February 17, 2005

OBTUSE TRIANGLE (via Michael Burns, [including title]):

Sen. Clinton Pushes for Voting Holiday (DEVLIN BARRETT, 2/17/05, Associated Press)

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a possible White House candidate in 2008, joined 2004 nominee John Kerry and other Democrats Thursday in urging that Election Day be made a federal holiday to encourage voting.

She also pushed for legislation that would allow all ex-felons to vote.

Standing with Massachusetts Sen. Kerry and other Democrats who had alleged voting irregularities in the 2004 contest, Clinton said, "Once again we had a federal election that demonstrates we have a long way to go."

"I think it's also necessary to make sure our elections meet the highest national standards," said the New York senator.


What do slackers and criminals have to do with high standards, other than not meeting them?

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 17, 2005 5:57 PM
Comments

Put it on a Saturday.

Posted by: Sandy P at February 17, 2005 7:17 PM

What do slackers and criminals have to do with high standards, other than not meeting them?

They vote Democratic.

Posted by: David Cohen at February 17, 2005 7:24 PM

For crying out loud, some states have "early voting" (like Florida) for 2 weeks! Others have very lax absentee voting requirements. Anyone who wanted to vote did so with minimal effort. The democrats need to wake up to the new math, fewer ideas = fewer votes.

Posted by: capt mike at February 17, 2005 7:26 PM

Hey, if they'd seperate out each prison as its own voting precinct so everyone could see how many folks behind bars voted Democratic versus Republican, that might be a valuable long-term public service. Even better if they could narrow the demographic voting categories down to each specific violation -- murders, arsonists, adult sex offenders, pedophiles...

Posted by: John at February 17, 2005 9:02 PM

I think we should support this legislation. The odds are that the turn among the marginally motivated and marginally connected would plumet.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at February 17, 2005 9:06 PM

What's an ex-felon? Is that a felon that has died? What's the difference between a felon and an ex-felon? I thought Bill pardoned them all.

Posted by: Yacob Yocom at February 17, 2005 9:08 PM

Actually, if there is a correlation between holiday and turnout, the Dems best strategy is to cntinue having unions extort this day as a holiday fo heir rank and file (as it remains a work day for the rest).

Posted by: Moe from NC at February 18, 2005 6:54 AM

The last time she opined on voting reform the electoral college and it's undemocratic nature was her problem. Of course she wants a large turnout. The less informed and witht the leaast at stake the better.

Posted by: Tom C., Stamford, Ct. at February 18, 2005 9:01 AM

Elections should be run from Friday at 6pm EDT to Monday at 6AM EDT. That gives everyone plenty of time to vote.

Felons, who have served a year and a day in the pokey, have never voted in the US, and there is no good reason for that to change. There are some prices that must be paid.

Posted by: Bart at February 18, 2005 9:38 AM

Um, yeah. When Dems push for increased voting among groups that DON'T vote 90% for Dems, then perhaps they will deserve to be taken seriously.

Why go for half measures? Why not just come out and say that if you are a registered Democrat, you will get a paid day off on election day? Better yet, if you actually vote, you get the whole week off as a paid vacation?

Posted by: Ha at February 18, 2005 11:05 AM
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