Voting at age 16

[ANGELFIRE1]

You're very old; you would say that.

 

Aye, because it is true.

 

Angel1.

[Naive]

According to a YouGov poll:

 

"Even the majority of young people do not want 16 and 17 year olds to have the vote. 57% of 18-24 year olds oppose the move."

 

Young people don’t want Brexit either.

 

Should we stop that too?

[ENG601PM]

According to a YouGov poll:

 

"Even the majority of young people do not want 16 and 17 year olds to have the vote. 57% of 18-24 year olds oppose the move."

 

That has to be the funniest poll result of the year!!! Momentum's front bench will be promoting compulsory voting any time now.

[Cyclone]

 

They shouldn't have the vote for the same reason they can't buy alcohol, or get a tattoo.

 

Well don't be shy, spell out those reasons.

 

---------- Post added 02-02-2018 at 07:28 ----------

 

A superb example of cognitive dissonance. Its all been laid out in super plain language but you say that you still don't see it!

 

Maybe RobinH will indulge you.

 

You should read up on what cognitive dissonance is.

 

---------- Post added 02-02-2018 at 07:31 ----------

 

I can see your point to a certain extent but don't think anyone under the age of eighteen should vote. Life experience and knowledge come as you go through life, not just out of a book or a formal lesson in a class. The bigger picture has to be taken into consideration when voting, not just some manifesto written about living in utopia.

 

I don't think many people under eighteen would understand the world of commerce and how this affects the decisions and policies they make. Lets face it, some politicians have no idea either...the sort of people who just think we should end austerity without a clue where the money is going to come from.

 

That last bit is hilarious. The countries that ended their 'austerity' policies have immediately seen better growth and recovery.

Austerity is an ideologically driven policy, not one driven by reality.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2015/apr/29/the-austerity-delusion

[ENG601PM]

You should read up on what cognitive dissonance is.]

 

That very reply is another superb example. It's beginning to feel like you're being picked on you but you keep coming back to up the ante. Your reply to RobinH was a doozy, an invitation for the forum to see how you need the glaringly obvious spelling out. But still you reply and invite more of the same.

 

---------- Post added 02-02-2018 at 07:48 ----------

 

16 year old children can't make a will but Labour and the SNP want them to vote.

[Fogey]

Fact of the matter is, as has been proved many many times on this discussion forum alone, that people over the age of 18 can show a startling tendency to vote on the basis of having no idea what they are talking about or even in absolute denial of indisputable facts. Many 'adults' vote along purely ideological terms (what they want to believe) even when they are shown that the facts they are claiming to base their decisions on are completely incorrect.

 

As for the idea that a 16 year old shouldn't be allowed to vote because they can't drink or get a tattoo, - as has already been stated in this discussion a vote is not a once in a lifetime opportunity and any such decision can be reversed at the next election. the lifelong impact of a tattoo/drinking too early and the consequences could damage or even end your life or somebody else's in a very direct way that may well be impossible to reverse.

 

The only sensible argument I have seen on this discussion for changing the prerequisite for voting is the requirement to show a certain level of knowledge of the matter in hand. After all, we do require that individuals pass a test to undertake quite a lot of decision making roles, particularly if it impacts on more than the individual themselves.

[Robin-H]

Well don't be shy, spell out those reasons.

 

At 16, they are still legally children.

 

Children are not considered mature enough to make those decisions wisely. The brain is not yet fully developed (it may not fully develop until the mid twenties or even later in some cases).

 

It makes logical sense for the voting age to be 18 as that is when you legally become an adult. I don't think the case for changing it to 16 is any stronger than changing it to 14.

Edited February 2, 2018 by Robin-H

[ENG601PM]

It makes logical sense for the voting age to be 18 as that is when you legally become an adult. I don't think the case for changing it is 16 is any stronger than changing it to 14.

 

There's a better case for increasing it to back to 21.

[apelike]

Young people don’t want Brexit either.

 

Should we stop that too?

 

There is no proper or accountable stats to actually back that up though, although I would agree that a poll is also not a very accurate measure either. We have had plenty of valid reasons why they shouldn't vote at 16 maybe we now need some valid reasons why they should

Edited February 2, 2018 by apelike

[Cyclone]

Valid reasons why they should.

Well, they live here, they deserve a say in their representation.

It's the same argument for why none landowners got the vote and then why women got the vote.

Quite similar arguments against as well, although I expect that will cause vehement protesting that it's very different.

 

You shouldn't have to argue for why someone should get the vote, that should be the default position in a parliamentary democracy. Start from everyone gets the vote, and then justify why specific groups shouldn't. Inability to comprehend what's happening or make a reasoned judgement would be valid points. But some 16 year olds are more aware than some people will ever achieve.

 

Here's an interesting idea, children should get a vote, but until they can prove somehow the ability to make a reasoned decision, it's given to their parents to cast by proxy...

 

---------- Post added 03-02-2018 at 10:42 ----------

 

At 16, they are still legally children.

 

Children are not considered mature enough to make those decisions wisely. The brain is not yet fully developed (it may not fully develop until the mid twenties or even later in some cases).

 

It makes logical sense for the voting age to be 18 as that is when you legally become an adult. I don't think the case for changing it to 16 is any stronger than changing it to 14.

 

Hence the point I've repeated multiple times that we should have a single age of majority, we don't, we have a hodgepodge of ages of majority ranging from 16 to 21. If I were to include the trivial we could say 15 to 21, why are films rated 15 and not 16, and why not just 'adult'?

Edited February 3, 2018 by Cyclone