That's true, Missile, but if we can get 16 year old girls interested in politics, the 16 year old boys will be there too.
Voting age 16?
- Thread starter smitty295
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Re: RE: Voting age 16?
Getting the good looking girls to run for office certainly would do it.Reverend Blair said:
Reverend Blair said:
I disagree. Those who are in their forties or eighties may face similar issues, but it's extremely unlikely. When people are in their teens they're still adjusting to life and learning about how to be an adult- sixteen year olds have just come into physical maturity! Give them a few years to learn how to balance all the new demands made against them, and when they're in the position of being more independent (monetarily, & as a free thinker) they're in a better position of making a decision based on what they want.
I disagree as well.
Recent research indicates that the brains of young people take much longer to develop than previously thought. Youths (especially males) are not fully developed cognitively until their early twenties. They seem especially unable to recognize consequences of any action. The researchers believe this is why young people (especially males) engage so freely in very risky behaviour.
My own take is that a little experience, and a larger stake in society is necessary before one can vote.
The Greeks did not become full citizens until the age of 30.
Recent research indicates that the brains of young people take much longer to develop than previously thought. Youths (especially males) are not fully developed cognitively until their early twenties. They seem especially unable to recognize consequences of any action. The researchers believe this is why young people (especially males) engage so freely in very risky behaviour.
My own take is that a little experience, and a larger stake in society is necessary before one can vote.
The Greeks did not become full citizens until the age of 30.
missile said:
I agree, they would be more glitzy and Pop-Cultureish. The campaign ads would be like watching MTV. It would end up being treated more like a popularity contest.
Actually I could live with 16 even though I think even 14 or 15 would be more appropriate.
Education for starters, effects them and shouldn't they have a say in governments being elected and they can vote for the party they believe that bests suits their education requirements.
Post secondary education has been on the rise here and its their future and what politicians and school boards do effect them, so why can't they have a say in who is elected? Same can be said with health care, employment, envirnomental policies,trade, as the government of today effects the young people of today.
Maybe if we get younger people voting they will stick with it as adults.
Education for starters, effects them and shouldn't they have a say in governments being elected and they can vote for the party they believe that bests suits their education requirements.
Post secondary education has been on the rise here and its their future and what politicians and school boards do effect them, so why can't they have a say in who is elected? Same can be said with health care, employment, envirnomental policies,trade, as the government of today effects the young people of today.
Maybe if we get younger people voting they will stick with it as adults.
I would only favor lowering the voting age to 14 or 15 if these kids were only allowed to vote for a kid on a city council or provincial or state legislature.
Kids voting for kids.
Not kids voting for adults.
By allowing kids to vote for kids, we get the best of all worlds, because they are able to elect one of their own.
Let the kids have a presence in the legislative body of our localities.
Kids voting for kids.
Not kids voting for adults.
By allowing kids to vote for kids, we get the best of all worlds, because they are able to elect one of their own.
Let the kids have a presence in the legislative body of our localities.
Parents affect children and they make many decisions in the lives of children that are going to affect them, five, even ten years down the road.
Maybe children should have the right to vote their parents in and out of the office of parenthood as they see fit depending on whether they feel those parents are doing the best things in their interest.
Of course, the problem with that is that they're still children, and how they define what is in their best interest is based on their lack of understanding of the issues brought about from their immaturity.
They'd probably elect parents who are going to fulfill their whims as opposed to parents who are going to do what is best for them. Sure, we call all be guilty of this, but the case is worse for children since they have no responsibility and are unaware of the consequences of making bad decisions.
And that's the crux of the issue- how can you give someone rights with no responsibility? Sixteen year olds or younger do not have any real responsibility aside from taking the dog for a walk and doing a few household chores. They haven't developed fully and are not living an adult life, with full adult responsibilities. And if they cannot understand those responsibilities, they are not in a position to know how to have good judgment and make good choices. It's foolish to give children the ability to steer society in any course they want because they have no proper understanding of the ramifications of their choices.
Maybe children should have the right to vote their parents in and out of the office of parenthood as they see fit depending on whether they feel those parents are doing the best things in their interest.
Of course, the problem with that is that they're still children, and how they define what is in their best interest is based on their lack of understanding of the issues brought about from their immaturity.
They'd probably elect parents who are going to fulfill their whims as opposed to parents who are going to do what is best for them. Sure, we call all be guilty of this, but the case is worse for children since they have no responsibility and are unaware of the consequences of making bad decisions.
And that's the crux of the issue- how can you give someone rights with no responsibility? Sixteen year olds or younger do not have any real responsibility aside from taking the dog for a walk and doing a few household chores. They haven't developed fully and are not living an adult life, with full adult responsibilities. And if they cannot understand those responsibilities, they are not in a position to know how to have good judgment and make good choices. It's foolish to give children the ability to steer society in any course they want because they have no proper understanding of the ramifications of their choices.
They won't learn unless the responsibility is given to them in the first place. We learn to balance demands and issues as adults because we have responsibilities. A 16 year old is perfectly capable of understanding cause and effect.
Who has a larger stake in society, a 16 year old who will live another 6-1/2 decades or a 50 year old who'll be dead in 30 years? Who is more likely to look into the future for long-term solutions?
So after all of that excellent reasoning, why not allow kids to vote for kids ?
I agree that the kids should not vote on adults.
I agree that the kids should not vote on adults.
Reverend Blair said:
Yes, that's why responsibilities are given to them in a graduated process, ending with the ability to vote whereby they can change the course of society itself. They drive, they work, they learn to pay rent, and once they've mastered that they can vote.
Kids voting for kids... :lol: They do that in school. I've seen how that goes: All it is is a popularity contest. The kids who take it seriously get the least amount of votes (they're nerds and don't pay attention to serious things like parties*). Not because they didn't know their issues or planned improperly, they did all that. The ones who win usually glue their picture on a poster and write "This is Me" with an arrow pointing to it. It's funny to see, but not when they win.
* :lol: Perhaps school politics is similar to the real thing after all
* :lol: Perhaps school politics is similar to the real thing after all
Re: RE: Voting age 16?
Then you and those you knew were unusually mature for your age. Society certainly has the expectation that children will move out at age eighteen, and the trend has lately been that they stay longer in the home of their parents, as opposed to getting out younger.
no1important said:
Then you and those you knew were unusually mature for your age. Society certainly has the expectation that children will move out at age eighteen, and the trend has lately been that they stay longer in the home of their parents, as opposed to getting out younger.
Good discussions.
It looks like we're back to keeping the voting age at 18, then?
I guess kids voting on kids on a city council won't be any better than school elections, like joe canadian says?
Would kids voting on kids be more meaningful if it meant they would have one representative on a local city council?
It looks like we're back to keeping the voting age at 18, then?
I guess kids voting on kids on a city council won't be any better than school elections, like joe canadian says?
Would kids voting on kids be more meaningful if it meant they would have one representative on a local city council?