On the “Employee Free Choice Act” currently debated in Congress, which would displace secret balloting for union-organizing decisions in the workplace with a “card-check” system vulnerable to union-boss pressures on workers:

“Repealing a right—to secret ballots—long considered fundamental to democratic culture would be a radical act. . . . Still, herewith a modest proposal: Any member of Congress who was elected by a secret ballot should oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.”

—George Will, Washington Post, February 27, 2007

On the Oregon innovation of mail-in ballots for federal elections:

“It is another step away from what should be the practice for people morally sturdy enough to deserve democracy—oral voting. How did we sink to the shabby business of choosing leaders behind drawn curtains? What are cloistered voters afraid of? What good comes from practices designed to get the fearful to vote? . . . Abolish secret voting, have every voter call out his or her choice in an unquavering voice and have the choice recorded for public inspection. You probably will have a smaller electorate, but also a hardier, better one.”

—George Will, Washington Post, October 26, 1995

In the tradition of Brother Ponnuru:

Discuss.