Voter Competency

Just and idea I'm throwing out, if you don't like it, throw it right back:

Before entering the ballot box, would it not be prudent to ensure that those voting actually KNEW for whom they were voting? I think so, and so I suggest a competency test needs to be passed with 80% or better in order to vote.

Nothing too difficult, just a multiple choice quiz of sorts.

Example:

Which of these candidates supports the shaving of puppies?
A) Mickey Mickleson (Q-TX)
B) Johnny Johnson (Z-NY)


This I believe would end the practice of campaigns waiting outside polling stations saying, "vote for #4" (it happens ALL the time), as educated voters don't fall for that sort of crap.

Thoughts?

When I went to school back in the dark ages, we did have very comprehensive social studies classes that addressed these subjects. I'm not sure why they are not being offered now.
A thinking voter can find info on all this with little effort these days, but many don't.

Same here. I did well back then. passed with B+. Now the same government is a different breed of heathens.
I'm for more in school about the nation and the world. take out the stupid sex classes where they teach Bill and Bob are great dads raising up little Johnny. Or the other way around. Now I am not speaking out against any life style. But dose every child in public school need to be shown this different lifestyle. When only about 10% (I hope that is the high mark) of them become members of this different lifestyle.

this is, after all, the whole point of the electoral college.

our forefathers envisioned that the general populous was too stupid to be a direct voter.

Just and idea I'm throwing out, if you don't like it, throw it right back:

Before entering the ballot box, would it not be prudent to ensure that those voting actually KNEW for whom they were voting? I think so, and so I suggest a competency test needs to be passed with 80% or better in order to vote.

Nothing too difficult, just a multiple choice quiz of sorts.

Example:

Which of these candidates supports the shaving of puppies?
A) Mickey Mickleson (Q-TX)
B) Johnny Johnson (Z-NY)


This I believe would end the practice of campaigns waiting outside polling stations saying, "vote for #4" (it happens ALL the time), as educated voters don't fall for that sort of crap.

Thoughts?

Freeman, I'd be in favor of such a test, but then I'd be even more in favor of a system of citizenship as proposed by Heinlein in the book Starship Troopers, a far better book than the movie, who's only resemblance to the book was the title.

But both of us know that any such proposal (yours or mine) would be quickly stricken down by the courts as unconstitutional. There have been many attempts in history to limit the voting population, and most of these were actually little disguised attempts to keep various groups (black, women, and others) from voting. Because of this historical record, any future attempts to ensure an informed voting populace will be doomed before it ever even gets on paper.

this is, after all, the whole point of the electoral college.

our forefathers envisioned that the general populous was too stupid to be a direct voter.

Yet, despite that fear, George Bush was elected to his current term (the first, was stolen for him)...now we know, the premise is false...because Gore won the popular vote in 2000, and, clearly, he was the "smarter" choice for president.