Lower voting age to 16?

[Ryker77]

TweetXXXXYYYZZZZ favors lowering the voting age to 16 years old. He recognizes that 16 year olds work, pay taxes and more and more often are subjected to criminal laws passed that treat them like adults. In addition, democracy in the United States needs to be re-invigorated. Allowing youth the right to vote will increase voter participation, not only of 16 to 18 year olds, but also in the longer term as youth are taught at an early age the importance of voting. With this change in law XYZ also favors increased instruction in school about civics, government and the importance of voting. Some say youth are not smart enough to vote, so rather than explaining all the very good reasons for allowing the youth vote, XYZ believes it is best to let youth speak for themselves.

"At the founding of our nation, only rich, white, land-owning men over the age of twenty-one could vote. Later, it was any white man over twenty-one. Following the Civil War, the Fifteenth Amendment gave the vote to African American men. Next, in 1920, women's suffrage finally paid off with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Finally, in 1970 the voting age was lowered to 18 due to the counter-cultural movements of the 1960's. Over hundreds of years, the vote has spread from the clutches of an elite few to an ever-greater percentage of the population. Youth are simply the next item on the timeline of Democracy's growth." "Youth Suffrage," Brad Vogel, Between the Lines, www.btlmag.org

"What kind of twisted message do we send when we tell youth they are judged mature, responsible adults when they commit murder, but silly, brainless kids when they want to vote? This is a double standard, no different than during the Vietnam War. War isn't a dead issue now either, leaders who youth can't vote for today may send them to war tomorrow. Lowering the voting age is the just, fair way to set things straight."

"For several reasons lowering the voting age will increase voter turnout. It is common knowledge that the earlier in life a habit is formed the more likely that habit or interest will continue throughout life. If attempts are made to prevent young people from picking up bad habits, why are no attempts made to get youth started with good habits, like voting? If citizens begin voting earlier, and get into the habit of doing so earlier, they are more likely to stick with it through life.

"Not only will turnout increase for the remainder of young voter's lives, the turnout of their parents will increase as well: 'A 1996 survey by Bruce Merrill, an Arizona State University journalism professor, found a strong increase in turnout. Merrill compared turnout of registered voters in five cities with Kids Voting with turnout in five cities without the program. Merrill found that between five and ten percent of respondents reported Kids Voting was a factor in their decision to vote. This indicated that 600,000 adults nationwide were encouraged to vote by the program.'" ("Proposal to Lower the Voting Age." https://www.youthrights.org/voteproposal.html. Visited 22 February 2003 ) Youth Rights https://www.youthrights.org/vote10.html

"When the USA was founded, suffrage was restricted to white male landowners. Over time, it was extended to non-landowners, women, lower-class people (through the elimination of the poll tax), and minority races. There are no longer any groups whose voting rights are automatically denied except for people under 18. It's a matter of social progress. When other groups demanded the right to vote, many treated their cause with hesitation or ridicule, but eventually social progress prevailed. But the evolution of suffrage is not complete until it is extended to everyone who deserves it, and we're working to move closer to that goal." Teen Vote https://www.teenvote.us/why


Nader is the one who wrote the article. I didn't think much about it but it might be something that should be looked into.

I was 18 years old and carrying a M249 light weight belt feed machine gun in the Marines and I couldn't even buy a damn beer. Hell you can sign up and ship off at 17 if your parents sign you off. 17 not old enough to vote but old enough to fight/die to allow Iraqis to vote that

[T-Man007]

TweetYea, I don't think there are too many 16 year olds that can comprehend politics. Just becasue they are treated as an adult for killing someone just further supports the fact that they make stupid decisions. The reason they are treated as adults is to get longer jail sentences, not because they are mature. Maturity, especially in us men, comes late in life. I think the driving age should be 18 personally. Or there should be some kind of mandatory 500 hour driving program.

Besides, how much can you relaly pay in taxes when you work a few hours after shool? You make so little that the taxes are basically nothing.

[PL456]

TweetI agree..16 is too young. I didnt know if i was coming or going when i was 16, so i had no business affecting the outcome of our nation by being able to cast a vote. just MO.

[kite]

TweetI agree, I don't know of many 16 year olds that are mature enough vote based on important issues. As far as the military goes, you've got someone coaching you through, understanding and having a voice in national/international policy is something different.

[pigmeat]

TweetI feel the drinking age should be raised to 25..not many 21 year old responsible enough to drink, let alone 16 year old voting.

[T-Man007]

Tweet

I feel the drinking age should be raised to 25..not many 21 year old responsible enough to drink, let alone 16 year old voting.

Man, you know what that would do for college educations? It would get a lot of young people out in 4 years because they wouldn't be missing so many classes. I agree. Of course I'm 32 so it's easy for me to say that.

[badasz32]

Tweeti hate to tell u this but raising the drinking age will only lead to 4 more years of underage driking.

[Ryker77]

TweetI was 15 and working a 40hr work week in the summer time (under the table). Once I turned 16 I worked 40hrs and went to school.

There are alot of mature kids out there. I'd go so far to say that there are just as many mature 16 years olds as there are 25 year olds.

Granted many teenagers might be able to be confused by all the politics and lies. But then again most adults are the same way.