Sanders: Make Election Day a holiday

[Suzanimal]

Increasing voter turnout is one of Bern's favorite issues.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wants to make election a day a holiday, suggesting that it could make it easier to vote.

Sanders, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, has introduced a proposal that would amend the U.S. code to include "Federal Election Day, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year," according to the legislation.

The Vermont senator said at a rally last week that the legislation would make sure everyone who wants to vote has the time to, and "would indicate a national commitment to create a vibrant democracy."

The legislation is part of a package of proposals that Sanders is offering, aimed at voting and campaigns. He's also introduced legislation that would automatically register 18-year-olds to vote, and said last week that he intends to offer legislation that would allow public financing of campaigns.

The proposals come as Democrats rallied around the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and doubled down on their call for lawmakers to "restore" the legislation after a key provision was struck down by the Supreme Court.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box...4-sanders-want-to-make-election-day-a-holiday

 

[MarcusI]

Why make a new holiday when the US could just start to vote on Sundays like we in Germany?

 

[acptulsa]

But only bankers, executives and government workers are guaranteed holidays off.

So, obviously this would only increase participation by the bourgeoise, and would not increase participation by the proletariat at all.

Or, to put it another way, Bernie wants further stratification. He wants less equality between rich and poor, not more.

 

[Mr.NoSmile]

I thought people fought for the right to vote to make it accessible to others, not easy.

 

[acptulsa]

Sanders just wants to force us to celebrate tyranny. He'd probably be willing to declare that the Fourth of July is no longer a holiday, and replace that holiday with Election Day.

After all, that Declaration of Independence is too pesky a document to celebrate, stating as it does that our rights are inalienable and come from God. Besides, it was written by slave-owning terrorists, right? Much worse guys than Stalin and Beria and that group of mere mass murderers. After all, what's a little 'population control' between friends?

 

[Ronin Truth]

[h=1]“Remember, remember the fifth of November of gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gun powder treason should ever be forgot.” [/h]

 

[kahless]

removed

 

[euphemia]

Tell it to people who work in food service, travel and tourism, medicine, and police/fire. We never get holidays off because there is always someone who needs to eat, be entertained, treated, etc. Declare a holiday, and we have to work more because people see holidays as there personal leisure time.

Unless Bernie has a pop up on his tour bus, someone will have to take care of him.

 

[timosman]

Why make a new holiday when the US could just start to vote on Sundays like we in Germany?

Stop trying to make sense. Also keep in mind more and more people are starting to work on Sundays. Everybody is so buuusy they do not have time to take time off.

 

[cindy25]

Why make a new holiday when the US could just start to vote on Sundays like we in Germany?

election day is a holiday in most states. but Saturday would work out fine. Sunday wouldn't work as the black churches would bus their people straight from church, and the evangelicals would do the same. religion already has too big a role.

 

[Danke]

Why make a new holiday when the US could just start to vote on Sundays like we in Germany?

No, keep the Sabbath holy.

 

[timosman]

election day is a holiday in most states. but Saturday would work out fine. Sunday wouldn't work as the black churches would bus their people straight from church, and the evangelicals would do the same. religion already has too big a role.

Good point

 

[acptulsa]

election day is a holiday in most states.

In this state, it's literally illegal to open a liquor store until after the polls close.

Not much of a holiday...

 

[Ronin Truth]

Increasing voter turnout is one of Bern's favorite issues.



http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box...4-sanders-want-to-make-election-day-a-holiday

"Democracy is the road to socialism." -- Karl Marx

"Democracy is indispensable to socialism." -- Vladimir Lenin

 

[MarcusI]

Before 1918 in Germany Sunday wasnt the voting day as well (might be a surprise: Germany had general elections in "one man - one vote system" in 1848/49 and from 1871 on), and only the Socialdemocrats changed it to Sunday in 1919. Ofc the idea was to make it easier for the hard working ppl to go to vote.

But I mean... once you are ok with a democratic system (I know there are many philosophical and libertarian objections) the aim should be to make it easily accesible, so Sunday makes the most sense for me. As far as I know the churches dont have any objections against it (correct me if I'm wrong, I just never heard about any christian objections against it, for sure not in Germany).

But tbh I didnt know that election day is already a holiday in some US states, ty for info.

 

[tod evans]

You want to increase voter turnout then offer $20.00 or 20% off your federal taxes....

 

[Ronin Truth]

You want to increase voter turnout then offer $20.00 or 20% off your federal taxes....

You want to decrease voter turnout then only tax the voters.

 

[euphemia]

Creating a holiday (presumably, paid) on election day would be a way to pay people for their votes.

This is so typical of the liberal mindset that we can all afford to take a day off to do something that might take an hour. Nancy Pelosi thinks it's good that people only work part time so they can spend more time with their families. Um, no, Nance. People will spend less time because they will be working two jobs.

 

[dude58677]

We live in a Republic and not a democracy. Why should we celebrate something we aren't and are better off without?

 

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

Why make a new holiday when the US could just start to vote on Sundays like we in Germany?

That would make too much sense