Brought to you by those people in
Palm Beach County, FL who were confused by the ballots.
Every news website known to man has been showing pictures of these things. What exactly was so damn confusing? There were arrows pointing to the right hole to punch for crying out loud! Do we need those ballots like they give little kids with the picture of the candidate that you're supposed to circle? If you make the effort to vote, which few people do, don't you think it's worth the time and thought involved to figure out how the ballot works before you punch it?
I think that we need to create some standards for people who vote in this country.
I'm not talking about literacy tests designed to exclude the underprivileged and undereducated. I'm talking about a few simple questions that anyone who is over the age of 18 in the developed world should know.
What celestial body is the center of our Solar System?
I read once that a random sample of people were questioned. 30% of them didn't know that the Sun was the center of the solar system. This is the kind of stuff I'm talking about.
What state do you live in?
If someone can't answer this question, then obviously they shouldn't be casting votes to decide who that state endorses as president of the United States, now should they?
At the present time in American politics, what are the two largest political parties?
Ooh, now we're getting tricky here. A potential voter should be able to pronounce a three-syllable word AND a four-syllable one. *gasp*
And last, but not least...
What is today's date?
This one should have a little leeway, but if you're off by more than a month, you obviously don't have the grasp of reality that one should have when choosing the future leader of the free world.
This test should be given verbally, or perhaps as kind of a "pre-ballot." If the voter cannot figure out which hole to punch on the pre-ballot, maybe that will keep them from voting for the wrong candidate.
Erynn:
GOP propoganda? From the liberal media? That's a joke and a half.
And people
shouldn't be in a hurry when voting. That is my point in this writeup. Not that people in Palm Beach County are morons, but that people should think this kind of stuff through.
wharfinger: Unfortunately, the
United States is not a company. The United States is a country. The goal of a country is not to be profitable.