Care to vote?: Having a responsible electorate isn't too much to ask

Stop the spin.

Stop the baloney.

Stop the pretense.

It is time that someone, somewhere calls the protests against limiting early voting and the statements that requiring identification to vote is racist what they are.

Partisanship.

The new rule in America seems to be don't demand anything of anyone -- unless they are a Christian or a gun owner.

For the rest, it is hand holding, baby sitting and ridiculous accommodations that make no sense and claims that are just plain false.

No one, and we repeat, no one, should see being asked for identification as a threat to their freedom to exercise their right to vote unless they have a reason not to want to be identified.

Otherwise, presenting identification is a natural request, and one that people of all generations, races and socioeconomic status face every day in the conduct of their normal lives.

And asking people to vote on Election Day is no great sacrifice either.

Most people do it that way -- and it has worked quite well for generations.

Adding a day or two is fine, but weeks? That is nothing but a waste.

The idea behind easing the standards to vote is simple -- Democrats want more people to cast ballots, legitimate or not. They have figured out that their demographic includes people for whom the easing of the rules might make more of them come out to the polls. So, they want them to have the easiest path possible to do so.

What is shameful is that the same "make it as easy as possible" does not seem to extend to our servicemen and women. This past election they encountered all sorts of problems getting their ballots and getting them back on time.

No one seemed concerned about that. No one called that discrimination or called for changes to make sure those votes were counted.

See the point? Military members, although not a monolith, tend to vote in a more conservative manner.

So here it is. We do not need more people to vote. We need more people to care enough to vote.

Big difference.

There are plenty of people on both sides of the aisle simply filling out ballots willy nilly. They have no clue for whom they are casting those ballots and they do not care. They were told what to check and they did.

Voting is a responsibility and it is critical that we change the attitude toward it.

Making it easier should not be the goal. Making it a more informed and responsible electorate should be.

That does not require bending the rules, changing the standards. It requires getting people more involved in their city, state and nation.

And that begins with education.

Votes should matter -- and they won't really as they are treated like checks on a card and not as the responsibility that goes along with enjoying freedom.

When something is given with no responsibility attached, it is treated as something of less value.

There is nothing wrong with putting a few demands on those who make decisions that affect us all.

That's when freedom means something and we truly are a nation of, by and for the people.

Published in Editorials on April 5, 2013 11:37 AM