Teenagers to vote in California??

[Jeff White]

What's up with this? We've upped the drinking age to 21 nationwide in our quest to curtail drunk driving. We've instituted graduated drivers licenses in many states to curb teen accidents (which only will end up increasing the accident rate of people in their early 20s as they hit that age with less driving experience IMHO). You can't buy a handgun at 18 even though it's ok for the government to issue you one. But you're mature enough to vote at 14? What in blue blazes is going on out there, can't they snow enough older voters to get their agenda through anymore?

Jeff

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...California+would+lower+state+voting+age+to+14
Bill in California would lower state voting age to 14
By REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
03/09/2004

SAN FRANCISCO - Four California lawmakers proposed on Monday giving teenagers as young as 14 the right to vote.

Under the proposal, youths under the current legal voting age of 18 would be able to cast ballots in state and local elections only, and their votes would not have full weight of adults' votes.

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 so 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 state Sen. John Vasconcellos, a Democrat.

 

[AZ Jeff]

I see this attempt to let adolescents vote as more pandering by the left to increase the size of their constituency.

I cannot see how there is ANY truly justifiable reason for this to become law. To whit:

--We already recognize that adolescents have judgment problems when given automobiles.
--They have difficulty with the responsiblities associated with alcohol consumption.
--Many liberals feel they have problems dealing with firearms.

HOW could anyone conclude that, even though adolescents lack maturity is the above areas, that somehow, they have adult levels of judgement when it comes to steering government policy?

This is an attempt at vote buying, plain and simple.

 

[client32]

Not to flame, but. They recently elected a movie star to be their governor. I'm not trying to run him down, but how many of those people voted for him based soley on the fact that he is a movie star? Are children really going to change the results of the votes?

On another note, with the large number of people just not voting, shouldn't we be trying to find a way to get people involved?

I don't guess I have a lot room to be talking though, since I don't live there and I didn't vote in the last presidential election. (I do have a better excuse than "I don't care" or "My vote doesn't count")

 

[wolf]

3/5 of a human..??

is the 1/4 vote like that...ya all got to love us in CA...last night the city council in santa monica discussed making all animal owners..animal "guardians"...to own something here seems oppressive to the city council...if you have not heard of this before dont laugh..it is already on the books in san fran and other ultra liberal cities out here..

in order to keep my sanity & health i just choose not to react to any of this anymore...between gay marriage..illegal immigration..gas prices...liberal courts and media (Left Angeles Times etc)..I just bought new tires..going to try em out...how bout them lakers!!!

wolf

 

[voilsb]

This is somewhat related to the topic at hand ... but something I've never understood: if you can vote at 18, but can't buy a handgun or alcohol until you're 21, why don't the 18-20 year olds propose legislation and vote to have those age limits reduced?

I know lots of 18-20 year olds who wish they could drink, and quite a few (but not nearly as many as the drinkers) who would like to be able to buy handguns.

Is it just because youngin's are conditioned to be apathetic and dissillusioned?

 

[Shalako]

Our elected officials have diarrhea of the brain. This is their version of 'thinking out loud' without a diaper.

 

[TimRB]

"Is it just because youngin's are conditioned to be apathetic and dissillusioned?"

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with age limits. You have to be 25 to be elected to the House of Representatives, 30 for the Senate, and 35 for President. I would guess that no one in the 18-20 age group is interested or savvy enough to pull off such a proposition.

Anyway, I have a problem with these plans to motivate (or in this case "create") voters. If someone won't vote on his own, just because he knows he should, then he's too much of a loose cannon for me. I don't particularly *want* him to vote.

Tim

 

[TimH]

I don't think anyone should be trying to get more people to vote. Half the people that vote now know nothing about the candidates. They just vote party lines. There should be a test given to every voter to make sure they know candidates beliefs before they go in the booth.

