Suppose nobody votes this year in the United States. On Nov. 4 the doors to the polling places are thrown open, and there isn't anyone in line. No absentee ballots are filed. No one litigates, charging either fraud or discrimination, because there weren't any voters.
It won't happen. But if it did, pundits and activists would surely blame public apathy for such a catastrophe. I'd name a different culprit: the major parties, their candidates and their acolytes in the news media.
Lately I've been poring over fundraising emails from Republicans and Democrats alike. "It's time to stand up to MSNBC, the liberal media and their attacks," thunders the campaign of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose troubles are evidently the fault of those reporting them.