So 16 and 17 year olds can have a say in the EU Referendum...

Oh yeah, great idea. Lets let a bunch of stupid 16 and 17 year olds have a say on the future of the nation. I say heck no. Have of them have never heard of a political party, probably less than 5% have heard of the EU and they're still kids. 18 should be the minimum age.

Reply 61

sleepysnooze

3

the only people advocating for 16/17 year olds having the right to vote seem only to be left wingers, but then again, it's convenient than most young people seem to be left wingers too, whom would obviously vote for left wing positions...so it's a politicisation of a very serious political-philosophic issue, not based on the inherent flaws or advantages, but rather, how things can be framed for the sake of sophistry and party-political entrepreneurialism. it's very sad. SNP did it for the Scottish referendum (they are the kings of spineless opportunism, whereby they'll even disfavour the concept of devolution if England is to gain at all from it) and now the left are doing it for the EU referendum. very sad indeed.

as a right winger, I would actually argue that 16 year olds *should* have the vote, or should have had the vote. now that the government is saying that they must stay in compulsory education makes this contradictory because they are, with one face, saying that 16 year olds are too stupid to exist in the real world without more education, but with their other face, saying that they're intelligent, intelligent enough to vote. surely SOMEBODY also recognises this conflict which renders this civil liberties issue redundant?!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 62

SimonSimpson

3

It would be a joke if this happens.

Reply 63

ChaoticButterfly

20

Original post by sleepysnooze

the only people advocating for 16/17 year olds having the right to vote seem only to be left wingers,

It's because left wingers are more disposed to fight what they see as injustice. Same reason why left wingers flock to universal suffrage in general. Although that is very simplistic viewpoint and is not always true obviously nor is your view that they all vote "left". As if that was a legit reason not to give people the vote anyway.

16/17 yer olds are affected by things such as increasing education costs so they should be able to vote, or in the case of the EU referendum they are going to have to live the rest of their life by this decision. Complaining how a group of people may vote is like a complaining that lower class people when given the vote will vote for free education for their children.

People like you are nothing new. They existed when people were trying to get votes for women and non propertied people. Those people now have votes. Sky is still up.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 64

Bupdeeboowah

3

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

It's because left wingers are more disposed to fight what they see as injustice. Same reason why left wingers flock to universal suffrage in general. Although that is very simplistic viewpoint and is not always true obviously nor is your view that they all vote "left". As if that was a legit reason not to give people the vote anyway.

No, it's because they haven't started paying income and council tax yet.

Reply 65

sw651

3

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

It's because left wingers are more disposed to fight what they see as injustice. Same reason why left wingers flock to universal suffrage in general. Although that is very simplistic viewpoint and is not always true obviously nor is your view that they all vote "left". As if that was a legit reason not to give people the vote anyway.

16/17 yer olds are affected by things such as increasing education costs so they should be able to vote, or in the case of the EU referendum they are going to have to live the rest of their life by this decision. Complaining how a group of people may vote is like a complaining that lower class people when given the vote will vote for free education for their children.

People like you are nothing new. They existed when people were trying to get votes for women and non propertied people. Those people now have votes. Sky is still up.

Stats show that younger generations tend to vote for the Green Party because of the no uni fees policy, stupid but true sadly

Reply 66

sleepysnooze

3

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

It's because left wingers are more disposed to fight what they see as injustice. Same reason why left wingers flock to universal suffrage in general. Although that is very simplistic viewpoint and is not always true obviously nor is your view that they all vote "left". As if that was a legit reason not to give people the vote anyway.

I wouldn't say left wingers care more about justice - I'd say they're more to tow a government-based solution to injustices. regarding the rights of 16 and 17 years olds to vote, this doesn't seem to have justice in mind - it's basically just about either appleaing to an ethic of change, or an ethic of, like I said, advancing one's own cause (as the left wing issues are more sympathised with by younger people)

16/17 yer olds are affected by things such as increasing education costs so they should be able to vote, or in the case of the EU referendum they are going to have to live the rest of their life by this decision. Complaining how a group of people may vote is like a complaining that lower class people when given the vote will vote for free education for their children.

10 year olds are affected by cutting the NHS too - what about them?
and 10 year olds will be affected by the EU question too, surely...? so from there you have to appeal to a completely different principle to justify them getting a vote so it's a useless argument to be honest

People like you are nothing new. They existed when people were trying to get votes for women and non propertied people. Those people now have votes. Sky is still up.

*rolls eyes* firstly, like I said, I don't really care if they get the vote. it's not a massive issue. we won't be looking back to this thinking "this was a huge matter of national importance regarding fairness!" compared to women getting the vote (or even some men getting the vote, more importantly, as the birth of democracy itself in some form in the UK) I think, seeing as they get taxed, then they should get the right to vote. my problem here, very clearly, is the fact that it makes no sense at all to have them force to stay in school until their 18, two years older than 16, if they're rational enough to vote (yet impliedly not rational enough to face the real world yet!) - can you at least give me your take on this as a left winger? this is what undermines the whole argument of 16/17 year olds having the right to vote in my opinion, because, like Isaid, it's not like I'm saying "they're too stupid" - it's actually the government that would be saying this if they're forced to stay in school longer "for their own good"

(edited 8 years ago)

So 16 and 17 year olds can have a say in the EU Referendum...

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