FabSwingers.com > Forums > The Lounge > Should we lower the voting age?
Should we lower the voting age?
Jump to: Newest in thread
 |
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
I don't want to hijack the EU referendum discussion but I'm sure the question of whether 16-17 year olds should be allowed a vote in the referendum.
My question is whether we should lower the voting age to 16?
We allow 16 year olds to have sex, work and pay taxes. They can marry, albeit with permission.
Is the age of majority out of step with the fact that 16 year olds are doing adult things?
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Yes.
Of course anyone who contributes towards a government should be allowed to have a say in who that government is. I'd more like people to be taught how to participate in politics rather than just be passive and vote on what choices are given to them, dunno if schools would be up for teaching this stuff though? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"Yes.
Of course anyone who contributes towards a government should be allowed to have a say in who that government is. I'd more like people to be taught how to participate in politics rather than just be passive and vote on what choices are given to them, dunno if schools would be up for teaching this stuff though?"
They do get some education in civil society in schools. I was quite impressed with the range of issues covered in both the primary and secondary schools my nephews attend in the run up to the election.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Yes.
Of course anyone who contributes towards a government should be allowed to have a say in who that government is. I'd more like people to be taught how to participate in politics rather than just be passive and vote on what choices are given to them, dunno if schools would be up for teaching this stuff though?
They do get some education in civil society in schools. I was quite impressed with the range of issues covered in both the primary and secondary schools my nephews attend in the run up to the election.
"
Didn't know that, my kids never mention anything about it and we never got taught it. Sounds good anyway. I also try and teach my kids a bit about politics as well.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Doing adult things doesnt make you an adult.
No. It was just an idea put forward by the labour party in their desperation for votes, thinking that younger people were more likely to vote for them.
It helps to have some life experience before you decide who to vote for |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"Doing adult things doesnt make you an adult.
No. It was just an idea put forward by the labour party in their desperation for votes, thinking that younger people were more likely to vote for them.
It helps to have some life experience before you decide who to vote for"
18 year olds living at home and not working should therefore lose their vote should they?
I'm not looking at this from a party political perspective, and certainly not in light of the most recent election or the referendum. My interest is whether the confusing way we treat 16-17 year olds should be regularised.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I don't want to hijack the EU referendum discussion but I'm sure the question of whether 16-17 year olds should be allowed a vote in the referendum.
My question is whether we should lower the voting age to 16?
We allow 16 year olds to have sex, work and pay taxes. They can marry, albeit with permission.
Is the age of majority out of step with the fact that 16 year olds are doing adult things?
"
You are right ofcourse,we shouldn't be allowing children to do any of those things.. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Doing adult things doesnt make you an adult.
No. It was just an idea put forward by the labour party in their desperation for votes, thinking that younger people were more likely to vote for them.
It helps to have some life experience before you decide who to vote for
18 year olds living at home and not working should therefore lose their vote should they?
I'm not looking at this from a party political perspective, and certainly not in light of the most recent election or the referendum. My interest is whether the confusing way we treat 16-17 year olds should be regularised.
"
No because by then they could have had some life/work experience. But at a time when the age for buying tobacco and probably alcohol soon has risen, why would you lower the voting age? But you're right, maybe everything should be regularised to 18 |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
No ..... especially with the school leaving age having been raised to 17 and to 18 this year.
16 years olds will still be at school so therefore too young to vote.
Besides I am sorry, schoolchildren have no experience of life. You could have an arguement that anyone still living at home also have no concept of live as they as protected by their parents.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No ..... especially with the school leaving age having been raised to 17 and to 18 this year.
16 years olds will still be at school so therefore too young to vote.
Besides I am sorry, schoolchildren have no experience of life. You could have an arguement that anyone still living at home also have no concept of live as they as protected by their parents.
"
I do argue that, above.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then? "
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I'd guess you're average person doesn't experience most of what life has to offer anyway and that's because of politics and how everything is.
I've never got the chance to travel the world and experience a lot of cultures first hand, and not many cultures exist around here except for religious ones.
These things to me aren't life experiences. Neither is half of the bullshit in politics, it's just a control system and accepting it as a part of life.
Most of us aren't in the loop when it comes to major decisions. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
"
Personally I don't agree with that being legal. I think it should be 18. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
Personally I don't agree with that being legal. I think it should be 18. "
So should the argument be that we regularise everything to the majority of 18? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Yes.
Of course anyone who contributes towards a government should be allowed to have a say in who that government is. I'd more like people to be taught how to participate in politics rather than just be passive and vote on what choices are given to them, dunno if schools would be up for teaching this stuff though?"
I think this is a really good point, especially given the lengths politicians go to to make everything sound like good things for their party!
But yes, given the freedoms that 16 year olds are granted I think they definitely should be allowed to vote! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
"
Since when was it illegal to have a baby?  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
"
All the more reason to keep them off the pop.  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
Since when was it illegal to have a baby? "
Yet it's illegal to buy alcohol under 18.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"No I think the current age of 18 is right and should continue as it is. By the logic of some comments on this thread should we also lower the age to buy alcohol to 16 then?
16 year olds can have babies, legally.
Since when was it illegal to have a baby?
Yet it's illegal to buy alcohol under 18.
"
Have you been drinking? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"what about 16/17 year olds being allowed on a site such as this? "
I suppose that would be a consequence of lower the age of majority to 16. Sex with a 16 year old is consensual (except in specific circumstances).
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
It's all ridiculous.. A 17 year old can drive a car, work, have a baby and get married but they can't legally have a drink to celebrate or vote.
They can also live in their own house but have to do it on less wages than a 21 year old because of the minimum wage.
