Too Uninformed to Vote?

Jewish World Review ^ | 01 August 2007 | Jonah Goldberg

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Uninformed voters are what happens when a constitutional republic morphs into a democracy.

[P-40]

Each ballot should have all mention of party affiliation removed. If you don’t know the name of the person you are voting for, you don’t need to be voting. The ‘vote straight ticket’ buttons could still be available, but they would just fire the tasers, not register a vote.

[pnh102]

I've always believed that voters should have to prove basic knowledge of government (as well as citizenship) before being permitted to vote.

www.dontvote.org

[Uncle Ike]

” (and you probably do because you’re a newspaper reader), “

I take issue — newspaper readers are, by and large, too MISinformed to vote....

[cripplecreek]

I’m not thrilled with straight ticket voting. It makes it too easy to endorse stupidity from either side. On the county and township levels I vote all over the place.

[wideawake]

There is an argument to be made for limiting the franchise: persons who live off the taxes of their fellow citizens and persons who are employed by the government have a clear conflict of interest at the polls.

An amendment to that effect would be salutary, and also impossible.

[Arcy]

Uninformed voters are a product of the government school system as well. John Stossil did a report once called “Stupid in America”. He should do one called “To Stupid to Vote”.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Each ballot should have all mention of party affiliation removed. If you don’t know the name of the person you are voting for, you don’t need to be voting.

If that ever happened, both parties would recruit independent candidates with same name to that of their opponent. The fraudulent candidate would run as turd party to split the vote leaving the survivor elected by a likely plurality.

[P-40]

I’m not thrilled with straight ticket voting.

I hate it with a passion but I would still like to leave the voter with a button for that option...because I like tasers. :)

[MrB]

Two things should be required to vote:

Demonstrate civic knowledge.
Show that you’ve paid (net) taxes for the past 2 years.

[Joe 6-pack]

"...persons who live off the taxes of their fellow citizens and persons who are employed by the government have a clear conflict of interest at the polls."

So the military shouldn't get to vote?

[television is just wrong]

I think we need to revert back to property owners only voting.

[wideawake]

So the military shouldn't get to vote?

Until very recently it was the custom of active duty armed forces personnel not to vote.

My family members who are active duty military only recently started voting, in response to Vice President Gore's attempt to disenfranchise the military by manipulating the courts.

Of course, the military are a special case because they are generally the only government employees who contribute far more value to the Republic than they are paid for.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Until very recently it was the custom of active duty armed forces personnel not to vote."

BS

[wideawake]

BS

Sorry, but that is the case.

[ejonesie22]

I’d easily agree to that.

I think that unless you are invested in this country, you should not have a say. If you are taking from it, then no way should you have a say. I couldn’t tell my parents what to do.

Look at the ‘rats vote and see who it comes from...

[KarlInOhio]

If you know the answers to these questions (and you probably do because you're a newspaper reader),

'If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.' - Mark Twain

[Jedidah]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1874680/posts

[ejonesie22]

I work for the Fed, and while I see the point, I would have a problem with losing my vote for choosing to serve my country. Trust me, they take taxes from us too.

[Jack Wilson]

Until very recently it was the custom of active duty armed forces personnel not to vote.

In other words, they were too uniformed to vote?