Do you agree with Dennis Kucinich's advocation for lowering the voting age to 16?

[Progressivism]

Here's a website for background information .
http://www.idebate.org/discussion/view_topic.php?id=850&forum_id=1

I am a fourteen year old High School Freshman and I agree with Congressman Kucinich.

[Skittles]

1. sure you agree; look at you

you're one savvy, politically aware 14 year old - I bet that's pretty rare - whereas I am 52 and most of my friends are - aw shit, yup I agree with you :7

[redqueen]

57. LOL! Yep, I thought the exact same thing.

Plus this might get more people interested and involved earlier.

[barb162]

2. No, sorry I don't.

[Hippo_Tron]

3. It should be lowered to 17, maybe 16

If you can be emancipated and tried as an adult you should be allowed to vote.

[mth44sc]

7. These days in some parts

they try 12 year olds as adults.

[Cincinnati Kid]

21. NO, you still have much to learn young grasshopper.

There are already too many "American Idol" -ish uninformed opinions out there at such a young age.

I was pretty immature til I joined the Army at age 18

[flvegan]

16. Also, as employees they may well be paying taxes.

I'd say that's enough.

[Lucy Goosey]

83. Good point - I hadn't thought of that.

I was, in fact, paying some income tax before I could vote.

[Oregone]

4. No, raise it to 26

Lower it to 44 while you are at it

[imdjh]

8. Means test it.

[Retrograde]

36. Civics test it

Keep it at 18, with a civics test akin to the one newly naturalized citizens take.

[imdjh]

53. Grammar test it. (as long as we're being utopian)

[petronius]

39. That seems reasonable - property owners have a bigger stake, so they should do all the voting

Also, it would be more efficient (and statistically valid) if only a sample of the population voted, so I think we should just have all the white men vote...

[barb162]

13. How about raise it to 40 and lower it to 41.

:)

[doc03]

28. Raise it to 26 and lower it to 62 and no voting below the

Mason Dixon Line. People under 26 have more important priorities than voting. People over 62 voting is a conflict of interest all they worry about is protecting their SS and Medicare. The southern states are all red anyway, who needs um.:sarcasm:

[R. P. McMurphy]

42. Watch it with the South bashing now.

Our fine Southern politicians have provided many years of comic relief. Okay, it wasn't funny. More like a train wreck that you couldn't take your eyes off of.

You gotta admit, though; our man Grayson is a real tiger!

[rve300]

5. I didn't like school uniforms when I was a kid either

But now that my daughter is in school. I love the idea.

[rwheeler31]

6. no

[msongs]

9. is it possible to vote by texting? hmm nt

[rucky]

10. Yep!

How are you supposed to get high school students involved if they have no vote? right now they do more community service than any other age group, and don't have a say.

[Angry Dragon]

11. NO

[saltpoint]

12. Sure. Kucinich is surveying the big ranch here. He's painting on the wide

canvas.

More emphasis on civic awareness, informed citizenship, and interactive communities would be one likely outcome of this proposal.

I'm for it.

[hypocrisyandlies]

14. Sorry, but no.

From what I experienced when my friends and I turned 18, only a very small percentage of us knew anything about politics. Everyone else just voted for who their parents told them to.

[RKP5637]

23. Agree!!! n/t

[Skittles]

44. hey, I am 52 and live in Texas

seems like most of the people my age STILL vote for who their parents voted for, over their own self-interests

[Throd]

15. No

[Vickers]

17. Hell yeah!

Every teenager I know (including my own) would vote a straight Democratic ticket. They haven't let the cynicism and fear tear out their soul (yet).

:headbang:

[TicketyBoo]

18. No.

[napi21]

19. Absolutely not! {ep[;e at 14 are thinking about their 1st or next relationship

and little else. It's difficult enough to get a political message through to someone 18 and have them care about it at all. 14 yo's would simply vote as their parents told them to.

[Statistical]

20. Nope. 18 is age of a majority.

However by that same token I favor lowering drinking and gambling age to 18.

