Should the US government force citizens to vote?

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During a town hall meeting in Cleveland on Wednesday, President Obama had an idea of making voting in the United States compulsory.Obama suggested compulsory voting while suggesting ways to counteract money in politics. "It would be transformative if everybody voted," Obama said. However, according to New Hampshire's Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan, “Voting is a right to be exercised, but not forced." Mr. Scanlan says. “In a perfect world everyone would vote because it’s so important. I believe every state should strive to generate maximum voter turnout but stop short of forcing people to vote.”

This relates to AP Gov because we have talked about the abilities of the national government- as well as how they can pass laws 'necessary and proper' which could be argued to include compulsory voting.

I can see both sides. One way, having maximum voter turnout can help improve the situation in government- Congress has a very low approval rating yet nearly every incumbent is always re-elected. It can also be effective as a buffer against money in politics- advertisement doesn't influence everyone, and the more people that vote, the more likely it is that people who are voting aren't influenced by this advertisement. However, there's also the fact that sometimes, people just can't vote. They don't have the time or the ability to get to the polls. Honestly, I do not believe voting should be compulsory, I think it should be strongly emphasized as very important- but not mandatory.

'Obamacare' shrinks US uninsured by 16 mn

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The number of Americans without health insurance has dropped by 16.4 million since the Affordable Care Act took effect, the largest reduction in uninsured in four decades. The law was signed nearly five years ago, but it didn't go into effect until a little under a year and a half ago. "When it comes to the key metrics of affordability, access, and quality, the evidence shows that the Affordable Care Act is working, and families, businesses and taxpayers are better off as a result," Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said in a statement. The uninsured rate among adults has dropped from a little over 20% to 13.2%.

This relates to AP Gov because we will/are talking about the jurisdictions and responsibility of both state and federal governments.

I think that Obamacare is doing a great job at what it was meant for- reducing the number of uninsured Americans to reduce the cost of insurance and healthcare for everyone, because many people would just exploit the fact that the Emergency Room at hospitals has to treat you whether you pay or not- which causes healthcare costs to rise for those who can and do pay.

Obamacare Goes to the Supreme Court

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Nearly 3 years after the Supreme Court refrained from killing Obamacare, the court is now considering a second legal challenge. This case is King v. Burwell. The case is whether the Affordable Care Act provides subsidies to everyone in the country who qualifies based on income level whether they get their insurance through a state-run exchange or an exchange run by the federal government.

This applies to AP Gov because we will discuss the power of judicial review later on in class.

If the prosecution wins this case, then those who signed up via federal exchanges (rather than state exchanges) will lose their subsidies. Most likely, these people will no longer be able to afford their insurance. I think, in this case, the inability for those who signed up via federal exchanges to recieve subsidies would be extremely detrimental to the success of the bill in helping to allow everyone easy access to affordable and quality insurance.

"SCOTUS Raises the Stakes—Again—in Obamacare Politics"

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Both Congressional Republicans and the President have a lot on the line- the Supreme Court will hear another high-profile challenge to Obamacare- this is its third case in three years. The case they are hearing is King v. Burwell, which challenges Obamacare's insurance subsidies, which, if eliminated, could severely damage the law, because many people who have gained insurance under the law depend on the subsidies to afford it. It would also make the 'individual mandate' harder to enforce. 

Later in the semester, we will study the separation of powers as well as what each branch can and cannot do. One of the powers of the Supreme Court is judicial review- the power to review laws and executive actions- but only if said law or action is challenged in court and makes it way up to the Supreme Court.

I think that it is fine for Republicans to try to challenge Obamacare in court. However, I do believe that they need to come up with their own healthcare plan to replace it. Considering most of the beneficiaries of this law live in Republican or swing states, come election time, many of their constituents won't be happy with them, and they may vote for a different candidate.