This is as much question as post, but my idea would be as follows. President Obama should direct the Social Security Administration to make available to each state a list of all eligible US citizens broken down into legislative districts for the purpose of automatically registering its citizens to vote. The following benefits of such a plan should be made clear.
1.) This will make voting easier for all individuals, as unnecessary delays at the polling place will be eliminated.
2.) The Social Security lists are the most complete and accurate lists of eligible voters. These lists are automatically updated as individuals reach the appropriate age, only legal US citizens can get a Social Security card, citizens are automatically removed at the time of their death, etc... And through already existing Social Security communications,
citizens could be informed as the their current address and polling place with ample time to correct if necessary.
3.) This will be much cheaper for the states. Voter registration not only requires much time and energy, but also requires much postage and other expenses as well as salaries that would now be saved.
There are other benefits as well. This obviously would be rejected in most states, but if some states were to take the offer and implement it, it would be apparent to other states, the media, etc... that this is an easier, more effective and cheaper way to register voters and that it would seriously reduce the long lines at polling stations. I would think that in states where voter ID is required, it is also required to be free as it would otherwise be a poll tax. In these states, one Social Security card per five years could be granted at no cost to fulfill this requirement for the state at no additional cost to the state.
I'd rather Congress do it for the entire country but we know that isn't going to happen. What do you guys think? What argument would the R's use to oppose this?