More proof via Jonah Goldberg that conservatives aren't really conservative but regressive.

But as a matter of principle, I oppose voting by ex-cons because voting should be harder, not easier — for everybody.

Just let that sink in for a moment. Ok. Goldberg goes on to explain his well-thought out belief thusly:

[. . .] The principle behind Clinton's proposed legislation — which would make voting easier for criminals and noncriminals alike — is that the nation's democracy is "enriched" when more people vote.

Who says? If you are having an intelligent conversation with somebody, is it enriched if a mob of uninformed louts, never mind ex-cons and rapists, barges in? People who want to make voting easier are in effect saying that those who previously didn't care or know enough about the country to vote are exactly the kind of voters this country needs now.

The criminals Goldberg is talking about are folks who have, by and large, served their sentences. And yeah, the level of political discourse in this country has suffered because ex-cons might be allowed to vote. I guess Goldberg missed the Republican National Conventions of 2004 and 1992 where Pat Buchanan and Pat Robertson gave civil speeches. It seems Goldberg is longing for those good ol' days when only white men of property could vote because you know things were better then. Or perhaps Goldberg would like to institute new rules for deciding who should and shouldn't vote? Maybe something like only allowing those who can prove that their ancestors were citizens of the "homeland" before say 1900? Or maybe, only allowing those over the age of thirty-five to vote? Or maybe only allowing men to vote? Or maybe only allowing those who can prove that their assets exceed their debts? Or maybe there should be some sort of history and current affairs test administered by some private firm like Halliburton? Or maybe Goldberg would like to see some reform in the actual carrying out of elections? Something like banning the use of automobiles on election day? Or maybe banning the use of cell-phones? Or maybe even doing away with publicly identified candidates? Or maybe instituting some sort of "loyalty oath?" In any event, Goldberg's principles make me dizzy and think that somehow I've been transported back to the nineteenth century. You know those good ol' days of slavery, sweatshops, patent medicines, masses old people living in poverty, robber barons, etc.

Now just to highlight how much of a hack Jonah Goldberg is, you have to read pretty far into the Op-Ed to get to his "principled" objection to universal suffrage; early on he goes right for the race-baiting jugular with this nifty little bit: "One has to assume Michael Dukakis got Willie Horton's vote." Because you know all ex-cons are rapists and they always vote Democratic. ;)
posted by Idle Crank at 3/08/2005 04:51:00 PM