• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Sen. Clinton Pushes for Voting Holiday

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

ShadowRed

Banned
Great fucking idea. I've been saying this would be good for a long time. I'm suprised that it's taken this long for someone in power to propose this.




Sen. Clinton Pushes for Voting Holiday

Thu Feb 17, 4:15 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites), a possible White House candidate in 2008, joined 2004 nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) 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.


She and Kerry, both considered contenders for the 2008 nomination, were joined by Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (news, bio, voting record), D-Ohio, and Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., who forced a highly unusual House and Senate debate Jan. 6 on the presidential election results.


Kerry, who lost the national contest by 3.3 million votes nationwide, and 118,000 within Ohio, denied the bill was an attempt to discredit the 2004 results.


"This has nothing to do with me," said Kerry. "It is not partisan, or shouldn't be."


Clinton echoed those comments, though her senatorial re-election committee, Friends of Hillary, is pushing the bill hard.


Visitors to the group's Web site are greeted first with a full-page form asking people to endorse the Count Every Vote Act.


"My Web site has information about everything I work on. This is one of my biggest priorities and obviously I hope that people who share our goal of making sure every vote counts will support us," said Clinton.


In addition to creating a federal holiday for voting, the bill would:


_Require paper receipts for votes.


_Authorize $500 million to help states make the changes in voting systems and equipment.


_Allow ex-felons to vote. Currently an estimated 4.7 million Americans are barred from voting because of their criminal records.


_Require adoption of the changes in time for the 2006 election.


Boxer said the bill "is meant to ensure the election debacle of 2000, and the serious election irregularities of 2004, never ever happen again."


Both parties have called for changes to ensure a more accurate vote count. Republican efforts have centered on reducing voter fraud, while Democrats have called for making access to the ballot box easier and simpler.
 
C

Celicar

Banned
God, that would suck. The company I work for would probably take one of my personal holidays away if they had to give us that day off. Gimme a break. You can vote before or after work. tsc tsc
 
W

WedgeX

Banned
Voting holiday has been a long time in coming. Hell, most unions (in Michigan anyhow) always had to ask for the day off or to work the later shifts just so they could vote. Didn't always happen.

Good to hear that it might finally happen.
 
I

impirius

Member
This is an excellent idea, especially the part about a paper record. Now, would this only be for the Presidential election, or would it be for 2-year elections as well?
 
D

DJ Sl4m

Member
An even better idea is if there was a way to filter out the stupid fucks politicians and media urge to vote, who don't know a damn thing about what most of the people running for office represent.

I bet the majority of people vote when they have 1 or more offices they are really interested in seeing a particular person win, and have no clue about the other offices being voted for.

Note I didn't say the smarter voters, or veteran voters, just the majority of the assclowns voting because they are told so, and simply have no clue wtf they are doing to our system by voting with such a roulette style voting method.
 
J

Jr.

Banned
Come on, did anyone get work done Nov. 2nd????



I also think they should constitute a Voter-wagon, or votermobile! Then people wouldn't havew to even leave their homes.

"What's that? Is that the ice cream man???" "No dad, its the vote man!"

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"

:lol
 
S

sprsk

force push the doodoo rock
Celicar said:
Can someone tell me why there needs to be a voting holiday? I'd rather work.
Click to expand...


so we dont have people waiting in line till 2 in the morning waiting to vote.
 
I

Iceman

Member
How would this guarantee that people vote?

People who don't work don't even vote as it is.

Everybody I know that works makes the effort to vote every November, etc. no matter what. We all consider it our duty, not just our right.

And national standards?? We have states for a reason. It's a republic. It works. Each individual state has its own right to conduct elections its own way.

Look I don't really care that much about this particular issue but I do care if the federal government steps on the rights of states to conduct their own affairs.
 
R

Ristamar

Member
It's not just about getting people to vote, it provides greater convenience to the average citizen. Voting shouldn't be a fucking pain in the ass.
 
J

Jr.

Banned
Ristamar said:
It's not just about getting people to vote, it provides greater convenience to the average citizen. Voting shouldn't be a fucking pain in the ass.
Click to expand...


Yeah, it was in some places, people in line all day, and then some HAD to take the day off anyway! If business's want to stay open then pay the employees holiday pay, it helps the ecconomy just like the repiglicans like!
 
D

Diablos

Member
It actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. It would be nice to have a day off in which you are expected to go out and contribute something to society. Unlike, for example President's Day. WTF is that good for? You can honor your favorite President(s) any day you want. I don't see many President Day parties advertised. :p Voting, on the other hand, is a big deal.
 
3

3phemeral

Member
Iceman said:
How would this guarantee that people vote?

People who don't work don't even vote as it is.

Everybody I know that works makes the effort to vote every November, etc. no matter what. We all consider it our duty, not just our right.

And national standards?? We have states for a reason. It's a republic. It works. Each individual state has its own right to conduct elections its own way.

Look I don't really care that much about this particular issue but I do care if the federal government steps on the rights of states to conduct their own affairs.
Click to expand...
Well, if you think about it on those terms, not everyone that works and wants to vote can do so very easily. A lot of the people I know have to go in early hours of the morning to cram a vote in before work. Personally, I have to rush after work to my local polling station and fight through traffic so I can vote before they close. Having a holiday specifically for voting allows me to vote at my leisure, without inconveniencing me.

BTW, I find it funny how in one post, celicar complains that having something like this implemented will definitely suck, then agrees with fellow poster about how it will actually hurt democrats more (to the extent of taking a personal joy to the thought) – and then proceeds to complain again directly thereafter. Anyone see anything hilarious about that, or is it just me?

:lol
 
A

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Jr. said:
Yeah, it was in some places, people in line all day, and then some HAD to take the day off anyway! If business's want to stay open then pay the employees holiday pay, it helps the ecconomy just like the repiglicans like!
Click to expand...

