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back to basics. What is democracy, anyway? Who are we as a people? Are we willing to do what it takes to be the good guys?

How much do we love democracy?
     
    M y parents, Nicola and Antoinette Iacocca, belonged to that amazing wave of Italian immigration that helped transform America into the land of prosperity. As immigrants, my parents had a reverence for this country that you seldom see today. When my sister Delma and I were kids, Mom and Pop took us to visit the Statue of Liberty twice. We piled into Pop’s beat-up old Ford and drove from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to New York City—which took a long time in those days. I remember walking with my father up the 354 stairs to the crown, huffing and puffing a little, but excited about the adventure. Standing in the crown of the Statue of Liberty, Pop pointed down at the harbor and told me about the thrill of seeing America for the first time.
    I’m ashamed to admit that when I became a father, I didn’t think to take my girls to see Lady Liberty. When we visited New York City, we were too busy going to Broadway shows, eating at great restaurants, and touring museums.
    It’s a sad thing that complacency can set in so fast. As I look around me today, I see that our democracy has become a little worn, a little shabby. The rhetoric is still there, but the passion has wilted. Do we still love democracy? Do we have any idea what democracy really means?
    How about a regime change right here in the United States? Instead of trying to establish democracy in countries that don’t want it, why not try to reestablish democracy where we’ve lost it?
    Are you wondering, “Lee, what are you talking about? I have my S UPPORT THE T ROOPS bumper sticker and my yellow-ribbon window decal. I have an American flag waving proudly from my car antenna. I love this country.”
    And I’ll come right back at you with a very simple question: Did you vote in last fall’s election?
    Democracy thrives on two factors: free elections and open discourse. How are we doing? Not so hot.
     
    VOTING—A RIGHT OR A DUTY?
     
    It drives me crazy that Americans don’t vote. We should be ashamed. It is plain hypocrisy for us to hold up our system of government as the best there is, yet fail to practice the most fundamental action of a free people— voting .
    It’s embarrassing that the United States has one of the worst voting records in the free world. In the last presidential election, about 45 percent of those eligible cast a vote. Compare that to recent free elections in other countries:

    Australia:
96%
Indonesia:
93%
Belgium:
91%
South Africa:
89%
Ukraine:
86%
Canada:
73%

    Are you embarrassed yet?
    I have to wonder how much difference it would make if voting was mandatory—like paying taxes. Now, before you get your hackles up and start hollering that mandatory elections would not be free, hear me out.
    In some countries, voting is considered not just a right, but a duty of living in a democracy. The argument is that a government is more representative when a larger percentage of the population votes. About thirty countries have some form of mandatory voting, with various (usually mild) penalties for the slackers. In Belgium, if you don’t vote in at least four elections within a fifteen-year period, you get kicked off the voter rolls. In Greece, you may have a hard time getting a driver’s license or a passport if you don’t vote. In Singapore, you’re removed from the voter register and must reapply and give a good reason for not having voted. And in several countries, small fines are imposed.
    These penalties are not exactly draconian, but they have one advantage: They remind people that freedom is not free.
    What if the United States passed a law that you had to vote in order to be eligible for certain tax cuts? That would make people sit up and take notice! Instead of debating flag burning, maybe Congress could spend a day or two talking about that. At least it would have some relevance