18 = adult
<18 = not an adult

21 = wtf? is this adult +3 nonesense.

[provis99]

22. sure: and no one over 65 should be allowed to vote

Retirement age should also mean retirement from voting, since the teabaggers are typical of the doddering old fools in this age category. And retirement at 65 should be mandatory for politicians, also.

[notadmblnd]

24. At 16 my son has been more politically active than most adults I know

I would say that he is capable of voting on the issues intelligently.

[HughMoran]

25. I got my license early by taking a drivers ed course

I think if someone is politically active and they want to be able to vote @ 16 - 18, perhaps they could be required to take a civics course & pass a test to 'earn' the right to vote.

[EndersDame]

26. I worked for the Kucinich '04 campaign when I was 17

I think that the youngins tend to be more open minded and accepting so I say yes

[SheilaT]

27. No.

Two reasons immediately come to mind. First is that the vast majority of sixteen year olds are no where near mature enough to cast an informed vote. I realize that many of those who do vote are not well informed either, but at least have an age where there's a decent chance of knowing what's going on.

Second is that the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 based on the argument that the delay to age 21 made a lot of potential voters lose interest, and that was why so few 20-somethings voted. But voting apathy is still huge among the younger crowd. I believe that voters under age twenty-five did turn out in somewhat larger numbers to vote for Obama, but I'm not sure what percentage of them actually did show up and vote.

[kiva]

35. The main reason was the war in Vietnam -

if you were old enough to fight in wars begun by politicians, then (so we thought) you should be able to vote for/against those politicians. Of course young men have fought in every war the US has ever been involved in - many were younger than those sent to Vietnam - and couldn't vote.

Truthfully I doubt that there's a magic age at which one becomes an adult, but I really wish we'd pick and age and call it good. This nonsense that 18 year olds are mature enough for some things - voting, credit cards, volunteering for the armed forces, marriage, and yet not old enough to drink or play a slot machine is foolish. If you really believe that a young person can't be trusted to decide if they should have a drink or drop a quarter in the slots, then why do you think they are mature enough to decide to cast a ballot?

[SheilaT]

37. I would raise the

age of driving to st least 17. I would have everyone take a written test at renewal time and have those over 60 (I'm 61) take the test every three years. And maybe have us take the driving test every time, too.

I agree that there is no magic age when one becomes an adult. We just set an age for voting and drinking and hope for the best.

[Greyhound]

47. Nature already did it, we just don't like the results so we invented "adolescence".

Somewhere around twelve years we become adults. Most of the crap we seem to get all worked up over is nonsense, but it's easier to argue over the inconsequential than it is to deal with the important stuff.

[Mugu]

29. Only if they also lower the age to enter into a binding contract and be drafted.

[slipslidingaway]

30. Yes n/t

[Johonny]

31. the only positive benifit of this I can see

is most 16 year olds are still in school and thus probably more likely to vote as part of basic civics in school where as many 18 year olds have already left school. It seems like it might make Americans more likely to join the political process. The biggest problem young adults face politically is they don't vote and thus politicians have no reason to not ignore them. If 16 year old voting age gets more youth to the polls, I think it would be a good thing.

[DemBones DemBones]

32. This is one time I DON'T agree with Dennis,

and I usually support him, am proud of voting for him. But suffrage for 16 year-olds? No way.

First of all, I was 16 once, and had started following politics when I was 12, but was not mature enough to vote at 16. I couldn't vote until I was 21, think that was for the best.

Second, I have taught both high school and college. College students are still immature in their thinking but far more mature than 16 year-olds. Most are not well-informed about political issues or candidates.

It's not bad to be immature. We were all immature as teenagers. It might be better for society to raise the voting age to 25.

Of course I appreciate the argument that if you're old enough to die for your country, you should be old enough to vote. But I know that almost all voters are smarter about politics and more mature at 21 than at 18.

Maybe the laws should be changed so kids can't enlist in the military until they're 21 and any future draft would only affect those 21 and over. Then it would certainly be fair to raise the voting age back to 21.

