Posted on 05/05/2017 9:26:27 AM PDT by EinNYC
Political and social activism is surging in America. Protest groups are springing up across the country. Concerned citizens are marching in the streets to support science, women's rights, justice and immigration. Congressional offices are flooded with calls from constituents.
And much of the renewed political and social activity is being carried out by high school students — many of them committed and informed activists, yet still too young to vote.
It is time to give those students a voice in government.
That’s the goal of the New York Young Voter Act, a bill the Youth Progressive Policy Group is pushing with the support of Assemblyman Robert Carroll (D–Brooklyn) and State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D–Manhattan). The bill — A.6839/S.5646, if you want to look it up — would lower the voting age in New York State to 17 in all local and statewide elections. It would also improve the high school curriculum by bolstering nuts-and-bolts civic education with lessons on the history and meaning of the Constitution, plus more intense focus on "genocide, slavery, the Holocaust, and the mass starvation in Ireland," according to the bill.
As a practical matter, the bill would also provide all high school students with the opportunity to register in their classrooms so they’re eligible in time for the next Election Day.
Opponents may contend that 17 year olds are not emotionally or intellectually ready for the responsibility of voting. But American 17 year olds already shoulder many of the responsibilities of adulthood: They can join the military (with parental consent), they can drop out of high school and work to support themselves and their families (80% of American high school students will hold jobs and pay taxes before they graduate), and, of course, they can drive a motor vehicle — one of their most dangerous responsibilities.
Still, these 17 year olds are left with no say in public affairs; they have no say in how their tax dollars are spent, how their public schools are run, how the criminal justice system is administered, and how legislators set their agendas.
Beyond enshrining the adult responsibilities and maturity of most 17 year olds, setting the voting age at 17 would expand and improve dismally low levels of democratic participation and civic engagement. In Austria, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland and one Maryland city, civic engagement soared when lawmakers lowered the voting age to 16. For example, the voter turnout by newly eligible 16- and 17-year olds in the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 was 75% — far higher than the 54% turnout by 18- to 24-year olds.
Isaiah 3:4-5
(4) And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
(5) And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
I would say a business qualifies as “property” unless one wants to get into hair-splitting between assets and real estate.
Tell you what kid. I propose that the voting age be raised to 30.
But I’m willing to compromise on voting age at 21.
Deal?
He also suggested that one should be required to solve a quadratic equation before being awarded the franchise.
So...someone figured out that they’re having trouble getting older, wiser, more experienced, more mature people to vote “Progressive” and they’re trying to pump up their voter base. If we can trust them to vote, how about we let them buy, keep and bear arms; drink alcohol; smoke; make contracts; etc.
I’d be willing to compromise on the point of owning property. You only get to vote if you actually pay federal income tax.
Regards,
The essential fact is that youth are far less likely to mature before 21 today, than they were in the earlier days of the Republic. Lowering the voting age to 18 was an obvious mistake. Compare all the other indices of maturity, drinking age, age of consent, age of military service—all such are later today than in colonial days—or the early years of the United States.
>>“We need to go back to only Property Owners having the Right To Vote”
Back then Property Owners were the only ones that paid taxes. So the modern equivalent is only net taxpayers should be allowed to vote (plus probably active duty military)
Democrats are desperately trying to expand their voting base by any means necessary and as rapidly as they can.
Property Owners having the Right To Vote
AGREE
Now I am a woman who ownes property, my house too.
I sit in the cubicle jungle at work. My neighbor rent is subsedized by us(Americans) and she drives a car I could never afford. Been listening to her for a decade. Really we need criteria to vote.
Her un-informed vote cancells mine.
We are moving in the opposite direction heck the former pResident openly encouraged illegals to vote!!
Stoooo-pid
Commies can’t win with mature minds.
He makes the argument we’ve heard before in other contexts — “Mature enough to drive, mature enough to vote”. There’s some logic to that argument but its not a black and white argument. Why not lower the voting age to 10 or 11? Or 5 or 6? Why not give babies the right to vote? They’re alive, aren’t they? I’m sure this kid would say “that’s silly — 5 and 6 year olds don’t have the judgment to vote.” Exactly. And most state legislatures in the US have determined that 17 year olds don’t have the judgment to vote. Are some 17 year olds more mature than some 18 year olds? Sure, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
And all (or most) of it is astroturf funded by Soros and the like. At this point, I'm not sure anyone under the age of 25 should be allowed to vote given how clueless younger people are about anything other than pop culture.
Stupidest idea ever.
It’s bad enough that eighteen year olds have been given the vote.
At 17 you have done nothing. You have been given everything by the adults in your life. You know nothing about paying taxes or rent or insurance
Anyone on welfare should not have a vote.
How many of those kids are paying their daily living expenses and willing to also shoulder tax burdens today AND take up arms in defense of this nation ftom all threats?
Anyone on welfare should not be allowed to vote either.
Worst. Idea. Ever.
Already to many people voting. Age should be raised as it is.
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