Should voting for Congress, Senate, and President be restricted?

One of the biggest issues with our political system is the low information voter. It is just scary to me that anyone can vote whether they are informed or not. I recently took the test that is required for US Citizenship for fun and it wouldn't surprise me if 75% of voters couldn't pass it. While voting is a right, I also think it is something that should be earned. We have too many politicians promising giveaways to the least informed voters. In addition, I believe every voter should have some skin in the game. It is easy to vote for more government spending and largess when you aren't the one footing the bill.

I know the mere suggestion will cause some people to scream this is tantamount to a poll tax. However, I disagree.

Thoughts?

a reply to: Edumakated

One of the biggest issues with our political system is the low information voter.

People know what they want. That choice isn't presented to them on election day. Just the approved choices.

Devil or deep blue sea?

a reply to: Edumakated

I think a lot of informed voters get frustrated about this issue, but it's my expectation that if we opened the door to rule making regarding who is "educated" enough to vote, the rulemakers will rewrite or bend the rules to favor or disfavor certain groups.

originally posted by: Edumakated
One of the biggest issues with our political system is the low information voter. It is just scary to me that anyone can vote whether they are informed or not. I recently took the test that is required for US Citizenship for fun and it wouldn't surprise me if 75% of voters couldn't pass it. While voting is a right, I also think it is something that should be earned. We have too many politicians promising giveaways to the least informed voters. In addition, I believe every voter should have some skin in the game. It is easy to vote for more government spending and largess when you aren't the one footing the bill.

I know the mere suggestion will cause some people to scream this is tantamount to a poll tax. However, I disagree.

Thoughts?

There's so many things wrong with your post (not in my opinion of course), but you do realize it's no longer a requirement to be a US citizen, much less have the ability to speak and read English, to vote. Well it's an unspoken rule of course, but do you see where you went wrong? Then of course there's the issue of being racist if you require not only the aforementioned, but that a test be given as well to do so. We're back to making an "X" is all that's required.

a reply to: Edumakated

To be honest, I also believe that the voting right contributes to what makes our country free and "democratic" (using this term loosely for the moment), so although one may be uneducated to who they are voting for and what platform they stand on, it is still a fundamental right that should be protected.

What citizens vote on (issues rather than representatives) is a separate issue that I believe needs to be fundamentally revisited. Not going to go on about this but just an idea to ponder.

Also, I would propose that even US-born citizens should still take and pass the US Citizenship test when they become a legal adult (18) before they could vote

It doesn`t matter the elections are rigged anyway.

a reply to: Edumakated

Restricted to who?

...and what would keep it from being restricted even further at some point? Slippery slope, there...

a reply to: Edumakated

How does one go about earning the right privilege in your ideal World?

What would you consider justified restrictions?




Personally in my ideal World I think people should be taught English, Maths & Politics (& lower the voting age to 10) from as young as possible...
Three things guarunteed to be in the Lives of every human...

Do you know why the third one is not taught?
Because it's the one they need you to be stupid in!

They need a Wage Slave well versed in Math & English... They don't need Politics screwing up the current system.

What got me thinking about it was taking the citizenship test.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

Voting is one of the most important things we can do as a citizen. If we require immigrants to pass this test, why not natural born citizens? This isn't even about left or right politics, but showing basic competency as to the history and ideals of the country.

I'm not saying that something like this is perfect, but I do believe it is crazy that anyone can vote in elections whether they are competent or not. In a way, it is like stealing a vote from someone who is informed.

There are many flaws with how our system is being manipulated by the professional politician class and I think this is one area that can be addressed. We can also talk term limits, lobbying, etc, but I guess those would be another thread.

Just some food for thought. I am not totally wedded to the idea and just seeking to foster discussion. I do have an open mind and if someone can show me logically why it is good idea to allow every person to vote, then I'm all ears.

originally posted by: Edumakated

There are many flaws with how our system is being manipulated by the professional politician class and I think this is one area that can be addressed.

But those very same politicians would be the ones making the rules as to who is allowed to vote. I see a huge conflict of interest there.

I'm afraid even the idiots should be allowed to vote. But it hurts to type that.

Out of curiosity how would you feel if at some point you were deemed ineligable to vote?

Would you accept the decision or find it against your liberties?

a reply to: Edumakated

originally posted by: Edumakated
One of the biggest issues with our political system is the low information voter. It is just scary to me that anyone can vote whether they are informed or not. I recently took the test that is required for US Citizenship for fun and it wouldn't surprise me if 75% of voters couldn't pass it. While voting is a right, I also think it is something that should be earned. We have too many politicians promising giveaways to the least informed voters. In addition, I believe every voter should have some skin in the game. It is easy to vote for more government spending and largess when you aren't the one footing the bill.

