Why You Have to Be 18 to Vote February 27, 2008January 5, 2017 NADER Bob Perlman: ‘I’ve always been struck by the similarity between Nader’s inability to realize exactly how much power he held in the days leading up to that election – and how to use it – and George W. Bush’s inability to grasp the opportunity he had to unite the country to good purpose in the days following September 11th. In Nader’s case it was most likely ego, in Bush’s either ignorance or witlessness, but the result was the same: disaster for our country. Sometimes great leadership is seeing a path that no one else can discern, but at other times it’s just the ability to set aside pride and preconceptions, and see what’s right in front of you.’ Aaron Long: ‘Everything you say about Ralph makes sense and yet it bugs me nonetheless. Imagine you are an elementary school teacher and your class is studying about how our system of government works, how any kid could grow up to be president. Maybe you run a mock election in your class. How much fun is it going to be to explain to the kid – who has read about Nader and decided he is her man and she is going to vote for him – that her vote for Nader is not just misguided, but probably a morally reprehensible act, that she cannot vote for the person she prefers, but has to vote for this other person she doesn’t especially care for, whose beliefs don’t particularly match her own, just in order to prevent an even bigger jerk from winning? This is your birthright, your franchise. Enjoy.’ ☞ I hear you. That’s why we need Instant Run-Off voting. But there’s another lesson for our elementary school class . . . which is: sometimes in life we need to compromise to get a good result. If we insist on getting a perfect result, we could wind up really hurting ourselves and our classmates. ‘The perfect is the enemy of the good,’ we might tell our fourth graders. And, when they look perplexed: ‘You’ll understand when you’re older. That’s why you have to be 18 years old to vote.’ Meanwhile, enjoy this video. Seriously, dude: too much fun to miss. STEAMING CUP OF COFFEE And how about this video? Yet more fun. And you’ve got to admit, it’s a good idea. GOVERNOR SIEGELMAN If this story has captured your attention, here‘s a lot more background on it. Is it possible this could have happened in America?