[proteus_lives]

33. No.

Most sixteen year-olds don't know their asses from a hole in the ground. 18 is the lowest I would ever go.

[Unvanguard]

34. Definitely. Youth political engagement is a good thing. n/t

[obliviously]

38. I thought this board was for adults?

[era veteran]

40. Hell No

I ( very sorry to say) worked & voted for Nixon in "68 as an 18 year old. At 21 I was a solid progressive. Sorry, you may be smarter than me but 16 is too young.

[ecstatic]

55. Same here. My first election was at 21

I wasn't even thinking about voting or politics prior to the 2000 election. That's when it suddenly clicked.

[scheming daemons]

41. NO. 16 year olds aren't mature enough.... hell, most 18 year old aren't

[Greyhound]

46. Why not? I haven't read, nor do I have, any good reason not to.

I don't think many 16 year olds will bother to vote, however.

[TexasObserver]

43. No. The age of 18 also brings the duty to self support and to sign contracts.

I find 16 year olds today to be less prepared to take on adult responsibilities than any in history. Teens and young adults have been consistently taking on fewer adult responsibility than in the past. Forty years ago, you moved out after high school, unless you were going to college, and no one stayed with their parents after college. Anyone 23 or over who didn't have a place of their own was considered immature.

Over the past forty years, that has changed dramatically. Not nearly as many students work. Many fewer have drivers licenses and can drive. The arc for their independence from parents is to age 24-27.

I simply don't see any way 16 years could be allowed to vote. Frankly, today's 18 year olds aren't prepared to vote, but we let them anyway.

[Hippo_Tron]

63. The world is a differenct place than it was 40 years ago

Jobs require a higher level of education than they used to.

[TexasObserver]

75. If only that were true.

High school grads 40 years ago were a lot better prepared for adulthood, and understood how to write sentences and paragraphs. They could type. They could math without a calculator. They had some concept of geography, history, and social structure.

There is no comparison between high school grads 40 years ago and those now. Those 40 years ago were prepared to be adults. Not so now. The lack of maturity in today's teens in unparalleled in US history.

Jobs require a WORK ETHIC, and that's what keeps most young people today unemployed or underemployed. They don't have a good work ethic. Half the 16-24 year olds are unemployed, and there would be more than that if their parents didn't make them. I'm hoping the current crop of 16-24 year olds will be as mature as an 18 year old had to be 40 years ago, preferably some time before they turn 30.

[Hippo_Tron]

82. I'm just saying, I'm about to be on the job market...

And there really aren't a whole lot of jobs that involve writing sentences that you can get with just a high school diploma. Things that used to require a bachelor's degree require a master's degree and again the economy is different than it was 40 years ago.

Maybe some jobs that used to require a high school diploma now require a college degree because employers assume that high school graduates don't know how to write. Either way, it is a different world and people do go to school for longer periods of time for a reason.

[TexasObserver]

89. Tell me about it. I've sent three kids to college.

Including one who teaches at university now.

It's correct that employers consider the high school diploma as simply an indication the person at least did not drop out, but little more. More often than not, the requirement of a degree is mainly to thin the applicant pool. It's also correct that you need a masters or doctorate to really do much good with a degree.

[theHandpuppet]

45. Nope

Sorry, but no.

[Kitty Herder]

48. No. I didn't know a damned thing when I was 16.

[hayu_lol]

49. LOL! Kucinich is trying to tap a number of probable...

supporters.

NO. 16 is not a suitable age/educational level/experienced enough/aware enough to participate in voting.

Matter of fact, given the dismal educational status of most high schoolers today, perhaps we might reconsider moving the qualifying age back to 21.

[ecstatic]

56. Seems

kind of desperate.

[Kitty Herder]

70. I think 18 is a good age to start voting.

Granted, I didn't know much more at 18 than I did at 16, but if you're old enough to be drafted and to sign a contract, you should be allowed to vote.

I usually find myself in agreement with Dennis Kucinich, but I have to part ways with him on this particular issue.

