You still cannot beat this fantastic suggestion by LKY......
Married With Kids? Lee Kuan Yew Says Take Two Votes
KENNETH L. WHITINGJuly 27, 1994
SINGAPORE (AP) _ It may not be an idea whose time has come, but Singapore’s elder statesman suggests changing the principle of one man-one vote to give parents more power at the ballot box than other people.
People between 35 and 60 who are married with children would get an additional vote under former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s plan.
The idea is to give more weight at the polls to those who have heavier responsibilities, he says.
″Their contributions to the economy and to society is greatest at this stage of life,″ he said. ″Also they need to vote for themselves and also for their children (who) have an interest that needs to be protected.″
The radical change might be necessary in 15 to 20 years, in his view, because the population of this small city-state is growing old, and could give rise to a huge army of the elderly who might be tempted to pressure the government for welfare handouts.
Demographic data indicate that by 2030 those aged 60 and over will form one quarter of the total population, compared to about 10 percent now. Eight working people support one of the elderly now, and by then the ratio would be 2.2 to 1.
″Once past 60, their children would have grown up, and would vote for themselves,″ the 70-year-old Lee said during a recent visit to Australia.
″Then the parents should drop back to one vote. But during those critical years, 35-60, people who carry twice as much responsibility should have two votes. This will make for a more viable system and a more stable society.″
The constitution should not be amended unnecessarily but it should not remain frozen for all time, he added.
″If you want one-man, one-vote or representative government to succeed, from time to time, you will have to adjust your system to make it more viable and less volatile.″
Since he stepped down in 1991 after 31 years, Lee has served as senior minister without portfolio in Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s cabinet. Singapore’s patriarch still wields a lot of influence, and his latest brainstorm has been the main topic of public debate since it was made public several months ago.
Informal opinion polls suggest that many oppose the idea. Opposition political parties reject it as a scheme to tighten the grip of the People’s Action Party, which has controlled Parliament since 1959.
Several PAP parliamentarians said they had no qualms about modifying the constitution to meet changing conditions. They also agreed that an aging population might influence voting patterns, but they questioned whether tinkering with the ballot box was proper.
″The danger of the system is that theoretically any government can stay in power in perpetuity as long as it can take care of the interests of a group it gives the two votes to,″ said Toh Keng Kiat, a member of Parliament.