Voting age: What da ya think?

[balans]

It's just a way for the Greens and Labour to get votes. What are the average 16 year olds political motivations? Either support for Nandor and his pot or Helen and the perceived short term benefits for them when they are at uni.

They are generally too naive to see the big picture and vote appropriately.

[YLWDUC]

And WHAT exactly does having a full time job/being in the Army have to do with being able to vote??????????

I wouldn't tar having a full time job and being in the army with the same brush. Being in the military is as good as being a public servant, which means bludging off the taxpayer like all the dole bludgers and DPB families.

Lower the voting age to 5 years old. As long as you can read and write (and that will of course excuse the new immigrants into the country) in the National language (which is English) and you're not in the slammer, I reckon you've got the right to vote.

Who gives a @#$% about people not using their vote or wasting it because they're idiots. Thats all part of democracy, and history has shown it's easier to manipulate stupid/lazy people than smart/motivated ones. Imagine if the ones who are on the receiving end of some new laws (smacking/boy-racing/ncea) had the right to speak out legally!

[shafty]

Sue Bradford is thinking about lowering the voting age to 16 year old.

My opinion is that she is nuts. As far as I am concerned the driving age should go back up to 18 years old and the drinking age go back to 20 years old.

What do you think?

Totally agree RIB, the drinking age is a FAILED experiment. People make the argument that "They can get married at 16" - but if it was your son or daughter, would you WANT them to marry at 16???????????????

[Lias]

Think about it. Which age group do you think is most likely to support the Green Party? The young and naive of course. Those who have a rosy view of what the world should be. (Legalise cannibis, don't smack yer kids, save the Snails/Trees/Swamps etc, increase the minimum wage to $14.00). If 16 and 17 year olds had the vote, I'd suspect that at least 30% of them would vote Green ... and in MMP, that could mean another Green MP or 2 which would really give the Greens the balance of power.

That's what this proposal is about.

How about one of you KB high school students arranging a poll amongst 16 and 17 year olds at your school to and see who they'd vote for. It might be interesting just to see how the demographic works.

Absolutely.. I'm somewhat surprised Labour isnt whole heartedly behind this as well, given that as my signature says liberalism is an essentially infantile world view. When people finally grow up they vote right wing :-)

[Lias]

There must have been an opinion poll taken that shows high levels of support for the Green Party in the 16-18 year-old age group. I can think of no other reason why Ms Bradford wants voters that age to get the right to vote.

As a counter, I'd like to see a system where people have to be net taxation contributors before they "earn" the right to vote, and then get an additional vote for every $1,000 they contribute in taxes. That should stop beneficiaries from having a vested interest in determining the state benefit system.

No representation without taxation!

Bugger representation for taxation, bring on representation for merit!

I've always been a huge fan of the meritocracy as portrayed in Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" (the book, not the parodical farce that was the movie). For those who havnt read it, to earn the right to vote you must enlist for a minimum 2 year term in the armed forces. If your not willing to go out and die for your country, you don't get to decide the fate of your country.

I wonder how many green party members have the testicular fortitude to fight and die for their country.. In the words of scribe I bet its "Not many.. if any.."

[deanohit]

to earn the right to vote you must enlist for a minimum 2 year term in the armed forces. If your not willing to go out and die for your country, you don't get to decide the fate of your country.

I wonder how many green party members have the testicular fortitude to fight and die for their country.. In the words of scribe I bet its "Not many.. if any.."

Thats an interesting point there mate,but what about the people who want to join but arnt allowed? I applied to join the navy last year and was turned down because of my medical history.Really though I think its a good idea.

[Lias]

Thats an interesting point there mate,but what about the people who want to join but arnt allowed? I applied to join the navy last year and was turned down because of my medical history.Really though I think its a good idea.

In the book they cover that.. Basically anyone who volunteers is never turned down, the quote goes something along the lines of "The service will always find something for you to do, even if its counting the hairs on the backs of caterpillers by touch in a research facility"

[Dargor]

Welcome Dargor. Can you post a pic of your bike...the 1885 model is sure to be interesting

woops typo, all fixed now.

What about an iq test before you get to vote, or something simmilar.
It is troubling how easily the world floats over some people, how easily people vote for the person with the prettiest poster, dealing with those people is the biggest problem in democracy, and i dont see many answers.

[roogazza]

It won't be long and she'll decide we all have to have sex in the missionary position only. And then only every second week.
Pity she wasn't the one that was squashed by the falling concrete slab yesterday.

I'm very worried Crasher, that you mention Bradford and missionary position in the same post ??????????? Ughhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. I think a slab already got her ?

3. How many other positions are there anyway ? Gaz.

[Animal]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but aren't politicians supposed to have a mandate which reflects the bidding of their electorate? This slapper (oh no, sorry, that's illegal now) is clearly pushing her own agenda - and bugger the people that voted her into the position of (dangerous) power she's in. How much more damage to the county is this clown allowed to do?

[MSTRS:Me]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but aren't politicians supposed to have a mandate which reflects the bidding of their electorate?

Sheesh - that went out once Heilen insisted that everybody voted her way...

... the people that voted he into the position of (dangerous) power she's in. ....

She is a list member. You and I etc can only get rid of her by ensuring the Greens get less than 5% of the vote next time

[Jantar]

There must have been an opinion poll taken that shows high levels of support for the Green Party in the 16-18 year-old age group. I can think of no other reason why Ms Bradford wants voters that age to get the right to vote.

As a counter, I'd like to see a system where people have to be net taxation contributors before they "earn" the right to vote, and then get an additional vote for every $1,000 they contribute in taxes. That should stop beneficiaries from having a vested interest in determining the state benefit system.

No representation without taxation!

This is the best idea posted so far. However I think that Hitcher is being too generous.

I would like to see a system whereby a person earns the right to vote when they have paid $10,000 in net tax, and receive one additional vote for every $30,000 in net tax paid. Any benefits received would of course lower their net tax, and so reduce their voting ability.

To account for families where one partner stays home to care for the children, we should allow income (and therefore tax) splitting.

Thus, no-one could leave school, go straight onto a benefit and expect to vote. People who are genuinely hard workers, and pay their taxes, benefit by getting extra votes, while those who are extremely wealthy and manage to avoid tax, will also avoid the right to vote. Those workers who become unemployed will only lose votes if they remain out of work for a considerable period of time.

[Hitcher]

I'd vote for that!

[Swoop]

Removing the right to vote, for convicts serving time in our jails is another point. They have acted against, and been found guilty of, the laws of the country.
Why should they have a say in how the country is run and the laws changed/enacted?
Once you are out of jail, your right to vote is returned.

[RiderInBlack]

I also must add, this would in class exclude the older people, they need a voice

So do Solo Parents (raising kids is one hell of an important job). Have had the old "Unemployed" time in my life, I take offence at the idea that I would not have been able to vote had the voting just haven to have fallen on the month/s I was unemployed. I have faught hard to have the work I have now, and beleive me, it don't pay great. I would not like to live in a country that based your voting count on the amount of tax you pay like a shareholder's voting power in a company.