You would think that everyone in a democracy, whatever their various political perspectives, would agree that free, unfettered access to the ballot box is a fundamental right, and that we can all unite on that. Incredibly lots of political operatives and machine politicians spend huge amounts of time and money suppressing the vote—making registration tough or impossible, disenfranchising citizens with a criminal record, sending around false information about polling places, and more. This is why the electorate has always looked remarkably different from the citizenry, why presidential elections in particular are decided by a minority, and it’s why the voting booth has been a site of struggle for over 200 years.
A robust and participatory democracy would mean that every citizen could find a good reason to vote and would be assured that exercising the vote, a fundamental human and civil right, is an open and easy process which is visible and accessible. Every vote would count and every citizen could vote. Access to the ballot has been a long and hard-fought process, but full enfranchisement and unimpaired access is still far from a reality.
Full enfranchisement includes allowing former and current inmates to cast their ballots in local, state, and federal elections. Other countries do this. Incarcerated persons are still citizens; half a million incarcerated people are released each year, and they have a stake in the political process. Easy same day registration means that even demanding work schedules and family responsibilities will not impede access to the ballot. Campaign finance reform and public funding of political campaigns would allow someone who is not a millionaire to run for public office, and would blunt the influence of rich benefactors. The Electoral College is a living legacy of slavery and must be overturned in favor of a National Popular Vote. And instant run-off voting, in which voters rank their choices and it takes a majority rather than a plurality to win, can begin to break the strangle-hold of big party machines.
These changes would be baby steps toward making every vote count.
Bill Ayers 
@ Rachel, I’m not sure what state you were in when you registered but each state has their own difficulties. When I turned 18, I went to my local DMV (in TX) to renew my driver’s license and was asked if I wanted to register. A few weeks later I received a letter stating my request was denied because I was not a U.S. citizen even though I was born in Dallas and had never been outside of the US my whole life. After a lot of red tape and proving I am who I am I was able to vote when I turned 21. There are many more obstacles people face.
@ Danny, Obama didn’t take public financing because he knew he could raise more money from individuals than the public financing without taking money from lobbyist and corporations. He is the “agent of change” because he has changed public funding forever. More so than McCain did with BCRA.
Why should a person collecting welfare or a felon be allowed to vote?
As a capitalist I should be able to take advantage of all available labor power; able bodied people collecting welfare waters down my labor pool.
Hmmmmm….Because they are citizens, just like you? Because people you might not like or agree with or know are still equal to you in terms of rights?
Washington,
You mean as a capitalist you should be able to EXPLOIT all available labor power, don’t you? Before you jump to any conclusions I, too, am a capitalist. I have owned, operated, and sold several companies.
One thing we agree on…able bodied people should not be collecting welfare. Generally speaking, they aren’t. That is the stereotype narrative created by the conservative propaganda machine. The people I have met that are collecting benefits are usually seeking employment, underemployed, or saddled with children to care for and no money to pay for childcare. Your benevolent offering of a minimum wage job won’t solve their problem. If you’re offering wages significantly above the state mandated minimum then you likely don’t have a labor shortage.
in short, you and I both want to put an end to welfare programs (though I’d retain emergency benefits to meet special circumstances) but I propose doing it by paying workers a living wage that allows them to purchase necessary transportation, food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and childcare. Of course, much more is needed if the economy is to grow so your business can grow, unless you want these low income workers living on borrowed money so they can keep buying whatever your business provides.
Hey, Mr. Ayers. It is me again. I just want to comment on your post about equal rights whether you are jobless or the CEO of a financial institution. I totally agree with you on that. The Constitution guarantees its terms for every American equally.
If you want to take part in an election you make the time to register and you make the time to VOTE; it is that simple.
And if you’re black or Latino, you wait five hours in the rain for your chance to stand in the polling booth and mark a ballot that will be “challenged” or thrown out by the county clerk. It is that simple.
Welfare perpetuates the cycle of poverty. You take away the intentitive to rise above the poverty line… You grow up on welfare and their is no role model to deprive Children born into poverty any HOPE to rise above the poverty line, they learn to play the system…… Before you know it their stealing to just survive with the basics neccessities living on one payday a month….
libby’s obvious crush on you is shameless. i agree with the sentiment of public financing. barack obama pulled out of public financing because he has brilliant chess players on his team, and they checked mccain–he could obviously never pull out of public finance with his significant legislative history, right? sorry, republicans, your candidate was outplayed on that one. discard the electoral college and rewrite the constitution and create a parliment with a prime minister and give this country what it needs–more participating parties. after that, i’d like some ice cream and a nice massage from a team of supermodels who also enjoy chess.
The good thing about washed up Marxist terrorists is that their arguments have been around for so long that it is easy to punch truck-sized holes in them. A fisking of Wild Bill’s “Ballots for All My Friends” essay:
>>Full enfranchisement includes allowing former and current inmates to cast their ballots in local, state, and federal elections. Other countries do this.<>Incarcerated persons are still citizens; half a million incarcerated people are released each year, and they have a stake in the political process.<> Easy same day registration means that even demanding work schedules and family responsibilities will not impede access to the ballot.<> Campaign finance reform and public funding of political campaigns would allow someone who is not a millionaire to run for public office, and would blunt the influence of rich benefactors.<> The Electoral College is a living legacy of slavery and must be overturned in favor of a National Popular Vote. <>And instant run-off voting, in which voters rank their choices and it takes a majority rather than a plurality to win, can begin to break the strangle-hold of big party machines. <<
Like Chicago’s?