Rep. Mark Pocan Calls for Right to Vote for all Americans

Rep. Mark Pocan and text of the
Right to Vote proposed Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution

From Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison):

"Just dropped my bill that would amend the Constitution to guarantee a Right to Vote for all Americans. As the world’s leading democracy, the United States much demand of ourselves what we demand of others—a guaranteed, affirmative, right to vote for all."

The text of the proposed amendment reads:

SECTION 1: Every citizen of the United States, who is of legal voting age, shall have the fundamental right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides.

SECTION 2: Congress shall have the power to enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation.

Who could possibly be against this?

Republicans and Tea Baggers.

People start voting en masse, and Republicans see their political fortunes, in their foolish view, as declining.

Though not widely known, voting is not that well protected in the U.S. Constitution. That's why Republican attacks against voting remain.

And that's why the "party on the brink of destroying the Voting Rights Act" (Rich) fears voting by Americans, and representative democracy.

Instead, Republicans privately brag of dropping bombs on the American people in an effort to consolidate power. Will Republicans walk the walk on American democracy and support this bill?

"The right to vote is the foundation of any democracy,” said Rob Richie, Executive Director of FairVote. “Adding an affirmative right to vote to the U.S. Constitution is the best way to guarantee that the government, whether at the federal, state, or local level, cannot infringe upon our individual right to vote. Building support for this amendment offers an opportunity to inspire a 21st century suffrage movement where Americans come together to protect voting rights, promote voter participation and debate suffrage expansion."