Reflecting on Democracy

Tonight I was watching P.O.V., and it aired a fascinating documentary about the 2004 election called Election Day. More than once a Republican-inclined voter or poll worker described voting as a "privilege, not a right." I have been reminded before that we live in a representative republic, not a democracy, which somehow also means that we're not entitled to vote. I find this ironic as the people who argue this also supported bringing "democracy" to Iraq at the point of a gun. So which is it? Democracy? Republic?

But putting that aside, is voting a right? The constitution is actually difficult on this one. Amendment 14 makes it clear that any man votes in elections, unless he has been involved in "rebellion, or other crime." This is one level of a problem that still plagues us. What kind of "crime" keeps one from being able to vote? If one is no longer in prison, if society has determined that one has been rehabilitated from one's crime, is one still considered a rebellious or criminal participant? And of course Amendment 15 and 19 had to make it clear that voting was open to all citizens regardless of race or gender. And Amendment 24 removed the financial (and racial) barrier of a poll tax. So in theory all citizens never convicted of a crime have the right to vote. But maybe it seems like a privilege because it took until 1964 for some constitutional guarantee of what is still not universal suffrage? Maybe it seems like a privilege because the organization of our elections clearly does not enable every citizen to vote? Watching voting in poor urban neighborhoods of St. Louis sure hits home that voting is a lot easier if you live in a wealthy suburb.

So as I brace for the U.S.A.'s celebration of its republic, I can't help but maintain that voting is a "right not a privilege." It is a right as long as a country purports to champion global democracy. If a country champions mere oligarchy, then fine, said country should admit this; in an oligarchy, its fine to describe voting as a "privilege."

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The above image is taken from Election Day's page on P.O.V.'s site.