Quiz #01:
Every registered voter votes, all the time.
True / False
This page changed with the May 06, 2024 edit.
Every registered voter votes, all the time.
Yes. It is True that every registered voter does vote.
The simple little contract clause "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed", along with the 1756 definitions for consent and plurality (among others); that phrase makes it impossible for a registered voter to not vote.
Consent (1785) [Definition Image]
CONSENT [s.]
1. The act of yielding or consenting.
2. Concord; agreement; accord.
3. Coherence with; correspondence.
4. Tendency to one point.
5. The perception one part has with another, by means of some fibres and nerves common to them both.
To Consent (1785) [Definition Image]
To CONSENT [v. n.]
1. To be of the same mind; to agree.
2. To co–operate to the same end.
To Yield (1785) [Definition Image]
To Yield [v. a.]
5. To allow; to permit.
7. To resign; to give up.
8. To surrender.
To YIELD [v. n.]
1. To give up the conquest; to submit.
4. To concede; to admit; to allow; not to deny.
To Abstain (1785) [Definition Image]
To ABSTAIN [v. n.]
To forbear, to deny one's self any gratification.
Plurality (1785) [Definition Image]
PLURALITY [s.]
1. The state of being or having a greater number.
2. A number more than one.
4. The greater number; the majority.
You noticed that I excluded the your [yielding] in Consent, definition #1. The reasoning? Because of the exact wording of the phrase, consent of the governed. Had they wanted to take into account voters who do not submit a ballot, the wording would merely be altered towards a phrase much like; governments derive their powers from the majority of those who submit a ballot. Fortunately they did not.
The phrase, consent of the governed, creates a nifty little default non-consent voter position. When a registered voter, for whatever the reason, except for proven fraud, does not get a ballot to the polling station in any way, shape, or form; that registered voter, regardless of intent, did not consent to any thing or any one on the ballot.
Another way to look at it: If you and I are on the same ballot for the same office, dog-catcher, mayor, governor, or congress ( we exclude the president, as the electoral system complicates easy math). There are 100 total registered voters.
In order for one of us to gain the consent of that known body of registered voters, one of us must pass the 50% mark of the total number - or both of us must fail for lack of consent. If neither of us can convince the majority of the total body of registered voters to get a consenting ballot to the polls, we should not be sworn into that office.
This method does make it a bit more difficult to get into office - thus tougher for corruption to enter. It also forces a unity among the voters, no matter the political divides, as they must communicate and unify if they desire to fill that empty office. At present, this practice alone would have kept over 90% of all people in our elected offices out of office for lack of consent.
Now that is one way to get Clean Honest Government in a hurry. Just one election cycle. Bam! The majority of all politicians out of office.