General Discussion

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)

53. No

Wed Jan 11, 2012, 02:01 PM

Jan 2012

I'm sorry, but relatively few are mature enough to know what it's all about.

Most are living at home. Many teens don't even have jobs now. They just are too young and have too little experience to be meaningful voters.

Our laws broadly recognize that they are not adult and can't be held to adult standards yet. They can't sign an installment sales contract. Guardians are responsible for paying their bills. Medical facilities can't generally treat them for all except the most extreme emergencies without parental authorization.

If we want to change all that, then I would consider changing the voting age - but I don't think we should change it.

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Poll: Do you believe 16 & 17 year olds should be allowed to vote? [View all] MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 OP

Fuck no. they fall in and out love every 5 minutes... Ecumenist Jan 2012 #1

Hell, I fall in and out of love every 5 minutes... pinboy3niner Jan 2012 #14

LOL!! You know what? I might need to rethink my opinion! Ecumenist Jan 2012 #78

And that distinguishes them from regular voters... how, exactly? TheWraith Jan 2012 #58

No. Nope. 18 is fine. Muskypundit Jan 2012 #2

Nope. MADem Jan 2012 #3

I like it... YvonneCa Jan 2012 #70

WHY??? pinboy3niner Jan 2012 #4

Why the hell not? Saving Hawaii Jan 2012 #5

I known I wasn't the only person with that view MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #17

And as politically INcompetent as well. Hardly a reason to hand them the power of the vote. Wistful Vista Jan 2012 #66

that question opens up some interesting possiblilities... wundermaus Jan 2012 #6

Why is a kid of 18 old enough to die in the armed forces but too young to buy a beer? JDPriestly Jan 2012 #12

You can star in a porno at 18 Ter Jan 2012 #61

The thing is politically interested teens MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #18

No. nt snappyturtle Jan 2012 #7

"Fourteen Or Fight!"... GReedDiamond Jan 2012 #8

Your next graphic project: Plan 14 from Outer Space pinboy3niner Jan 2012 #9

I'm still waiting for Hermie "Koch" Cain to pay up... GReedDiamond Jan 2012 #45

How'd Rush Limbaugh end up on a 1968 movie poster? JHB Jan 2012 #33

Yer right - Limbaugh would be the first in line for the LSD... GReedDiamond Jan 2012 #43

no Lil Missy Jan 2012 #10

No. JDPriestly Jan 2012 #11

Yeah, I remember, that was the precise time I read Atlas Shrugged, Umbral Jan 2012 #15

I believe every breathing soul in this country should have the right and obligation to vote. Umbral Jan 2012 #13

EVERY breathing soul? 4 years old? 5? How about 3 or 2? pinboy3niner Jan 2012 #16

yup, Jim Bob Duggar will get 25 votes or whatever number of kids they have JI7 Jan 2012 #20

this not a democracy and wasn't meant to be. bowens43 Jan 2012 #23

Even the squirrels in my back yard? Yupster Jan 2012 #86

I can't disagree with this MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #95

in 1-2 years when they turn 18 JI7 Jan 2012 #19

No. They will just be voting the way their parents vote. Quantess Jan 2012 #21

That's what everybody older than 18 is doing anyways. Saving Hawaii Jan 2012 #24

Oh, people do, but it takes some reflection and thought, Quantess Jan 2012 #25

Not many. Saving Hawaii Jan 2012 #26

Most probably stay in line with the parents, Quantess Jan 2012 #29

When I was 16, my parents were conservatives and I was very liberal. Jennicut Jan 2012 #38

no. bowens43 Jan 2012 #22

At 16, some people are just about starting to get responsible enough muriel_volestrangler Jan 2012 #27

There has to be a cutoff somewhere. JVS Jan 2012 #28

18 is a good cutoff since Yupster Jan 2012 #87

No. no_hypocrisy Jan 2012 #30

Yes. Saving Hawaii Jan 2012 #39

Nope, and they shouldn't be allowed to fight, either. sofa king Jan 2012 #31

I have said that for years - TBF Jan 2012 #36

Your premise needs a bit of tweaking - Ms. Toad Jan 2012 #32

My vote: No. 99Forever Jan 2012 #34

The voting age in a state should be the age at which juveniles can be tried as adults alcibiades_mystery Jan 2012 #35

Excellent point. kenny blankenship Jan 2012 #88

Most 16 year olds are not interested in politics yet but I was at 16. Jennicut Jan 2012 #37

Psh, I was into how the political process worked by age 12. Neoma Jan 2012 #72

no Demonaut Jan 2012 #40

erm.. no Puzzledtraveller Jan 2012 #41

as long as they vote Charlemagne Jan 2012 #42

I have a feeling 16 year old tend to be big soft 'lefties' like me MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #63

True, but they'd most likely be very low info voters ecstatic Jan 2012 #71

I was 15 when I started to take a interest in politics MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #73

No. nt HappyMe Jan 2012 #44

With the corrupt voting system in the US, I'm not so sure it would make a difference. nt NorthCarolina Jan 2012 #46

No Kellerfeller Jan 2012 #47

No. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jan 2012 #48

Because we don't have enough ignorant sufrommich Jan 2012 #49

Old enough to drive old enough to vote. sarcasmo Jan 2012 #50

If you can get a job and pay taxes, why not be able to vote? NYC Liberal Jan 2012 #51

How about; if you can read the ballot (in one's native language), you get to vote. eom yawnmaster Jan 2012 #52

No Yo_Mama Jan 2012 #53

No FreeJoe Jan 2012 #54

well, there are a lot of 16 year olds (mentally) voting already. nt Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2012 #55

No. n/t Moondog Jan 2012 #56

No. An arbitrary, wholly made-up number is required LanternWaste Jan 2012 #57

No. Some are certainly capable, but a bright line at 18 is preferable (imho). GodlessBiker Jan 2012 #59

Not "no," but "HELL no!" montanto Jan 2012 #60

I think there should be one age of adulthood at which one becomes a full fledged citizen Orangepeel Jan 2012 #62

Hell yes - the young are the disenfranchised. JackRiddler Jan 2012 #64

Exactly MichaelMcGuire Jan 2012 #68

Looking back on it, I was pretty politically inclined at that age. And I would probably not have Puregonzo1188 Jan 2012 #65

Yes. Some of them are emancipated, or have higher IQ's than most adults... Neoma Jan 2012 #67

Intelligence is a constant. Age doesn't matter Gman Jan 2012 #83

Actually, a great deal of research is showing that intelligence can change over time. HuckleB Jan 2012 #93

Sure, but they will most likely just mirror their parents ecstatic Jan 2012 #69

Nope. Ship of Fools Jan 2012 #74

no barbtries Jan 2012 #75

no demtenjeep Jan 2012 #76

no JitterbugPerfume Jan 2012 #77

No. No.No No rustydog Jan 2012 #79

no nt Enrique Jan 2012 #80

no nt Enrique Jan 2012 #81

Hell no Gman Jan 2012 #82

At 1st blush "no". Upon reflection, however kenny blankenship Jan 2012 #84

Yes they should. white_wolf Jan 2012 #85

Adding another big fat no frazzled Jan 2012 #89

I say yes. Having to register and actually go vote should be about as self selecting TheKentuckian Jan 2012 #90

Depends entirely on what they have on their ipods. Warren DeMontague Jan 2012 #91

No. HuckleB Jan 2012 #92

Given the demographics of this country right now, we're lucky us 40somethings can still vote. Warren DeMontague Jan 2012 #94