Just two things....death and taxes.....those are the only things that are said to be certain in life and now there's word President Obama wants to add one more thing.  During a speech in Cleveland on Wednesday Obama said he'd like to see mandatory voting become law.

Obama said mandatory voting would be "transformative" and most importantly it would reduce the effect of big money on elections. He said it would be a better gauge of the wishes of the public because traditionally younger, lower-income, immigrants and minorities are the ones who usually don't bother to vote.  In the 2014 elections, less than 37 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.

At least two dozen countries have a mandatory voting rule including Australia, Belgium, Brazil and Argentina.  In many of those countries you need a valid excuse or face a fine if you don't vote.  You could end up in jail in some countries.

Is Obama right?  I'd agree only if people made an educated vote, they knew what the candidates stood for and what the issues are.  How many times do people vote for a candidate simply because somebody said they should...or because the name was familiar.  It would require a constitutional amendment.

 

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