register to vote?...Your sorry ass needs to stay at home on election day. You most likely have no damn clue what is going on.

Too many uniformed vote. Especially on down the ballot offices.

(05-16-2016 08:48 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 08:45 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  If you are so damn lazy and unmotivated to register to vote?...Your sorry ass needs to stay at home on election day. You most likely have no damn clue what is going on.

Lazy, unmotivated, clueless ... Isn't that the democrats' favorite voting demographic?

What's funny is how they like to talk about how intelligent people vote Democratic and Republicans are stupid. Yet....

(05-17-2016 01:17 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:46 PM)Greenroom Wrote:  I don't understand why we cannot vote online. You really want the people to have a say, then put it online. But it is not going to happen in my life time.. since both RNC and DNC cannot keep putting additional restrictions if it is easy to vote online.
File Taxes ok
Vote no way in Hell

You'd disenfranchise older Americans. They hate The Internet!

Also, same issues as current voter fraud. No visual confirmation that the "voter" is the person they claim to be.

Same issues multiplied by a million.

(05-19-2016 01:36 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(05-19-2016 12:20 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(05-17-2016 02:25 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  good point on jury duty, though isn't than an OBLIGATION of citizenship?

What I mean is that we use voter registration because it shows 'where you live', but I think the presumption was that you SHOULD participate, and that was just a convenient way of figuring out which courts you might be in. Drivers licenses would be just as easy, or property rolls or anything else.

Essentially what you're saying is that some people want to live off the grid... take all the advantages of being a citizen without any of the responsibilities... which I understand, but it doesn't make it right. Isn't that the primary argument against illegal immigrants?

I agree. If they really want to solve the problem, they should simply make voting mandatory. If you don't vote, you have to give a legitimate reason or you get fined. Just like jury duty.

I wouldn't go THAT far.

Choosing not to vote is still 'essentially' voting. I mean even if only one person in the country votes, that's a vote. Choosing not to serve on a jury means that someone else has to take your place... at least up to 12.

I'd make voting registration mandatory, in that you are registered to vote when you get an ID (which you must have for ANY social services).... but if you don't have an opinion, I'd rather you not merely cast a vote for the person with the better sounding name or whatever just because you were forced to by law.

Fair points.

(05-17-2016 02:32 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(05-17-2016 01:17 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:46 PM)Greenroom Wrote:  I don't understand why we cannot vote online. You really want the people to have a say, then put it online. But it is not going to happen in my life time.. since both RNC and DNC cannot keep putting additional restrictions if it is easy to vote online.
File Taxes ok
Vote no way in Hell

You'd disenfranchise older Americans. They hate The Internet!

Also, same issues as current voter fraud. No visual confirmation that the "voter" is the person they claim to be.

With internet voting we'd get over a billion people voting in presidential elections.

Probably most of China would vote. They like to hack us.