Everyone should not vote

Justice Sandra O’Connor is wrong in her Sep 7 Arizona Republic editorial “Strength of our democracy relies on individuals turning out to vote” when she states that “It is essential that all citizens vote.” She seems to forget that governments are formed to protect liberty and that this is their only legitimate role. We should not encourage citizens to vote who want government to perform improper roles such as wealth transfer, or running the health care system, or running the education system, or preventing people from working by licensing laws, or enacting job killing measures like minimum wage laws, or any of the other innumerable improper functions that some people will use the voting process to promote.

Justice O’Connor starts out on the right track in her editorial when she emphasizes the “importance of every citizen’s right to vote” but she starts to get off the track when she claims that voting “is not just a right but a civic duty.” It is illogical to encourage people to vote who are not voting to enhance and further the proper functions of government.