Discussion:
William Galston of the University of Maryland and the Brookings Institution notes that some democracies, including Australia and Italy, require citizens to vote or pay a fine. These countries have exceptionally high turnout levels. "Our low turnout rate," Galston says, "pushes American politics toward increased polarization." Would you favor a law requiring Americans to vote or pay a fine if they fail to do so? What are some other incentives that might encourage more people to vote? If the United States had such a policy do you think, as William Galston does, that it would significantly reduce the level of party polarization?