“Disenfranchisement”?

One of the big problems with liberalism these days is that its leaders too often see it and its clients as victims and, even worse, as victims of crimes that never happened. A good example is Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way. “Many Americans,” he charged, “see Florida as the symbol of disenfranchisement and want to do something about it.”

Disenfranchisement? As in state action depriving people of the right to vote? And Florida as a symbol of this as a widespread problem? This is so close to pure fantasy that it’s no wonder Hollywood types are attracted to it.

Perhaps someone should inform Mr. Neas (was he the prototype for the Neas-jerk liberal?) that by far the biggest reason for people’s votes not being counted is that they didn’t cast them.

According the Federal Election Commission, the turnout in the 2000 presidential election was 51.3% of the voting age population. That population, however, includes many people (such as legal and illegal aliens and felons) who are not eligible to vote. The FEC also reports that only 67.5% of registered voters bothered to vote in 2000. It does not report the large number of eligible people who have not registered.

Now, what about Florida, the “symbol of disenfranchisement”? Florida was actually above the national average. 68.1% of its registered voters voted (although only 50.6% of its voting age population, presumably because there are more ineligible aliens there).

So please, Neas, if you’re so concerned about people’s votes not being counted, stop complaining about non-existent “disenfranchisement” and do something useful, such as persuading people to register and vote.