Calif. Lawmakers Propose Voting Age of 14 (merged threads)

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BenW

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Ludicrus for president

Well here's a good idea. First brainwash them in public school with zero tolerance and neato stuff like that, then give them the power to vote. I also think it would be a great idea to fill the 9th Circuit with 10 year olds.

I had to doublecheck this to make sure it wasn't coming from The Onion or some other parody site:

---------------

California Lawmakers Want Voting Age Lowered to 14

45 minutes ago

Add Politics - Reuters to My Yahoo!

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Four Democratic California lawmakers on Monday proposed giving teenagers as young as 14 the right to vote in a move that would make the often trailblazing state the first in the nation to do so.



Under the proposal, youths under the current legal voting age of 18 would be able to cast ballots in state and local elections only, although their vote would not have full weight that an adult vote would.

For example, a vote cast by a 14 or 15-year-old would be counted as a quarter of a vote, and a vote by a 16 or 17-year-old would be counted as half a vote.

Lawmakers say giving teenagers partial votes would get them interested in the election process and would not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as it only applied to state ballots.

"We believe it's time to open up the franchise to young Californians at the age of 14, let them register and vote and be seriously included in the process," said Democratic State Senator John Vasconcellos.

Sue North, chief of staff for Vasconcellos, said that if the proposal passes, it would be the first time any state would have amended its constitution to allow high school students to vote.
 
Bah.

If they can't sign a binding contract then no vote.

Kids these days are less informed about candidates than the adults.

I talked to a Marine vet yesterday who told me he was voting for Democrat
because Kerry had won the medal of honor and had prostethic legs due to a Vietnam combat injury. Couldn't convince him he was mistaken:banghead:
 
Does anyone here really expect less from the left coast?

I don't even consider san francisco to be a part of the country of california. :barf:
 
jsalcedo, your friend...*** does that have to do w/ running the damn country?

come on!

they already brainwash them...now they can't wait til they turn 18?

DB
 
For a second I thought you wanted that rapper to run for president, but seeing this post (April Fools'?!?!) I think I rather have him run :rolleyes:
 
...*** does that have to do w/ running the damn country?
Click to expand...

Uh...I'm not sure what you are ranting about or what side of the issue you are on.

Just relaying some of the profound ignorance of adults I run into everyday.

The kids I meet are dumb as rocks and twice as ignorant.

Giving them the vote at 14 would ensure we get the worst possible candidates elected for the worst possible reasons.

Maybe we should bring back tests at the polls.
 
Calif. Lawmakers Propose Voting Age of 14...

More PRK insanity.....

California lawmakers propose lowering voting age to 14 for state elections
JIM WASSERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Monday, March 8, 2004
©2004 Associated Press

URL: sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/03/08/national2139EST0788.DTL


(03-08) 18:39 PST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) --

A proposed amendment to California's constitution would give 16-year-olds a half-vote and 14-year-olds a quarter-vote in state elections.

State Sen. John Vasconcellos, among four lawmakers to propose the idea on Monday, said the Internet, cellular phones, multichannel television and a diverse society makes today's teens better informed than their predecessors.

The idea requires two-thirds approval by the Legislature to appear on the November ballot.

"When we gave the vote to those who didn't own property, then to women, then to persons of all colors, we added to the richness of our democratic dialogue and our own nation's integrity and its model for the world," Vasconcellos said, calling it time to further extend the vote.

A Republican colleague said it was "the nuttiest idea I've ever heard."

Said Assemblyman Ray Haynes: "There's a reason why 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds don't vote. They are not adults. They are not mature enough. They are easily deceived by political charlatans."

Student supporters said the idea could give them a say in issues such as education funding and bring new voices to the California electorate.

"If we could vote, politicians would see us as votes, not just kids, and they would take our issues seriously," said Robert Reynolds, a student at Berkeley High School.
 
"There's a reason why 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds don't vote. They are not adults. They are not mature enough. They are easily deceived by political charlatans."
Click to expand...
replace political charlatans with State Sen. John Vasconcellos.
 
modifiedbrowning

Saw the movie. Bad idea then and bad idea today. I don't want to offend any of the younger members here, most of whom are well ahead of the curve, but most young people don't know which hand to pick their nose with and which hand to pick their butts with. :p

Just an observation.
 
I have never been able to decide whether the California Democrats are on too much drugs or not enough.

Actually, I'd like to see the return of a literacy test for voter registration - while the racist application of same in the Jim Crow south gve it a bad name, the idea that anyone who wants to vote should be able to demonstrate an ability to understand the issues isn't all bad. And if a bright 10 year old passes it, let him or her vote - as long as the illiterate "adult" is denied the franchise.

I know, I know, it'd be impossible to come up with a test everyone would agree on, anyway. :rolleyes:
 
There is really nothing wrong with the reasoning ability of teens on narrow, well defined issues. The area lacking is seeing the real world results of theory and having the experience juggling housing, food, family and career. The effects of various developmental hormones can't be ignored either.:uhoh:
 
Stupid kids would be all about the liberal save this, fund that, peace this, help that.

BUT THEY DO NOT PAY TAXES!

How about - no representation without taxation - eh?

The dems like it because they know they could snow most teens with emotional feel good crap.
 
We've read the threads here and on TFL where teachers berate students who lean any direction other than "You Will Be Assimilated. Resistance Is Futile." What this legislator wants is to recruit a voting block of brainwashed young-uns before the brainwashing fades too much from exposure to the real world.
:mad:
 
I remember what i was like a mere 5 years ago, so i gotta ask...ARE THEY ON CRACK?

At best they'll just vote for whoever their parents tell them to vote for. At worst we'll end up with doltish celebrities like Arnold Schwarzen--......oh.
 
I think it should be raised to... oh... about a year older than my age, 'cause I'm still not wise enough to tell other folks what to do. :scrutiny:
 
Welcome to the "Wild in the Streets Voting Act of '04!" Or Voters Gone Wild!

As Pendragon said, no Representation without Taxation. It is high-time we brought up the idea of who does and doesn't have a real stake in this polity of ours. People in the subsidized class should not be controlling those who subsidize them.

From Republic to Mobocracy in two generations.
 
"I talked to a Marine vet yesterday who told me he was voting for Democrat
because Kerry had won the medal of honor and had prostethic legs due to a Vietnam combat injury. Couldn't convince him he was mistaken"

Prosthetic brain is more likely. With Ted Kennedy at the joystick.

It appears that Ted K., with Kerry and Schwarzenegger, has become the great puppet-master.
 
it's all good

It's a great thing that people like Vasconcellos are out there. We need these extremists to push the envelope enough so that the masses begin to understand just where all of this is heading and what exactly we are up against. Yes, folks, it's crazy and it is really happening, and we need to figure out the appropriate action for dealing with it. The Left is emboldened and rabid and it's going to take a firm and concerted response to stop the insanity. In an "anything goes" society it's logical enough that we should also have a "everyone votes" suffrage, right?

Lines are being drawn. Let's hope people are waking up.
 
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