Baldimo
Bush foisted off his man of the people persona and the citizens of the U.S bought this spin. His ability to buy the communications networks is what got him elected as a common man. Anyone with a lick of sense should have realized that someone who had money from the time he was born couldn't be a common man or know how one feels or lives in this day and age.
Everyone who can prove they are an American citizen should get to vote.
The number of Americans who are utterly incapable of formulating a rational decision for voting for someone is so small as to make no difference in an election, particularly if the so-called educated elite bother to vote.
Understandably, Bi-Po's son will almost certainly vote for whomever his father tells him to, but is this irrational? Bi-Po obviously loves and cares for his son and so there is every reason for Bi-Po junior to believe his Dad's choice is the best one for him. I, obviously, don't know for certain, but I suspect there are somethings that Bi-Po wants his son to do that Junior gives him some degree of shyte about.( He may be mentally challenged, but he's not a robot). However, I also suspect that Junior trusts his dad in terms of things he doesn't fully understand and doesn't for a second believe Bi-Po would tell him to do something that would hurt him. (At least not intentionally, with Bi-Po for a father, God knows what advise a son might get!)
Not to break character and get too maudlin, let's imagine a situation where Junior doesn't have a loving Dad to depend upon, but instead, is being manipulated by someone far less scrupulous. Still Junior will be receiving "something" for his vote; and something he values.
Even in the most tragic of situations, it may be the cessation of brutality, but in all instances, Junior is voting based on his perception of his personal interests, and this is probably more sensible a reason than whether or not the candidate is "cool," "cute," or "sexy."
The elitist approach is, I admit, tantalizing, until one realizes that a very large number of the so called elite do not ever vote.
If you can express a desire to vote, and are, demonstrably, an American citizen, you should be able to vote --- and you know what? You are!
Finn dAbuzz wrote:Everyone who can prove they are an American citizen should get to vote.
Does age factor in, or can my 3 month old nephew vote?
After all, he does have a birth certificate showing he was born in the navy hospital in San Diego.
mysteryman wrote:Finn dAbuzz wrote:Everyone who can prove they are an American citizen should get to vote.
Does age factor in, or can my 3 month old nephew vote?
After all, he does have a birth certificate showing he was born in the navy hospital in San Diego.
OK - let's modify it to American citizens 18 years of age or older.
So, if I just hate black people. And I will never vote for one, even if you could prove to me with time travel that they would bring an era of world peace and prosperity. Should I be allowed to vote?
If your a citizen of the U.S. yes.
stlstrike3 wrote:So, if I just hate black people. And I will never vote for one, even if you could prove to me with time travel that they would bring an era of world peace and prosperity. Should I be allowed to vote?
Silly ass question, but yes you should get to vote.
Who gets to decide whether or not someone is using their vote intelligently? A liberal bureaucrat?
In any case, hypothetical (I guess) you would hardly be anything more than a very rare idiot and incapable of effecting the outcome of any election.
If you and your fellow idiots represented a majority, you win! That's a democracy.
It not a democracy if there is some appointed board that decides who gets to vote.
It's not our democracy if there is an elected board that gets to decide.
Finn dAbuzz wrote:It not a democracy if there is some appointed board that decides who gets to vote.
It's not our democracy if there is an elected board that gets to decide.
Fine. But who decided that you must be 18 to vote, have to register before you vote, ... ?
An appointed board?? You mean like when the supreme court elected Bush in 2002?
Re: Who should get to vote?
DrewDad wrote:OK, I'm going to indulge my inner elitist, here.
Should we restrict who gets to vote? Should IQ, education level, SAT score, income, net worth, reading level, mathematical ability, athletic accomplishments, military service, charitable contributions, basic understanding of the US government structure, taxpayer status, or knowledge of candidates' positions on various issues affect who gets to vote, or how many votes a person gets?
Should we sell the franchise? You can have as many votes as you can afford....
Should we test for the franchise? Please solve the following quadratic equation....
Should we place requirements on the franchise? Please provide proof current military service, honorable discharge, or other qualifying service.....
Would you join the army if you didn't otherwise get to vote?
Theres no answer to this question because there is no political solution.
You can refine political systems but our corrupt nature is relentless and will find a way.
Why did so many ignorant Americans think Saddam Huesien attacked us on 911? And should they lose there right to vote?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot
Can we get rid of the idiot Vote? Or do we get rid of the idiot (educate the voter)?
Finn dAbuzz wrote:mysteryman wrote:Finn dAbuzz wrote:Everyone who can prove they are an American citizen should get to vote.
Does age factor in, or can my 3 month old nephew vote?
After all, he does have a birth certificate showing he was born in the navy hospital in San Diego.
OK - let's modify it to American citizens 18 years of age or older.
Are you talking physical age or mental age?
What about someone that meets your age requirement but has the mental capacity of a 4 year old?
mysteryman wrote:Finn dAbuzz wrote:mysteryman wrote:Finn dAbuzz wrote:Everyone who can prove they are an American citizen should get to vote.
Does age factor in, or can my 3 month old nephew vote?
After all, he does have a birth certificate showing he was born in the navy hospital in San Diego.
OK - let's modify it to American citizens 18 years of age or older.
Are you talking physical age or mental age?
What about someone that meets your age requirement but has the mental capacity of a 4 year old?
Physical age 18 and whatever mental age is required to demonstrate the ability to tell a poll taker essentially what he or she is about to do.
Now please don't ask me about mutes.
My general point is that we are better off erring on the side of allowing people to vote who perhaps do not fully understand what they are doing, then prohibiting others who do but do not meet some essentially arbitrary criteria.
The proportional number of men and women aged 18 or older who cannot understand the essence of what they are doing when they vote, but who can make their way into a voting booth and pull levers is not enough to sway any election.
The number of people with average or better IQs who vote for a candidate based on the stupidist reasons is surely higher than any number we might deem mentally challenged, as is the number of people with intelligence who simply can't be bothered to vote at all.