I know the mere suggestion will cause some people to scream this is tantamount to a poll tax. However, I disagree.

Thoughts?

It's a great idea in theory, but... Then there would be fee's to take such tests, then mandatory classes and certification, then maybe a requirement for a bachelors in history and civics and so on. Those that don't have the time or money would have their voices squashed.

Would probably be better that way regardless. So sick of hearing people talk about how they voted for obama bc he's black, or how they will vote for Hillary bc she is a woman. Simply voting for someone based on their political party is pretty silly to me as well though.

originally posted by: nonspecific
Out of curiosity how would you feel if at some point you were deemed ineligable to vote?

Would you accept the decision or find it against your liberties?

a reply to: Edumakated

Depends on why I would be ineligible. Like I said, I'm thinking something along the lines of the citizenship test that we ALREADY REQUIRE for legal immigrants. If we are going to require legal immigrants to pass this test to become a citizen, then logically this test should not be a problem for the rest of us. This test covers things like branches of government, , etc. Anyone with a rudimentary level of understanding of this country should be able to pass it. I bet any 9th grader could pass it. You can take it yourself; I posted a link above. I'm not advocating requiring graduate level calculus or some other BS to exclude voters. It simply making it so that voting is taken more seriously and we know those that do vote are informed.

We have a second amendment, but yet you cannot just own a firearm if you aren't shown to be capable. I don't see this as any different.

a reply to: Edumakated

well i tell you, if anyone couldn't pass that little sad excuse of a test that the huffin post had they don't deserve to be a citizen.
that should be considered common knowledge for any one that went to school and listened for five minutes in U.S. History Class.

now the one that is linked to in the article that is given to immigrants for citizenship, this one 100 Civics Questions and Answers with MP3 Audio (English version)
is just a bit tougher and i could see some people not passing it, should a U.S born citizen be banned from voting because they can't pass this one no.

It's funny how conservatives are constantly trying to take away people's right to vote while always crying about "liberty". Yet they claim we can't keep dangerous people from having dangerous weapons.

If you think guns can't be regulated then why would you think peoples' constitutional right to vote should be taken away?

originally posted by: Edumakated
We have a second amendment, but yet you cannot just own a firearm if you aren't shown to be capable. I don't see this as any different.

Anyone can own a firearm. That includes idiots and criminals.

originally posted by: alphaether

originally posted by: Edumakated
We have a second amendment, but yet you cannot just own a firearm if you aren't shown to be capable. I don't see this as any different.

Anyone can own a firearm. That includes idiots and criminals.

Anyone can't legally own a firearm... granted you can illegally get one, but you must pass background checks, etc to legally purchase one.

I took the test and I failed, but given that I am not a united states citizen and have never even visited you can't really be suprised.

I still got 4 out of ten though so if thats a citizenship test then I can't really see how you could fail it.

My origonal question was based on the premise that the requirement was set at such a level that yourself became illegible, It's a slippery slope once you get a group of people deciding who does and does not have rights.

a reply to: Edumakated

originally posted by: Edumakated

Depends on why I would be ineligible. Like I said, I'm thinking something along the lines of the citizenship test that we ALREADY REQUIRE for legal immigrants. If we are going to require legal immigrants to pass this test to become a citizen, then logically this test should not be a problem for the rest of us. This test covers things like branches of government, , etc. Anyone with a rudimentary level of understanding of this country should be able to pass it. I bet any 9th grader could pass it. You can take it yourself; I posted a link above. I'm not advocating requiring graduate level calculus or some other BS to exclude voters. It simply making it so that voting is taken more seriously and we know those that do vote are informed.

Everything in the citizenship test qualifications is a part of the social studies curriculum for middle school and high school students. Natural born citizens already take the equivalent to the citizenship test and then some. So would your requirements for voting go beyond a high school diploma or GED? Is the citizenship test itself your personal equivalency for being able to vote? What about those running for office? I see a lot more "low information" candidates and congressmen and women than I do voters. Should the qualifications for running for office be increased as well to an equivalency or greater threshold than voting?

It all comes down to what YOU are considering a low information voter to be. Ehatnyumarenptoposingnisnt a simple bill rammed through Congress. It's amending the constitution.

We have a second amendment, but yet you cannot just own a firearm if you aren't shown to be capable. I don't see this as any different.

Not true at all. There are some varying restrictions on a state by state basis such as permits for handguns and hunting licenses but for the most part, anyone without a felony and a legal ID can own a rifle or shotgun. There isn't any test to own those firearms only the NICS background check that takes a few minutes to run.