You should be classed as an adult at 18 or whatever they decide but it should apply to everything. You can't be an adult for one thing and not another! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
No, with every generation teenagers attitudes and general understanding of society changes.
Today the top end of school age appear immature and giving them the vote at that age would be pointless and many would vote for who their friends world vote for.
At the moment the voting system is all to cock and needs modernizing before the age should be lowered. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No, with every generation teenagers attitudes and general understanding of society changes.
Today the top end of school age appear immature and giving them the vote at that age would be pointless and many would vote for who their friends world vote for.
At the moment the voting system is all to cock and needs modernizing before the age should be lowered. "
Quite a lot of adults vote for who their friends vote for. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"a lot of the young uns I work with don't even know which party is in power and don't care either
From some of the vox pops before the election a lot of adults didn't either.
"
I truly believe that..its quite a sad state of affairs realy |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"a lot of the young uns I work with don't even know which party is in power and don't care either
From some of the vox pops before the election a lot of adults didn't either.
I truly believe that..its quite a sad state of affairs realy"
As do I.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I think the real issue here is not the age... its the consistency. If someone is allowed to work, pay taxes, and serve in the military then they should be allowed to vote.
Personally, I suspect that most 16 year olds are too immature to grasp the wider picture, although some of them are much wiser than their years. So I'd suggest laws meaning they couldn't sign up for the military (I don't want to send kiddies off to die anyway) and tax exemption (you can't vote? then you shouldn't need to pay tax imo) 
If there's no appetite for this then they should be allowed to vote over their destiny and where their taxes are spent. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No, if anything it should be increased to at least 21, probably more like 25 and come with a voters registration "test."
What should a test cover?
An ability to form a reasoned opinion."
That would rule out quite a few people then. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"I think the real issue here is not the age... its the consistency. If someone is allowed to work, pay taxes, and serve in the military then they should be allowed to vote.
Personally, I suspect that most 16 year olds are too immature to grasp the wider picture, although some of them are much wiser than their years. So I'd suggest laws meaning they couldn't sign up for the military (I don't want to send kiddies off to die anyway) and tax exemption (you can't vote? then you shouldn't need to pay tax imo)
If there's no appetite for this then they should be allowed to vote over their destiny and where their taxes are spent."
So the argument is about consistency... should that be to increase the age for sex, work, etc. or lower it for voting?
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *oo hotCouple
over a year ago
North West |
"No, if anything it should be increased to at least 21, probably more like 25 and come with a voters registration "test."
What should a test cover?
An ability to form a reasoned opinion.
That would rule out quite a few people then. "
Hopefully, yes.  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No, if anything it should be increased to at least 21, probably more like 25 and come with a voters registration "test."
What should a test cover?
An ability to form a reasoned opinion.
That would rule out quite a few people then.
Hopefully, yes. "
Hopefully the test would be more sophisticated than the previous one of male and property owner though.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"So the argument is about consistency... should that be to increase the age for sex, work, etc. or lower it for voting?"
Either or... it's up to the British public I guess. I'd personally increase age for work, taxes, military, etc to 18 and leave the voting as it is...but that's just me. Its just those core aspects which apply to citizenship, paying taxes, dying for your country, that need to be consistent with the right to vote. Other stuff like marriage, alcohol, sex, etc... that's about personal freedom and health imo |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *arry247Couple
over a year ago
Wakefield |
No we should not lower the voting age.
The age to smoke and buy alcohol should be increased to 21 but there is good reason to stagger the age a person can participate in various activities.
When a person is exposed to a wide range of options they cannot cope it is better to introduce privileges in one at a time to allow experience and a responsible attitude to develop.
I am all for a person having to work and pay taxes before they are entitled to vote, that allows them to gain an understanding of the realities of life before they have any influence.
Certainly in my youth people started work at 15 and could not vote until 21.
This meant they could work and pay taxes but could not buy drink or cigarettes, neither could they vote.
Very few teenagers left home and got their own accommodation for a few years after leaving school allowing them to understand that in life they had to pay for what they wanted rather than simply stick out their hands for others to supply for their needs.
But we were lucky we had advantages that those before us never had.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"No we should not lower the voting age.
The age to smoke and buy alcohol should be increased to 21 but there is good reason to stagger the age a person can participate in various activities.
When a person is exposed to a wide range of options they cannot cope it is better to introduce privileges in one at a time to allow experience and a responsible attitude to develop.
I am all for a person having to work and pay taxes before they are entitled to vote, that allows them to gain an understanding of the realities of life before they have any influence.
Certainly in my youth people started work at 15 and could not vote until 21.
This meant they could work and pay taxes but could not buy drink or cigarettes, neither could they vote.
Very few teenagers left home and got their own accommodation for a few years after leaving school allowing them to understand that in life they had to pay for what they wanted rather than simply stick out their hands for others to supply for their needs.
But we were lucky we had advantages that those before us never had.
"
One of the most life changing options, to use your term, is the age of consent. Surely sex is the most adult thing you can do?
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"So the argument is about consistency... should that be to increase the age for sex, work, etc. or lower it for voting?
Either or... it's up to the British public I guess. I'd personally increase age for work, taxes, military, etc to 18 and leave the voting as it is...but that's just me. Its just those core aspects which apply to citizenship, paying taxes, dying for your country, that need to be consistent with the right to vote. Other stuff like marriage, alcohol, sex, etc... that's about personal freedom and health imo "
I see your argument.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *uby0000Woman
over a year ago
hertfordshire |
"No ..... especially with the school leaving age having been raised to 17 and to 18 this year.
16 years olds will still be at school so therefore too young to vote.
Besides I am sorry, schoolchildren have no experience of life. You could have an arguement that anyone still living at home also have no concept of live as they as protected by their parents.
"
 |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
» Add a new message to this topic
