Vote before you go to prom.
 

I'm sure the liberal party wants more votes (see my sig) but to me this seems like a really bad idea...

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/polit...101795,00.html

This just seems like pandering to an easily influenced group of poorly informed voters to me.

Re: Vote before you go to prom.
 

Isn't that always the case? :crazy:

Pardon my ignorance, but does the UK have have mandatory voting laws, or is this going to be like the average apathetic US youth who doesn't bother going to the polls?

I'm a liberal (lower case L) and I think this is stupid.

The age of majority is 18 and should remain so.


Mr Mephisto

In the UK, 16-year-olds can drive. They can work. If they work, they are required to pay taxes. They can marry. They can pursue higher education or leave it. They are capable of being educated about politics and getting involved in it. And, like their "adult" counterparts, they are capable of remaining ignorant to what the hell's going on in their country.

I don't see a problem with this.

This is what was said whenever a new group of people were trying to get suffrage - women, blacks, etc, and it has proved wrong everytime. It was thought for example, that woment would vote as their husbands tell them, or they would vote as religious leaders suggested.

So why stop at 16?

I personally think British 'democracy' needs one hell of a reformation. Some 16 year olds are capable of making informed decisions, probably about as many as the rest of the country. One thing I've learned from doing my politics degree is how little people can know about politics and still vote. Can't we just get a bunch of rational intelligent people who will do what's best for the country to run it rather the sham of popularity politics?

Certainly a tempting idea. Unfortunately it's also the logic that, historically, has led to "enlightened" monarchy, fascism, Leninism, Maoism, etc.

Better to let the ignorant masses decide then to give a powerful few the opportunity to do what they think is best. Even if they act in the people's best interest initially, without a check on their power it can't last...

And who's to decide who the "rational, intelligent" ones are?

Just goes to show that there is no perfect political system.

Because 16 is when they get most of their other rights, too. 12-year-olds can't drive or work, and they aren't required to pay taxes.

It's not an issue of the age 16 per se, it's an issue of timing.

Sledge is right. The magical age at which people are considered adults in the UK is 16. This is how their system is set up, and its not arbitrary. It only follows that they should be allowed the right to vote. My experience has been that the average UK 16 year old is much more mature than the average American 21 year old. It's a pity that we extend childhood so long in this country.

Drat! I thought it said "Vote before you go Porn." My bad.

:p

2Wolves

Just out of curiosity: what other rights, aside from the right to vote, does a 16-year-old not have in the UK? When do they get them?