Should all people be allowed to vote in the US?

Question

I ask this question because the current system invites all legal citizens to participate in voting despite of their knowledge of government or politics. Don’t you think a basic test of government knowledge (something very basic like “who was the first president of US” or “what party is Condoleeza Rice representing”) is essential in order to qualify people for voting. How can one make a decision if they don’t posses the simple understanding of the system.

Answer 1

Iam Trying to answer a Billion Dollor Question : Even though iam not in USA and from one of the bigest Democratic country INDIA:

(1)Yes the age limit is set to qualify for voting: it is again in an assumption that people at a certain age attains certain maturity level: like in an school conducts examination (test) (let's take for an example 6th grade) and promote students to 7th grade. Here even the student who picks up 36 % in all subjects and the student who picks up 98% , both or promoted to the higher grade. Here it is only to know whether the students have attained that maturity to try and learn the subjects lessons which they may be taught in 7th grade.

(2) Almost all the governments have set some senior citizen benifits for those who crossed the age of may be 50 some where or may be 60 some where. It is again in the belief that human beings are tend to attain maturity and at some stage loose the same after a prolonged period.

(3) Like wise the age limit is set (again it varies from country to country) with certain assumption about the maturity of Human Beings and More than since EVERY HUMAN HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIRE LEADER ( Note not a BOSS) like they have the right to choose the religion or worship method.

(4) Hence it becomes the responsibility of the Leaders thus selected or elected to ensure that they work to help and provide all opportunities to all those countrymen to achive the right maturity at the right level / Time.

Hence it will be more appropriate to have some real tuff qualifications set for the leader's.

There are a lot and lot to share on this : may be latter:

I request all those who read this to give their view and more better sugestions as i belive that not only those LEADER's but also each and every individual has some responsibility towards the fellow country men/ human being

Regards

Answer 2

Those things though are important, are distracting and can be learnt after we block the people that are harming our country. Trying to silence us, creating inequality on a scale never seen before. On these grounds that these people have way to much knowledge and "FRIENDS" in the right places (making them much more of a menace then those a little ignorant) Congress, All lobbyist, White House Elected and staff, all workers of the Pentagon and all defence contractors, no matter how they hide it weapons, tracking systems, Any persons or organizations that receive government grant money can not vote or hire lobbied to bribe the congress. You grant must stand on merit. Pharmaceuticals that have the biggest scam ever perpetuated, ask yourself why they get away with this. The puplic.( us ) we pay for almosst all of their reaserch and development, through our puplic Universities. Now all reasearch that fails to show promise, we the public pay 100%. However when a new drug is well along and showing a lot of promise and good results, the big Pharma guys swoop in and take it all. Notes, reasurch etc. All the have to do are some double blind studies and poof new product 20 year minimum of patent seclucively and outrages prices claiming the high cost of research and development. When in fact we paid . We took 100% of the risk they take 100% profit and the SOB's would rather let us die by thousands in the sreets then lower their prices or allow a generic brand on the market before their patent of our life saving drug loses it patent. They should not only be not voting, but the public should be demanding full disclosrer. The FDA works for them now , not the public safety as was it's intention. But given their habitual decipion and deviosness, I want to know, are they suppressing life saving drugs that would cure in one or two treatments only to keep American's on life long pills' why huge jumps in certian managable diseases in childhood that were once rare and only showed late in life? Is it true what so many are saying about vaccines? This serios Should we not get to the bottom of it all, we all get those I do not want anypeople that have the power and money that can tempt peole to write secet laws, that make us all sick, secretly imprison our families, freind and neighbours. Torture same, sileine and intimadate the corporate owned press, so as the puplis has not one channel to hear PUBLIC TELEVISON. I sadly realized when trying to explan to my teenagers why they were nevr getting fair and balanced objective news. When I saw those uncomprehending eyes it dawned on me "THEY ONLY KNOW PROPAGNDA" they are not old enough! I am sorry for going on over and above your question, it's just you sound young like my teens, while I was not paying atention the Neocons were hard at work. They have a dumbed downed generation (of course that does not apply to all) What I nean is they are being taught to accept the status quo. Trust authority (though the ruling elite may kill Bush?Cheney themseves) cause questions are being asked again. Just not the right ones. Kids are not to thimk critically, to accept what they are told. though there eyes are not seeing what they are being told they are some will eventually accept, But wake up first we must try to get democrcy in this country. Somewhere along the lime the huge money coporations coropupted both parties. the are two heads of the same coin. Rebuplicrats! the Repbiclicans refer to the Democrats as the "LOYAL OPPOSITION" I mean if they were not faithfully their to put up limited depate (nothing that matters to the majority of American) why our government might not look legitament. We just might be perceived around the world as a brutal Plutoacrcy that is a rogue and failed state. Refuses to follow inernational laws. Invades sovergn countries at will for glory and the spoils of war and they do this in the name of Liberty , Democracy and Equality and Justice for all. They offer this to not their citizens nor yhe vanquished....Mary

Answer 3

No voting is a privilege and should be reserved for the people who live in this nation because they are the people who are affected by the outcome of elections. I agree that the number of misinformed people who take to the polls is staggering, but i don't see how a test could possibly be implemented to determine who is eligible.

Answer 4

No, there has to be a standard, but not a written test. This smacks of Jim Crow laws that kept blacks from voting. I would make these qualifications: US citizens, not convicted of a felony, not holding dual citizenship with any other country

Answer 5

The current system does NOT invite illegal aliens to vote. Allowing them to vote would be ridiculous.

Why not then have an "American Idol" style contest for US president and have the phones open world wide!!

"If you like Bush for president dial 1-800-. ..."

Crazy

Answer 6

Yes and we should lower the voting age to 16 years old. The more people that vote the better!

Answer 7

No, only American citizens should vote.. people that do care about this country, not every swinging what ever that pass through here.

Answer 8

Well to be politically correct we may even go so far as having 'shari'a' Law or having a Pres who we don't understand his language here in good ol USA.

Answer 9

If someone takes the time to register, and knows enough to get to the polls and vote then what more do you want. In this country not enough people care to vote and you think it needs to be even more difficult. Geeshhhh!!!

Answer 10

Most people vote because they like the issues that candidate is offering and while I think it's important to know which candidate is representing which party I don't think it's essential.I believe all people in the U.S should vote.