 

[Combat-wombat]

Well, I'm 14, so I would personally like that, but...
I'd have to say no on this one. Most kids my age are complete idiots with no political knowledge and would not vote according to issues, and would screw up this state.

 

[seeker_two]

And I happen to be sitting in California when this got announced...

Why would the California government want to give the right to vote to a group of people who spend 5 days a week being influenced by that very same government via public school?...

Think I answered my own question...

 

[CasualShooter]

seeker_two nailed it. :banghead:

 

[Sergeant Bob]

They could call it the MTV Voter Bill

 

[El Tejon]

14? They don't work and they don't pay taxes.

Talk about adding to the Democratic Party's base!

 

[dischord]

Dogs, children and the insane should not be allowed to vote.

 

[longeyes]

Sufferin' suffrage!

The idea here is simple: create one party, leftwing of course.

And Vasconcellos, though showing signs of senility, isn't entirely stupid. He knows his demographics. This is one more way to get more Latino representation in CA politics.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

properly orchestrated,
you could prolly get 4 times the teenagers to show up to vote
especially in small races

Hello libertarian party...

Maybe Jello Biafra's political career needs to be jump started
http://www.angelfire.com/punk/jello2000/



Jello Biafra's Platform for Year 2000 Green Party

I am surprised and honored to be drafted as a nominee. I have been an artist/activist since 1978. I was the leader and creative force of pioneering punk band Dead Kennedys. I have owned and operated a small business, Alternative Tentacles Records. We are now celebrating our Twentieth Anniversary. I ran for Mayor of San Francisco in 1979, placing fourth out of ten candidates. I was the main target in the first criminal trial over a record album in American history. The jury deadlocked and the charges were dismissed. This vaulted me into the national media and lecture circuit as a spokesman on civil liberties. I have locked horns with Tipper Gore, Pat Buchanan, Oprah Winfrey, and many Religious Right activists on this issue.

Besides music, I have released five spoken word CD sets that boil down and promote many ideas dear to Greens: human rights, freedom of speech, the Gulf War, the Drug War/Prison-Industrial Complex, globalization and the WTO, and a newer emphasis on how to fight back.

I have been registered Green for many years, and support the Green Key Values and Platform. But how do we implement and sell (Yes, sell. This is Disney-addled America) our key values and programs to the general public?

 

[TimH]

El Tejon said:

14? They don't work and they don't pay taxes.

I often said the same about high school students voting on the school budget. Voting for the school budget is done (here at least) at the high school during school hours. These kids could could give a **** if the taxes go up. They get the propaganda from the teachers then go and vote yes.

 

[Jeff White]

High school students vote on the school budget there? And it counts? Your property taxes can be raised by the kids in school?

Tell me this isn't true...

Jeff

 

[TimH]

Its true if you're 18 you can vote on the school budget. :banghead:

Gee I thought it was that way everwhere

 

[Jeff White]

Tim,
I misunderstood. I thought that all the kids in the school voted. We have finally gotten truth in taxation here. They have to put bond issues and such on the ballot. But the school board prepares the budget. We elect the members of the school board.

Jeff

 

[CZ-100]

Hey the Dems have had dead people voting in CA, Why not kids?

 

[TimH]

I wonder how often dead people vote in elections?

 

[Bob Locke]

So who SHOULD be voting: The 18-year-old mother of three on welfare or the 16-year-old who gets good grades and holds down a part-time job as well?

Age is NOT an indication of maturity.

Not to say that I'm FOR this idea, but there needs to be a look taken at who DOES get to vote.

 

[CasualShooter]

St. Louis, Mo. is usually able to turn out a pretty large Cemetary Vote. That's how they defeated CCW on the ballot several years ago.

Dead bodies move a little slower than live ones, though. Often requires St. Louis Judges to order polls open longer so they can turn out more dead body votes.

The later Poll hours also allows the Dems to observe how the vote is going in the rest of the State so they can get an idea of how many more bodies they need to raise so they can win.

 

[dischord]

What's the right load for zombie voters?