Sweetness
I’ve met sixteen-year-olds I’d trust at exercising a right to vote, but very few, and mostly relatives. There have been recent studies regarding maturation, and it’s accepted fact at this point that girls mature, physically and mentally, well before boys, but that the brain is still developing well into the twenties for both. So enfranchisement of youth, while an admirable ideal, has less of an argument than does extending the age of consent. We already don’t allow young people to purchase alcohol until age 21. Perhaps we should be doing the same with voting, military service, criminal justice, etc.
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4 comments:
There are lots and lots of stupid older people but still, I think it best to keep the voting age to no less than 21. It's a privilege and it should probably be earned by proving literacy and maybe even a high school diploma or equivalent.
Voting isn't a privilege, it is a fundamental legal right. In some countries (Belgium, e.g.) it is a fundamental responsibility, and you are sanctioned with a fine if you do not exercise your franchise. Political scientists in the US have often speculated as to the reasons why the political landscape has not undergone greater change on the three occasions when the right to vote has been expanded-- the various issues surrounding Reconstruction are complex; but women and 18 year olds just didn't turn out to vote much, at least at first, and then when they did, both groups tended to vote the way their husbands and fathers voted. This is one of the interesting things about Obama-- he actually seems to be motivating a younger group to get to the polls. Gene McCarthy, George McGovern and Howard Dean thought they could do it, but only Obama actually has.
I say, let 'em vote, let 'em drink.
I can't believe I heard somebody say "literacy test." I know the motivation, but it's a little Jim Crow.
Most of my literacy students have been white. The need to understand issues is the reason I suggested literacy as a criterion for voting but..I must admit that Bill's point is the correct one. Looking back, letting anyone who cared enough to cast a vote do so seems to have worked here for our 200+ years (better since women were enfranchised, I add and may be a reason why blacks now are,too).
I love that there is a substantial fine in Australia if you don't show up to vote. If you are going to involve EVERYONE then you should demand that they turn up.
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