Silly bastard, it doesn't help the economy to give money to poor people. You'd be hurting the economy with this crazy "pay workers more" notion!
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
It won't guarantee that anyone will vote and that isn't even close to being the point of it. The point is to give people a chance to vote who WANT to vote. Many people who want to vote have issues on election day dealing with their employers and don't realize that their employer has to give them time to actually vote. Many people have issues just managing getting to the polling place AND managing to work.

All the conspiracy and compulsory elections folks - grow up.
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
Diablos said:
It actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. It would be nice to have a day off in which you are expected to go out and contribute something to society. Unlike, for example President's Day. WTF is that good for? You can honor your favorite President(s) any day you want. I don't see many President Day parties advertised. :p Voting, on the other hand, is a big deal.
Click to expand...


I say just cancel presidents day altogether :) Either that or mandate better sales on that day :)
 
D

Do The Mario

Unconfirmed Member
Stop crying, we have compulsory voting and it’s on a Saturday seriously one day in 3 years (4 for you guys) is nothing get over it.
 
G

GG-Duo

Member
I actually don't like the idea.

Because, frankly, this will get people to vote for maybe one or two elections - but after that, they'll just think it's a free holiday and go on vacation.
 
M

MIMIC

Banned
GG-Duo said:
I actually don't like the idea.

Because, frankly, this will get people to vote for maybe one or two elections - but after that, they'll just think it's a free holiday and go on vacation.
Click to expand...

I doubt it, since it's still Election Day.
 
T

Tarazet

Member
This is probably a move intended to get a Democratic president in power again, because poor people tend to be Democrats and poor people have to work long and inconvenient hours, so fewer of them can vote.

Still, that's a fine idea once you unwrap it from the polemic implications. But what, exactly, is an ex-felon? I thought a felon was someone who had been convicted of a felony at some point in his life.
 
R

RobotChant

Member
GG-Duo said:
I actually don't like the idea.

Because, frankly, this will get people to vote for maybe one or two elections - but after that, they'll just think it's a free holiday and go on vacation.
Click to expand...

If the process continues to be on Tuesdays I don't see that happening much. Who goes on vacation for one day, when they work the day before and the day after.

The whole thing sounds awesome to me. Go vote, come home and throw some steaks on the grill, get drunk, then eat. I guess some business will have a problem with having to pay employees holiday pay, though. But most places that stay open- like stores and restaurants- will be getting more business anyhow.
 
X

xsarien

daedsiluap
Iceman said:
People who don't work don't even vote as it is.
Click to expand...

And that's where this thread got stupid, borderline insulting.

Making election day a federal holiday would work to insure that people had time to vote, and didn't have to wait on excessively long lines (as demonstrated in November, the lines CAN get prohibitively long). A more even distribution of people throughout the day would all but eliminate the problem. People who would normally be at work could go in the morning or afternoon, college kids wouldn't have to try to squeeze it in between classes, and the people who prefer to procrastinate won't be shut out.

Possibly even more people voting! The democratic process in action! Isn't this something conservatives should get behind?

And Celicar, let's see you put your money where your mouth is: For the rest of the year, go to work on federal holidays. Hey, overtime for you! None of this "day off" crap, right?


bionic77 said:
Why don't they just change the law so elections are always on the weekend?
Click to expand...

Entirely too easy. We're Americans, we have to make things as needlessly complex as possible.
 
H

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
Possibly even more people voting! The democratic process in action! Isn't this something conservatives should get behind?
Click to expand...
You mean with or without considering actual Republican attitudes to initiatives regarding voter turnout?
 
S

Space Age Playboy

Banned
Lots of people have been trying for years to get voting moved to Saturdays instead. I think that'd be better than giving everyone yet another day off from work. That would decrease productivity.
 
M

Macam

Banned
I'm all for it. Like someone else said, there are plenty of extraneous holidays as it is (more so if you're atheist). The only reason I even got around to voting last year was because the company I was working for folded a few months prior.
 
D

Drensch

Member
I think it should be July 4 weekend, starting on friday ending sunday.

Who else is shocked that so called conservatives dislike the idea of more people voting in a more transparent voting process?
 
F

Ferrio

Banned
Actually I think a better idea would make it mandatory that a company pay a worker a day's salary if they come to work the next day with some kind of authentication that they actually voted. This way you don't have people just taking off the day to do jack shit, but still have people use it an as opportunity to vote.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
Ferrio said:
Actually I think a better idea would make it mandatory that a company pay a worker a day's salary if they come to work the next day with some kind of authentication that they actually voted. This way you don't have people just taking off the day to do jack shit, but still have people use it an as opportunity to vote.
Click to expand...
Hmm, how about no? That's just a pandora's box of trouble. No one should be rewarded for voting.
 
T

Tamanon

Banned
To be fair, a federal holiday would mainly benefit the middle class. A lot of lower class jobs don't get off holidays.

Either way, I don't like the idea, you can't just have another holiday in the middle of the week, that would totally throw the Market off. Only if they drop another holiday and move election day to the end or beginning of the week.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision, Interested in Buying Tik-Tok
2 3
143
12K
Gameplay Gods Bless replied
Satya Nadella: Annual letter to stockholders. Content on new platforms will continue
4 5 6 7 8
352
21K
noob smokes replied
FTC Seeks to Block Microsoft Corp’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
31 32 33 34 35
2K
147K
//DEVIL// replied
No Job, Loads of Debt: Covid Upends Middle-Class Family Finances - WSJ
Social
17
3K
daveonezero replied
  • Locked
2 in 10 Clinton Primary Voters Weren't Going To Vote For Obama (2008 Flashback)
16
4K
ModBot replied
Top Bottom