Mona Charen: Don't Vote

I wanted to save this for closer to the election but was afraid I'd lose the link.

I've wrote here before of my annoyance with those who complain about low voter turnout. Yes, I get annoyed with non- voters, too, at least when it comes to many libertarians that think they're being principled by not voting. But why should I care if some turd lefty doesn't vote? Someone that might well want to ruin my life with their vote? Or the host of others that have absolutely no clue of what the issues consist of.

One of my favorite TV talk show participants back in the day was Mona Charen. She was a regular on Capital Gang Saturday (or was it Sunday?). She wrote  a piece years ago that didn't exactly express my displeasure with the idea of bad people, or general ignoramuses, voting, but was close enough. I think I finally found it so will post the link here:

"Here they come - the earnest exhortations to get out and vote. You'll be hearing it from television newscasters, MTV, newspaper ads, radio talk show hosts, weathermen, schoolteachers … you get the idea. Everyone has a duty to vote, they will say.

No they don't. If a person is utterly ignorant about matters of public policy, then he or she has a solemn obligation to refrain from voting."

I especially like her "No, they don't" line. Totally opposite of what we hear from mainstream media commentators. She's spot on with her obsevations:

"If you don't know the basics of government or policy, do us all a favor and stay home..."

Good advice.