Mandatory, Obligitory Privileges

G'day Y'all,

As of 25 August I have been a permanent resident in Australia for two years. I am now eligible for citizenship. I am very excited about becoming a naturalised citizen of my adopted home. I appreciate the privileges that come with citizenship. I’ve tried to explain to my Aussie mates just how excited I am to vote in Australia.

In Australia voting is mandatory. If you are eligible to vote and don’t you are fined. Because of this my Aussie mates see voting as less of a privilege of democracy and more a begrudged obligation lumped together with paying taxes.

I can’t help but wonder what the implications of a mandatory vote in the US would be. Election turnout hovers around 50% in American presidential elections. My guess would be that the half of Americans that don’t vote are for the large part those who would benefit the most from policy changes like health care reform. If a fine doesn’t get these people to the pole perhaps we could use the money collected in fines to revamp the health care system.

The target I’m trying to reach with these randomly tossed projectiles of thought is this: Be we American or Australian (or soon to be both) we are privileged to have a voice in the way our governments conduct their business. It is a sin against the sacrifices of the men and women who formed our societies to not use these voices as loudly and brightly as Julie Andrews in the Alps. The way I see it we have two choices. We can register and vote or suffer in silence as others dictate how we live.

Get out there and VOTE!