Debate should teens have the right to vote...i wonder

should teens have the right to vote ages throgh (13-17)

 

Define "teens" - as in, actual age. You really can't start a good debate with one sentence; if I wasn't already aware of this issue, I wouldn't know what you meant, or have any idea of the concepts involved.

I say no, voting should be reserved for adults (age 18 in the US). I remember when I was fourteen, I really didn't know the issues involved with most legistlation, and wouldn't have been an informed voter. Of course, many legal adults either don't know the full story behind any given proposition (or they just don't really care) - but I think that an overwhelming majority of young teens would not make their voting decisions based on a logical, researched view of the topic or candidate. There's no particular reason to extend voting rights to them - people as young as fourteen or fifteen don't generally pay taxes, hold jobs, watch the news, or do anything else that would justify them influencing our legal system so directly.

Now, don't anyone attack me because you think I'm saying teenagers are stupid, ignorant, and incapable of good decisions. I'm not. I just don't think most younger teens have enough interest in politics to get their facts straight before voting. In fact, I doubt all that many would vote.

 

I'm seventeen years old and I honestly don't give two ****s right yet about politics, and who knows when I actually will give a ****? And just relying on that fact, I must say that I think the voting age is okay right where it is.

 

Seeing as a lot of teens (13-18) I've dealt with can barely spell properly, I'm going to have to say no. The voting age is alright where it is.

EDIT: Yes, I'm 18.

 

Ha! No way. Dilandu and Baph hit the nails on their heads.

 

Exactly. Most teens don't know anything about politics. As such voting does not really affect them as muchas it would for an adult.
And some teens also don't understand the suffering that some people went through just so they could get the right to vote.

 

Since basically no teens under the age of 18 even pay taxes they should not be allowed to vote. They aren't giving the gov anything to be allowed to. So yeah I agree with Dilandou.

 

teens don't pay taxes teens,pre-teens,adults pay taxes everyday and some teens are in to politics now of day and what makes you think alot of adults don't just vote for the heck of it.so yes i think teens have every right adults do in this matter

 

The way I look at it is that there are more ways to measure ones age then through years.

If someone is opinionated and smart enough, which could possibly be dictated through a etst of some sort, I think it would be fine for them to vote.

 

totally

i totally think that we should vote i mean we know whats happing in the world but no too cause we dont pay taxs so ya.

 

If you have an income, you pay income tax, as well as social security.

My brother started paying taxes at fifteen years old.

I believe voting rights should not be based on age. A test would be more effective. Since most 18 year olds aren't even responsible enough to drive correctly, why should they vote.

Urly101gay eedsnay otay utshay upay ownay.

 

Hey

WHO EVER U ARE WERE U MAKEING FUN OF ME I DONT THINK AM COMIG BACK NOW I THROUGHT THIS WAS A NICE PLACE I MIGHT COME BACK IF I GET A SORRY :anger2:

If you don't ACT stupid, you won't be CALLED stupid. - Ark

 

No you don't. Do you know how many people honestly believe Saddam was hurting nobody and that Iraq was a free country under his rule?

 

No, teens should not be allowed to vote. Even though age isn't a perfect measure of whether people should have the right way to vote, as some are more mature than others, it's as good as you're going to get. Testing everyone just isn't practical, and there isn't really any kind of test that will check whether the person is mature enough to make an informed decision. Remember, stupid people are allowed to vote too, and their vote is valid. Like it or not, that's the way it is.

And Gurly101, I wouldn't hold my breath.

...On second thoughts, do. It'd probably better for everyone.

 

Personally, I feel that most teens lack the sense of awareness and the political knowledge to make an informed choice, and therefore should not vote. However, I will note that most adults are little better.

Maybe there should be a test to vote. If you don't know what a candidate's positions are, you're not allowed to vote for them.... *cough*

- Ark

 

I'm not sure that'd be a terible good idea ark. It would be even more of a deterrent to voters, and seeing as numbers turning out to vote seem to only be going lower, I think it'd be a bad move. The majority must be represtented, intelligent or not, that's what democracy is about. Now if you want to argue that a dictatorship would be better, I'd be in agreeance with you. A benevolent dictatorship is probably the best type of goverment possible.

 

I know, it wasn't a serious suggestion. I agree with you, a benevolent dictatorship quite possibly is the best form of government. Unfortunately, it's also the hardest form of government to build, and to keep from becoming corrupt.

Anyways, that's off the topic. If anyone wants to create a thread on government forms though, you have my blessings

- Ark

 

I am totally undecided in this, but as of these past 2 weeks or so the British government has been debating whether or not the franchise (right to vote - i found this out recently in school :sweat2: ) should be given to 16yr olds.
So far, it looks like the government is pushing this through, and looking to target these "young adults" for the next general election (next yearish).

As a 15 yr old, by the time this comes round I could vote, which i consider to be cool as it could mean I have a say in how the country's run by whatever government - or so the theory goes.

but some people could abuse this right and make naff votes just "for fun". However, there is a chance that giving folks my age the right to vote could make them wise up and mature.

I think the "test of maturity" Naruto mentioned is a good idea.

 

No. I don't wonder.

Teens shouldn't be allowed to drive either. At least here it's legal for them to drive before it's legal for them to drink.. Gives us (theoretically) a couple years of them being mostly sober while behind the wheel of their murder machines.

 

Not bloody likely. I remember hearing of one state in America lowered the drinking age from 21 to 19 and drunk driving related auto accidents increased phenomanoly, so much that they restored the prior drinking age.