I'm somewhat amused by the people who are saying that the voting age should be lowered to 16. They're pretty much the same people who want the age of eligibility to purchase rifles raised to 21.
We don't let kids buy alcohol until they're 21. States are raising the age for juvenile court jurisdiction from 16 and 17 to 18. Kids can't sign contracts until they're 18. They can't join the military on their own until they're 18. There has been moves to raise the age of marriage to 18 because kids are not mature enough to make that sort of decision.
So kids are not mature enough at 16 to do almost anything.
Which leads me to conclude that the "let 16-year-olds vote" push is coming from people who think that they can persuade the kids to turn out vote their way.
Replace “So” in front of kids with “Some” (or better yet, “Most”), and that is the effective problem with all these age/restrictions. It also relates to the “gun problem”, in that one size doesn’t fit all, but finding an acceptable “test” is even more fraught with peril.
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a few 12,14, or 16 year olds I would feel comfortable allowing to vote, etc...but there’s a huge number that I would be terrified of doing the same. By that same token. There are “adults” I work with who should do any of the above...
“who should” should read “who shoudn’t“...persnickety phones!
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ReplyDeleteDA, personal attack: Red card.
ReplyDeleteRecent research suggests brain maturation (maybe) by age 24. I would make 25 the age for voting. Serving in the military is a whole different thing: It is, supposedly, overseen/led/trained by those older than 18 - not the same thing as turning civilians loose with guns at age 18.
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