Douglas Dean: Only those who are here legally should have the right to vote

Those who promote the notion that California should give non-citizens the right to vote ignores the basic tenet upon which all citizens rely – the rule of law.

Millions upon millions of law-abiding citizens here in the U.S., including Harvard political scientist Archon Fung, understand and agree that stable democracies require citizens to be committed to the rule of law even if they fail to achieve their own preferred personal policies.

As one such citizen, I make a conscious effort to voluntarily comply with all the laws of my country. That said, I’m firmly opposed to granting voting rights to anyone whose very first action in coming here is to willfully ignore the law by entering or residing in the U.S. unlawfully. Truth is, wanting a better life doesn’t negate the rule of law, it requires you to willingly comply with it. And I welcome all who will do just that.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Douglas Dean: Only those who are here legally should have the right to vote."