Bill Maher Offers Idea for Solution for Election Chaos
(ConservativeHub.com) – Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher did quite a bit of talking leading up to election day, warning listeners the nation is in a “cold civil war” and urging them to vote. During recent appearances on Saturday Night Live and his own show “Real Time,” he emphasized how this year was the “most important election ever” and even proposed a way to help get people out to vote in the future.
Maher Shares His Uncertainty About America’s Future
On Friday, November 4, Maher shared with his viewers that he believed “democracy is on the ballot” this year. As tensions between the two political parties are seemingly at an all-time high, he reminded listeners to keep their ears and minds open to those with differing opinions, even if they don’t like the candidate for whom they vote.
Bill Maher on 2022 midterms: "Democracy is on the ballot" and "it’s going to lose" https://t.co/dkXd30ubNP pic.twitter.com/mdzP3vU9Tg
— The Hill (@thehill) November 6, 2022
He called this tension a “cold civil war,” citing the violence that’s taken place on both sides of the aisle recently. One such incident was when a man attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) husband, Paul, recently at his home in the middle of the night.
Could Election Day Be a National Holiday?
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Maher also urged Americans to consider how they might foster more confidence in elections. When either voting or ballot counting drags on for days or even weeks, the comedian opines people lose trust in the results. So, he proposed the nation consider making Election Day a national holiday.
Maher said he believes that when the voting process is dragged out, it “sows doubt.” Then he added that “we don’t trust each other anymore.”
The History of Election Day
Still, to consider any changes such as this, it’s important to know the history behind Election Day. For many years after our nation’s formation, states could hold a vote at any point within a 34-day time frame ending in early December. However, according to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, this expanded voting time often swayed opinions and votes for those casting their ballots later in the period.
So, in 1845, Congress chose the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November to be the day citizens headed to the polls. They believed this date would fall after the major harvest for farmers, but it wouldn’t be so late in the year that it would be too cold to make the journey into town.
Now, most Americans aren’t farmers anymore, and polling places are typically much more accessible than they used to be, making the reasoning for the current Election Day unnecessary.
Do you think the US should make Election Day a federal holiday to help more citizens get out and vote?
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