Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford are co-chairs of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. They've produced a summary of the ideas they think will improve the electoral process. Some are good, some not so good.
A good idea, for instance, would be to make Election Day a national holiday, so the hard-working Americans who carry the load can have the time to cast their vote. But there are a couple of really bad ideas the commission is promoting: allowing convicted felons to vote, and allowing "provisional voting." Provisional voting is what would happen if a person shows up at a voting precinct and claims to be eligible to vote, but isn't listed on the election rolls. They would be allowed to vote, and election officials would later determine whether that person's ballot was valid.
Think about it. Who are convicted criminals likely to vote for--the Republican Party, which promises to be tough on crime? Or the Democratic Party, which has been historically soft on crime? They're going to vote for the party that offers fewer penalties for their crimes. And allowing people to vote, then determining their eligibility later, opens up all sorts of possibilities for further election fraud. It also destroys the concept of the secret ballot.
The Democrats may appear to be interested in improving the election process...but they're more interested in "reforms" that will result in more votes for Democrats.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAUTLTVSPC.html
http://wire.ap.org/APnews/main.html?PACKAGEID=electoralreform
A good idea, for instance, would be to make Election Day a national holiday, so the hard-working Americans who carry the load can have the time to cast their vote. But there are a couple of really bad ideas the commission is promoting: allowing convicted felons to vote, and allowing "provisional voting." Provisional voting is what would happen if a person shows up at a voting precinct and claims to be eligible to vote, but isn't listed on the election rolls. They would be allowed to vote, and election officials would later determine whether that person's ballot was valid.
Think about it. Who are convicted criminals likely to vote for--the Republican Party, which promises to be tough on crime? Or the Democratic Party, which has been historically soft on crime? They're going to vote for the party that offers fewer penalties for their crimes. And allowing people to vote, then determining their eligibility later, opens up all sorts of possibilities for further election fraud. It also destroys the concept of the secret ballot.
The Democrats may appear to be interested in improving the election process...but they're more interested in "reforms" that will result in more votes for Democrats.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAUTLTVSPC.html
http://wire.ap.org/APnews/main.html?PACKAGEID=electoralreform
