Should 16 year olds have the right to vote?
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Original post by Quady
Are they?
Or is that a similarly lazy assumption as that by the SNP who thought they'd be more likely to vote Yes (but didn't)?
Or is that a similarly lazy assumption as that by the SNP who thought they'd be more likely to vote Yes (but didn't)?
It's a fairly reasonable assumption that Labour probably think that. But you know, seeing how 16 year olds DON'T vote there aren't any statistics out there on how they do vote.
Original post by Simes
Should pensioners be allowed to vote, once they are too old to work?
Lol. Ideally not, but that is hardly just, is it?
But it is a problem when you have more old people than young, the voting gets screwed and the young generation gets ****ed over.
Never paid taxes = shouldn't be allowed to vote. Simple as.
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Original post by SarcasticMel
Imo yes the future is theirs. Not some old pensioner that now votes for the party that gives him the most money.
On the other hand, far too many dumb kids out there.
Tough choice.
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On the other hand, far too many dumb kids out there.
Tough choice.
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The future also belongs to an infant (in fact it arguably much more so than it does a 16 year old) so should we give them the vote too? Seems that there clearly is such a thing as 'too young to vote' and I've yet to see a reason given why 16 isn't too young.
Original post by MrJAKEE
Never paid taxes = shouldn't be allowed to vote. Simple as.
Original post by Simes
So an undergraduate student, for example, won't get to vote until they start work?
Yup. What have they contributed to society?
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Original post by MrJAKEE
So people who go to university to better their chances at a good job/life/whatever can't vote as they haven't contributed to society, but those who sit around on their backside all day claiming benefits because they can't be bothered to work have contributed more to society, ergo they can vote?
Original post by MrJAKEE
So any kid with a savings account could buy a vote?
Original post by MrJAKEE
We turn voting into something else here though, a reward for those who've earned it as opposed to a right. Now, personally I'm hesitant to say which of this is right/is the best system but it seems the above argument isn't going to go anywhere as you both have profoundly different views on the nature of voting and what it should be for.
Original post by SophiaLDN
No. Unless modern politics is introduced into their timetable.
What would that help, I know that at my school at least teachers absolutely had now qualms with what can only be described as indoctrinating their classes, and in many ways forcing political opinions on classes who were (in fairness) too naive to realise what was happening.
Original post by aoxa
So people who go to university to better their chances at a good job/life/whatever can't vote as they haven't contributed to society, but those who sit around on their backside all day claiming benefits because they can't be bothered to work have contributed more to society, ergo they can vote?
No they shouldn't, why should someone who hasn't paid a penny to the public pot have any say on what happens with the public pot? Let alone a lot of people at undergraduate level haven't worked a day in their life besides school (which debatably isn't creating any wealth until they have actually worked.
The point about benefits is misleading. The majority of people who are on benefits are in work and are getting it due to bad wages, or have some sort of disability. I'd like to see a system where people get paid benefits in proportion to how long a person has worked and how much a person has put in to the public kitty.
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Original post by Quady
So any kid with a savings account could buy a vote?
Any kid with a savings account that has paid taxes should be yes.
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Original post by limetang
We turn voting into something else here though, a reward for those who've earned it as opposed to a right. Now, personally I'm hesitant to say which of this is right/is the best system but it seems the above argument isn't going to go anywhere as you both have profoundly different views on the nature of voting and what it should be for.
I do indeed.
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Absolutely not, especially if the majority of 16-year-olds are anywhere near as idiotic as I was at that age.
Original post by MrJAKEE
Well as long as they have some money earning some interest outside of an ISA and haven't filled in an R85.
So as long as the kid had a tenner they would be able to vote.
Original post by Quady
Well as long as they have some money earning some interest outside of an ISA and haven't filled in an R85.
So as long as the kid had a tenner they would be able to vote.
So as long as the kid had a tenner they would be able to vote.
Not necessarily a tenner. A fixed amount of taxes would have to be paid + (I should add) a fixed age (of maturity).
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Original post by felamaslen
Absolutely not, especially if the majority of 16-year-olds are anywhere near as idiotic as I was at that age.
This. I don't know about you though but the thing I've found looking back is that I did, said, and thought things that were incredibly naive and at the same time I was convinced that I was incredibly intelligent and incredibly wise (I mean the same is probably true for my stage of life now, I'll look back and wonder how I could have done the things I did), and in this I found I was by no means unique.
Original post by MrJAKEE
No they shouldn't, why should someone who hasn't paid a penny to the public pot have any say on what happens with the public pot? Let alone a lot of people at undergraduate level haven't worked a day in their life besides school (which debatably isn't creating any wealth until they have actually worked.
The point about benefits is misleading. The majority of people who are on benefits are in work and are getting it due to bad wages, or have some sort of disability. I'd like to see a system where people get paid benefits in proportion to how long a person has worked and how much a person has put in to the public kitty.
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The point about benefits is misleading. The majority of people who are on benefits are in work and are getting it due to bad wages, or have some sort of disability. I'd like to see a system where people get paid benefits in proportion to how long a person has worked and how much a person has put in to the public kitty.
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I think you missed my point. I know lots of people on benefits work, I was asking about the ones that don't and have no drive to find a job either. The ones who live off benefits because it's easier than getting a job and providing for themselves/their family.
Just because undergraduates often haven't worked, that doesn't mean that the governments decisions magically don't affect them. Undergraduates should have the right to vote (and 16 year olds - as long as they have the presence of mind to make a rational and informed decision) because they want someone in power who will not screw up the economy, so when they go out into the job market, they can get a job, and then start contributing to society/paying taxes/paying off their student loans etc for the rest of their working life.
Original post by MrJAKEE
Any kid with a savings account that has paid taxes should be yes.
So, effectively, wealthy people will be more able to gain votes than poor people.
Is that OK?
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