ETA: I said I didn't know much more at 18 than I did at 16 and that's mostly true. But I was more capable of making a decision in the voting booth at 18 thanks to an amazing teacher who taught history my senior year. He actually made us think. It changed the way I see the world. I was lucky. Most kids don't have that kind of learning opportunity. Teachers like that are rare and precious.

[treestar]

67. There are people who don't know a damn thing at 66, either

[Kitty Herder]

71. That's true. But...

They've had far more years and life experiences to learn from than a sixteen-year-old.

I'm using myself as a reference and perhaps that's not a good way to look at it. I'm sure there are sixteen-year-olds who are very capable of making informed decisions in the voting booth. I just don't know any. ;-)

[Toasterlad]

50. Why Not? The Vast Majority Won't Exercise It Anyway.

Presumably, the ones who will are the ones who keep themselves informed. Plus, they'd be passionate to an extent that older, more jaded politicos are not.

Let 'em have at it. If they can steer a car, they can help steer the nation.

[Vidar]

51. No.

[Lyric]

52. I think it should be lowered to 14.

But only if civics and government classes are added to the required education curriculum starting at 1st grade. Not just social studies, but civics and government *specifically.*

The teens today are a hell of a lot more aware than the teens of twenty years ago. Those that WANT to vote should have the right to do so.

[ecstatic]

54. Won't they just vote for who their parents tell them to vote for

Or might they try to rebel and vote the opposite of their parents? I think 18 is the right age.

[krabigirl]

73. At 16, with uber-coservative parents, most likely not.

[fascisthunter]

58. not sure

I like the idea of teens being more politically active, but would this then become a trend for more political awerness. Not sure teens know that much about politics... then again, a lot of adults don't know enough either.

[dysfunctional press]

59. absolutely NOT.

but i would like to see the return of civics.
it should be a required course in EVERY grade level starting at 1.

[tmyers09]

60. I say yes.

[uppityperson]

85. but you are another young sprat. Maybe you could vote younger if you took a civics test?

Prove you know wtf is going on and how voting works, 3 branches of gvt, etc. I know a lot of older people/adults would probably fail, but it would be along the line of "if you want this special privilege, you have to show you deserve it".

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

61. Oh God No. Kooky Kucinich Getting Kookier I See.

[Freddie Stubbs]

62. If they aren't mature enough to enter into binding contracts, why would should they be able to vote?

:shrug:

[rvablue]

64. No. n/t

[Iggo]

65. As long as we make it the age of majority...

...I have no problem with it.

[WinkyDink]

66. That would be a resounding NO.

[Ikonoklast]

68. Oh, hell no.

Not unless we extend all other rights and duties of adulthood at that age, no.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

81. You phrased it much better than I did.

That's essentially my position.

[Hissyspit]

69. Yes.

[krabigirl]

72. Absolutely.

[Echo In Light]

74. Yes! Help balance out the anti-Left penchant that systematically occurs via indoctrination

... as people age and are run through the society's dominant institutions that tend to prioritize the creation of obedient corporate cogs.

[ddeclue]

76. No - 18 is good.

[Bluenorthwest]

77. Yes absolutely

And for many reasons, including the fact that they are seen to be old enough to work and to be taxed on income.

[cherokeeprogressive]

78. Not on their BEST day. n/t

[NightWatcher]

79. Nope, 18 should he The Age for everything. Drinkin, drivin, votin, killin (in a war, aka Army)...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

80. This is a good question.

Personally, I don't think so. I think 18 should be the age for everything. At 18, legally, the only person responsible for you is you.

[tabbycat31]

84. yes and no

I would do this. I would lower it to the age to get a drivers license in whatever state one resides in. 18-24 is the least represented in voter registration because often they start driving before they're 18 and don't have the convenience of registering when they get a drivers license.

Either that or allow people to pre-register and have the registration take effect on your 18th birthday.

[MadBadger]

86. Completely disagree.

[Blue_Tires]

87. it's hard enough to get 18-year-olds to bother to vote...

[etherealtruth]

88. No