I Voted... For Cash

               Something called the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission (oxymoron?) is actually pressing the City (“of Angels”) Council to ponder ways of paying (“bribing”?)  people to vote.

                The commission is disgruntled that relatively few Los Angelinos are voting of late. Only a little over 23 percent of eligible voters voted in last year’s mayoral election, for example. To quote an old song by the band “Rush”: “If you choose not to decide… you still have made a choice”. Not voting is, in itself, either a non-expression of opinion, or an  expression of no opinion.  That very non-expression of an opinion is itself an expression, and the expression of no opinion is in fact based on an opinion. Either the individual “non-voter” has an opinion, but in his/her way of thinking the candidates/issues aren’t worth the time and effort expended to voice that opinion or he/she doesn’t feel they really have a preference or know the issues well enough to weigh in on the matter at hand.

                Or they just don’t give a rat’s ass.

                In any case, these are not folks that we as a country should desperately try to bribe or entice- or coerce-  to vote. “Low information”, lazy, or what-have-you (potential) voters will be lured to the polls if the possible financial rewards are great enough. One measure under consideration to enhance voter turnout is to create a special lottery that would give everyone who shows up at the polls a shot at winning, say, $100,000. (Didn’t know L.A. was rolling in cash).

                News flash: the government already pays folks to vote! Welfare, food stamps, etc., etc., etc. work to the distinct benefit of…those in government come election day.

                So do your civic duty as an American citizen this upcoming election.

                And maybe win big cash prizes! “Show me those dead presidents!”

                Who are rolling in their graves.