Christianity Today Op Ed

[Watermelon]

Most countries require you to present an ID to vote Jimmy. Ask the foreigners around here if their countries do, unless you think the black/brown people are too stupid to get one and need the white man to do it for him. Do you believe that non whites are not smart enough to do so? Racist liberals are always a funny breed.

[Teallaura]

Um, is that at the polls or to get an ID?

[Watermelon]

Um, is that at the polls or to get an ID?

At the polls. Once you vote you can have a sausage sizzle. But you have to pay $2.50.

[Teallaura]

We just get a sticker and go home...

[Mountain Man]

Are you saying that in Australia, you get fined if you don't vote?

[One Bad Pig]

Are you saying that in Australia, you get fined if you don't vote?

Yes, he is.

[Mountain Man]

Yes, he is.

Wow... and how long before you're fined if you don't vote "correctly"?

[One Bad Pig]

Wow... and how long before you're fined if you don't vote "correctly"?

I'm not sure how that follows.

[Mountain Man]

I'm not sure how that follows.

Forcing people to vote seems like government overreach to me, and I wonder what it would take for the government to reach just a little bit further and start monitoring how individuals vote.

[Charles]

Forcing people to vote seems like government overreach to me, and I wonder what it would take for the government to reach just a little bit further and start monitoring how individuals vote.

So monitorering how people vote would be to reach just a little bit further? You might want to reconsider that statement...

[Mountain Man]

So monitorering how people vote would be to reach just a little bit further? You might want to reconsider that statement...

No reconsideration needed. Here in the US, it is possible to tell whether or not I voted, but there is no way to see how I voted since all ballots are anonymous. It's a matter of basic privacy.

[Charles]

No reconsideration needed. Here in the US, it is possible to tell whether or not I voted, but there is no way to see how I voted since all ballots are anonymous. It's a matter of basic privacy.

That does not concern the point I made.

[Mountain Man]

That does not concern the point I made.

Of course it does, but you're too slow witted to see it. It's always a problem when the government reaches in and takes just a little more of your privacy away. Of course Australia isn't actually monitoring how people vote, but I think taking away one's freedom not to vote without facing reprisal is already bad enough.

[Charles]

Of course it does, but you're too slow witted to see it. It's always a problem when the government reaches in and takes just a little more of your privacy away. Of course Australia isn't actually monitoring how people vote, but I think taking away one's freedom not to vote without facing reprisal is already bad enough.

Nope. It does not. And it can be easily shown:

You wrote:

Forcing people to vote seems like government overreach to me, and I wonder what it would take for the government to reach just a little bit further and start monitoring how individuals vote.

I answered:

So monitorering how people vote would be to reach just a little bit further? You might want to reconsider that statement...

The point quite obviously is that starting to monitor how people actually vote is not a small step at all. It would be a huge step in the wrong direction. Your answer did not adress that point at all but went on to talk about elections in the US which was not even the topic:

No reconsideration needed. Here in the US, it is possible to tell whether or not I voted, but there is no way to see how I voted since all ballots are anonymous. It's a matter of basic privacy.

So, once again, you failed to adress the point.

And, of course i also think it is wrong to force people to vote. However I am able to point out that it is wrong without having to foolishly claim that is only a small step further to monitor how people vote.

[Mountain Man]

I can only assume at this juncture that my point went over your head and you're just doing the typical Chuck the Nitpicker routine.