We all need to get a licence to drive a car, get married, catch a fish, or hunt wild game. Dont you think there should be some kind of written test given so that complete idiots are not helping to elect our leaders?
2006-07-15 02:18:46 · 10 answers · asked by Cuz I Said So 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
LOL..Yes! I agree. There are so many people that really should not be allowed to vote.
2006-07-15 02:22:42 · answer #1 · answered by KathyS 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
NO. That would defeat the entire purpose of the concepts that our nation was founded on. Granted, when we started the voting thing here, only white males were allowed to vote - but that was still an improvement over other countries, where only property owners were given that privilege.
We're gradually fixing the few inequities our forefathers built into the original plans - black men eventually got the vote after the Civil War, women of all races got the vote in the 1920s, and in the early 1970s the legal voting age was dropped from 21 to 18 (and that was a BIG deal - our boys were considered old enough to go and fight and die in war but not old enough to vote or have a beer).
See that is the whole point of all people being given equal say in our government - it doesn't matter what your education level is, what your social standing is, what color your skin is, or even how much you know about what's going on. Your opinion is still valuable to the point of one vote, the same as anyone else.
Anyone who wants it any other way is living in the wrong country, and has not even the basic understanding of the principals our nation was founded upon. Believe me, if our system was set up the way you suggest, YOU would probably not be allowed to vote, either.
2006-07-15 09:34:30 · answer #2 · answered by Crooks Gap 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Australia it's against the law NOT to vote, and you are fined if you don't, so over 90% of Australians do make it to the polls.
What I think has happened is that many Americans feel that their vote doesn't count, and after what happened in Florida in the 2000 election, they may have been justified. There is a huge disconnect between what people know about the way government is run, what decisions are made, and how people feel it affects their everyday life.
Maybe someone dynamic like Barack Obama can change that perception!
2006-07-15 09:41:00 · answer #3 · answered by Bobbie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds good in theory, but we'd never agree on what to put on the test. Would you propose a test in US history? How about testing them over the information in the voters' pamphlet? Wouldn't it be easier to just say you get the right to vote as soon as you get a bachelor's degree? This has already been tried in the past and it was declared unconstitional. It's simply: you don't have the right to drive a car, you don't have the right to get married, you don't have the right to catch fish, and you don't have the right to hunt wild game. You do have the right to vote though.
2006-07-15 09:24:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Complete idiots have as much right to elect our officials as the rest of us do. That's the principle our country was founded on. What kind of fair test could you give anyway? What if you consider idiotic differently than what I consider idiotic? That's why it's great to be an American... any idiot can vote. The key is to get your non-idiot friends to vote or run for office!
2006-07-15 09:27:15 · answer #5 · answered by Mama Gretch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I kind of agree. I remember a Robert Heinlein novel where people had to solve a quadratic equation in the voting booth just before they cast their ballot.
Problem is who decides what the test is to be and how in the world to make it objective and fair. Math is objective and fair but I think some people who can't solve that quadratic still have intelligence in other matters and should be allowed to vote.
So though I agree in principle, I don't think its possible to come up with a fair system of licensing for something like this...
Most stupid people don't bother voting anyway so its self selecting.
2006-07-15 09:26:55 · answer #6 · answered by kroe_6 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the Principal of your idea but it would be discriminatory to do it. I do think all election ballots should be in English only. If your a citizen and registered to vote then you should be able to read basic English. Having to print ballots in 4 or 6 languages is crazy. Do other countries do this ? I don't think so.
2006-07-15 09:27:39 · answer #7 · answered by danzka2001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like a good idea.
That's really what should be done.
But if you know that you are an idiot about it why vote at all.
People that don't know anything about politics should not even present themselves.
Better not vote that to give a false vote. Come on people be Honest.
2006-07-15 09:57:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good idea. It worked in Germany from 1933 to 1945...why not us?
2006-07-15 09:23:08 · answer #9 · answered by 4999_Basque 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nooooooo, don't give them any ideas!!
if they can find some way to charge us money before we can vote (like if we have to buy a license) we will just all be screwed!!!!
2006-07-15 09:24:09 · answer #10 · answered by Cap'n Donna 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