In an effort to confuse and astound, a Louisiana State Senator has introduced a bill to require that NO tax bill be passed and accepted unless 20% of the voter base casts a ballot for the institution of the tax. The bill’s sponsors said SB200 would save money and stop the enactment of laws not having public support. That makes it immediately fall suspect before the jaundiced and cynical vision of such far-seeing commentators.

I mean: the bill makes sense! Where’d this come from? FROM LOUISANA! Wow! Taxes are being passed in Louisiana Parishes by voter turn-outs numbering no more than five %. It was rumored several Democrat legislators’ heads imploded upon reading SB200, but that’s not been confirmed: yet.

Taxes are regularly enacted with the non-participant, ignorant consent and apathy of the non-voting populace. The majority of people don’t give a flip about voting. They feel disenfranchised by politicians running government against the will of the people. These people justifiably feel their voice is muted by the overwhelming volume of a small but amplified minority’s vocal harangue. It follows the “squeaky wheel” principle. You know: “the squeaky wheel gets the grease!”

I’d suggest: “the bloody wheel needs replacement”. How’s that sound?

Compulsory voting in America goes back into national antiquity. It was first written into the Georgia State Constitution in 1777. Ten years before the adoption of the full U.S. Constitution in 1789 Georgia adopted this. (10 years before the adoption of the federal Constitution of 1787): “Every person absenting himself from an election, shall be subject to a penalty not exceeding five pounds; the mode recovery and also the appropriation thereof, to be pointed out and directed by act of the legislature: Provided, nevertheless; That a reasonable excuse shall be admitted.” – Constitution of Georgia, 5 February 1777 Article XII. (Wikipedia 2014) It took 12 years before they decided to remove this from the State Constitution.

There are presently 10 sovereign nations requiring and enforcing voter participation in local and national elections: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Congo, Ecuador, Luxembourg, Nauru, Peru, Singapore and Uruguay. There are more with the statutes in place but NOT enforcing their laws.

Australians and Brazilians must provide legitimate reasons for not voting (illness or proven absenteeism outside the country) is acceptable. Argentina allows those ill on voting day are excused by a doctor testifying to the voter being under supervised care. Because of vast undeveloped expanses in the nations (Australia and Brazil) being over 500 km (310 mi) voters away from their voting place are also excused by acquiring a police issued certificate near where they are. Belgian voters can vote in an embassy if they are abroad, or vote by proxy if the proxy has a copy of the absentee’s eID card (electronic ID) and their own on the actual election day.

There are more ways to sanction non-voters. Nations sanctioning nonvoters generally impose small monetary penalties. However, penalties are not limited to fines. Belgian voters repeatedly failing to vote may suffer disenfranchisement (denial of the voting right). Singapore voters failing to vote in a general elections or presidential elections are subjected to disenfranchisement until giving a valid reason or they pay a fine. Publicly funded Social Services may be denied to those failing to vote in Peru. Brazilians failing to vote are barred from obtaining a passport and subject to other restrictions.

Voting in elections is as much a responsibility as it is a right. It’s a privilege to be able to vote in this nation; a privilege removed from many citizens of foreign nations. Please note Kim Jong-Il was elected unanimously in North Korea. (Yeah Right!)

American government has escaped the people’s control because of public apathy and ignorance of the responsibility to control that government. We’re presently in this sorry condition because people aren’t elected by a majority of the people: they’re elected by a majority of the minority voting. In America that’s as close as we can get to a national sin. Please look at the last paragraph; last sentence again.

It CAN happen here. Look at what we have for national “leadership” now.

Thanks for listening.