by Bobby Brown

Created on: September 06, 2009

In the United States of America citizens of a certain age have the right to vote. It is clearly a "right" (something that a person is entitled to) and not a "privilege"( something that a person earns or is permitted to do) though, as we all know, that right was not always extended to all American citizens. Nevertheless, many people opt not to exercise their right to vote.

There is much talk about turning Election Day into a national or federal holiday, under the assumption that more people would get out and vote. I'm pretty sure that making Election Day into a holiday isn't going to be enough incentive to get more people to the polls. To be sure, some people will in fact be encouraged to vote, but most people will not. The same thing would occur if smoking pot were legalized nation wide: some people who've never tried it would start lighting up, but most people won't- even though they'd have the right to do so.

As a matter of fact, it's more likely that if Election Day were made into a holiday, it would join the Holiday Parthenon and be reduced to nothing more than a nationally sanctioned day of partying, drinking, shopping, movie watching and gluttony. Think Fat Tuesday, only in November. (It's interesting to note that the only national holiday that does not have some sort of annual sale attached to it is Martin Luther King Day. Is it because it's too new of a holiday or is it because it would be sacrilegious to have a sale based on the ideals of Martin Luther King Jr.? Of course if that's true then one would have to ask why Christmas-a definite religious holiday- has so many sales associated with it-well beyond the traditional gift exchanges... just food for thought!)

The problem with getting more people to vote isn't an issue of giving people more time to vote. Most people live within walking distance of their polling place. Many employers will give their personnel time off the job WITH PAY to go and vote. If you're scheduled for surgery on election day, you can vote early or by absentee ballot; you can vote early or by absentee ballot for ANY reason as a matter of fact.

It goes without saying that adding another holiday into the mix would generally have a negative economic effect-TANSTAAFL-somebody has to pay for all of the lost revenue to businesses and schools that would close, (if they stayed open that would defeat the purpose of the holiday. Of course there are some places like hospitals and fire departments that never close; those employed at those

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