Why We Should Lower the Voting Age to 16

The New York Times ^ | March 2, 2018 | Laurence Steinberg

[Trump20162020]

The young people who have come forward to call for gun control in the wake of the mass shooting at their high school in Parkland, Fla., are challenging the tiresome stereotype of American kids as indolent narcissists whose brains have been addled by smartphones. They offer an inspiring example of thoughtful, eloquent protest.

Unfortunately, when it comes to electing lawmakers whose decisions about gun control and other issues affect their lives, these high schoolers lack any real power. This needs to change: The federal voting age in the United States should be lowered from 18 to 16.

Skeptics will no doubt raise questions about the competence of 16-year-olds to make informed choices in the voting booth. Aren’t young people notoriously impulsive and hotheaded, their brains not fully developed enough to make good judgments?

Yes and no. When considering the intellectual capacity of teenagers, it is important to distinguish between what psychologists call “cold” and “hot” cognition.

[Rebelbase]

Start building the LSD camps!

[wardaddy]

Good post

[moviefan8]

Voting age should be 26 because medical, dental, and vision care is available. An employee can have his child as a dependent up to that age at my work.

[Flaming Conservative]

I’m guessing that if kids today were advocating conservatism, the NYT would NOT be calling for allowing them to vote.

[Vendome]

Haven’t read the article but, assume it is full of cap and contrivances.

They infantiling youth while arguing they should be allowed to vote?

Currently, teenage drivers under the age of 18 in the state are required to take a driver’s education class before receiving a permit and later a 12-month provisional license that requires they stay off road between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.. They’re also not allowed to drive with anyone under the age of 20 in the car unless accompanied by a 25-year-old licensed driver.

And in 2020 under AB63 The new bill aims to raise the age cutoff for all those restrictions to 21.

http://www.thedrive.com/news/14389/new-california-driving-law-would-add-curfew-passenger-restrictions-to-under-21-drivers

You also 8ns8st on are restrictions for the purchase of alcohol, guns and ammunition.

You also insist they may not apply for a powered airplane license until 17.

Their parents must provide insurance until they are 26.

It is a dishonest premise.

[Cheerio]

They can’t get citizens or adults to vote for them

[gogeo]

The young people who have come forward to call for gun control in the wake of the mass shooting at their high school in Parkland, Fla., are challenging the tiresome stereotype of American kids as indolent narcissists whose brains have been addled by smartphones. They offer an inspiring example of thoughtful, eloquent protest.

If the first paragraph is 100% nonsense...

[Doogle]

....they can’t decide what bathroom to use, but it’s OK to vote...

[Flaming Conservative]

You’re dangerously close to a demographic who should have their first AND second amendment rights removed!/sarc

[DoodleBob]

While most Millennials I know are pretty conservative youths who aren't the pod-eating, Antifa-loving statists that get air time, here is the true impetus for the Dems' push to lower the voting age in one demographic:

[Leep]

If they could the left would allow watermelons to vote.
Hold on.. do we actually know that watermelons are not voting?

[Tzimisce]

If we cared so much about the kids, would we be BURYING them in MASSIVE DEBT?

I don’t think so. :)

[Tzimisce]

If the kids are so important, how come I can abort them?

[armourenthusiast]

I think they should raise it back to 21, like it used to be. Think about it, 18 year olds can no longer buy beer/wine, they are about to banned from purchasing firearms until age 21. There is no draft.

So why are they still allowed to vote?

[Tzimisce]

So you’re a military vet with a tour in Afghanistan under your belt?

well thank you for your service.

But your military ID says you’re only 20. Clearly you’re not mature enough to be trusted with a firearm.

So sorry....

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

So, these 16 year old kids think they should be allowed to vote. Reminds me of a short story I read ESQUIRE years ago, WILD IN THE STREETS.
What will be next? Carousel from LOGAN’S RUN?

[Islander7]

16? It should be at least 30.

I was thinking 35

[captain_dave]

Here’s a proposal. Each person gets a variable number of votes based on what they’ve accomplished. One vote for Citizen age 18 and over, another one vote for Veterans, another one vote for paying taxes, another one vote for owning a home (less than 50% mortgaged), and another one vote for business ownership with three or more unrelated employees. Subtract one vote for receiving welfare.

[5th MEB]

I am a little bit more extreme on this topic than most folks.
1: Must be active military or vetran
2: Must be a property owner.
3: Must be gainfully employed.
4: Must be paying personal income taxes.
5: Must be 25 years of age or active military/Honorably
Discharged to exercise franchise.
6: Must have demonstrated through service, (military,
firefighter, police) willingness to risk life,
injury, and financial security to protect and defend
the body politic and the Constitution of the United
States.

[umgud]

If the 16 year olds leaned to the right, the NYT would push a law to never allow them to vote.