[...] From the get go, I've noticed two flaws in your reasoning. You can be taxed because you work, and being able to work is a privileged for 16 year olds, not a responsibility. Secondly, people can be charged as adults at almost any age. There have recently been two separate Supreme Court hearings that have to deal with minors that got a sentence of life without parole. One of them committed his crime at the age of 13. His name is Joe Sullivan. He was sentenced, by Florida, to life without parole at the age of thirteen. So he was being tried as an ADULT, but no one is trying to lower the voting age to 13... Now, I'm sixteen too, so I can see why you want to vote. Voting gives you a *minute* say in the political process, and you may see people of your caliber more interested in our Country's future than many voting adults. But, as a minor, you can do so much more than vote. You can raise awareness of why whoever is better than the politician he is running against. Think of it this way: you can argue about this and cast one vote, or go campaign and persuade dozens of people to vote. And finally, sex should hardly mean you are allowed to vote XD
In my country the legal age is 18, and I believe it's fine if we lower the age, it's possible that ppl don't have independent knowledge about the ones they vote for (e.g. their parents suggest them whom they vote for) and this is not the idea of voting
I agree, I know that I wanted to vote when I was 16. I don't anymore because canada's current prime minister insulted the arts recently and in so doing completely betrayed my trust in him. But I did want to vote before that, definitely, and I remember feeling offended that I couldn't because I was so young my opinion didn't matter. My parents don't vote, so I always thought it was particularly unfair that those that truly care and want to vote are not allowed to
Personally I think prior to voting, people should be forced to take a test on the subject they wish to vote on. If they don't hit a certain score, they don't get to vote. People shouldn't have a say in something that affects the future of the country, perhaps the entire world, and everyone in it, if they don't understand it.
I like and agree with the concept of that idea, but I think it would just make more people not want to vote because it's too much effort
Yes - the uninformed are mainly uninformed because they're lazy, and they'd sit around and complain rather than do what was required - but that's a good thing.
lets get serious.. lowering the voting age would most likely be pointless since so many young people already don't vote.
Ok I haven't addressed this issue. Because I thought a lot about it. HECK YES! - the strong people must carry the burden of the weaklings - Responsibility. it's the key to a normal human growth - making young people more interested in politics - i don't think voting has anything to do with declaring financial independence from the parental units as vivitarium said. - If you can't wait two years for your voice to be heard, join a campaign team, go door to door explaining how the candidate you're backing is better in some way. You can still make an impact at a younger age, just not the impact you want (voting). You can do that but the highest impact is still voting regardless of what you do. XD
If person doesn't know who/what they're voting for, does that not give them the right to choose their own leader? If this were to be implemented, would intrude on my method for choosing a president? Not everybody chooses a president/governor/mayor etc. based on their political views. Could I, for instance (under your new idea), not vote for Obama because I want to see a black man as president? Would I have to vote based purely on ideals, political standpoints and loose promises? With politicians it's always picking the lesser of two evils so sometimes the best way to choose who to vote for is by personality. If this had been in place prior to the 2008 elections, Obama would have lost. It's not your duty to police how others live. Vote as you would, and let others do the same.
you really think Obama would have lost? he didn't win because of his promises for change, he won because of his skin colour? hm
Lol.... someone - LOTS of someones - are telling you how to live right now. They're called government officials, police, IRS, and the list goes on. But this can't be new knowledge to you.... There are those that take charge and those that sit around saying things like "It's not your duty to police how others live." But while the latter bellyache, the former are busy either calling the shots or opposing those currently calling the shots. In "real life" not everyone cares to sit around and contemplate whether or not they "have the right" to tell others what to do. They just go and get what they want, plain and simple. And that's how things get done. “A reasonable man adapts himself to his environment. An unreasonable man persists in attempting to adapt his environment to suit himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” - George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright
To a certain degree, yes. You cannot deny that race, even if not publicly, played a role in the outcome of the election. Don't make this into a race issue. The point is, people should be allowed to vote for a leader on things other than his/her political stance. ... dude I have no idea how that even relates to the point I was trying to make. How did you connect any of what I said to laziness and complaining? It has nothing to do with sitting around and contemplating. You think people should have to vote for people only if they know 'enough', which is beyond ridiculous. Really? The government already tells me what to do? Oh no I had no idea!!! Partial control doesn't equal total control, and the minute the government can influence your ability to choose a leader is when they've taken it too far. So I don't really know what your post had to do with my intention, so I just explained it a little more. This has nothing to do with going against the grain for the sake of being different. Wow, bolding words is fun!
this all reminds me of back in the...early 20th century(?) when African Americans would have to take a literacy test to vote.