Why is america so thick-headed?

[kirovman]

Yeah, I'd rather have an idiot getting to vote, than a clever person not getting to vote, just because they had a bad hairday.

If that makes any sense.

 

[Raeven0]

If you don't care you don't go to the trouble of going out and voting.

On the other hand, many people feel that it's their responsibility to vote for something despite that they have no idea what--in Arkansas we express that sentiment like "If you didn't vote, you don't get to complain".

I'd rather have an idiot getting to vote, than a clever person not getting to vote, just because they had a bad hairday.

If that makes any sense.

It sounds like you're suggesting that people will forget the stances they voted for and screw up the test. I find that unlikely.

 

[kirovman]

Well I dunno, sounds dubious anyway (how long would your test be, for a start? Would it be multiple choice, 45 minute written exam, what?) , sounds like it could become a huge bureaucratical nightmare.

Also, it took a long time to get Universal Sufferage, and a lot of protesting.

I think removing that would solve absolutely no problems, and would create more.

 

[Raeven0]

Did I use the wrong words to describe my stance, or what?

All I want is for voters to name, identify, or describe the positions they voted for. All this requires is maybe three minutes of scrawling something out or filling in little circles. I don't want to conduct a full IQ test or figure out who would make a great ally in my new world order. (That comes later.)

About the universal suffrage, I must reiterate a prior point:

[M]inors, noncitizens, people who haven't registered for selective service, and felons serving prison time can't vote period, no matter how politically adept they are. I'm not even denying rights here, because everyone can still vote as long as he knows what he's voting for. If he doesn't know what he's voting for, why is he even voting?

Can you imagine the protests that could come from such a restriction as mine, though?
"We're fighting for our unalienable right to impose a certain government upon everyone else in the nation even though we're stupid dipshits who don't care to figure out what government we're imposing in the first place!"
...But why should you be able to do that?
"SHUT UP THIS IS AMERICA NOOB I CAN DO WHAT I WANT"

 

[Element Alpha]

I'm with Raeven on this one.

It should be multiple choice (much harder system to abuse). It could even be done with electronic ID cards on a governament site. I don't think the test should be difficult at all. In fact I think it could even be ok to release the questions beforehand.

I also believe voting should be mandatory. This assures politicians take note of the lowest classes who often have a low turnout. So better yet the test should be mandatory.

remember that we're all friendly and this is a lighthearted debate

LOL

 

[15357]

The only problem of democracy is that its a goverment by the uneducated.


Really, I don't think that felons should be allowed to vote. And why have a test? Just make some propaganda up to make the stupid vote right. Easy as cake.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

Really, I don't think that felons should be allowed to vote. And why have a test? Just make some propaganda up to make the stupid vote right. Easy as cake.

Stupid.
That statement is stupid beyond belief.
"Right" is open to interpretation in a democracy.

 

[15357]

Stupid.
That statement is stupid beyond belief.
"Right" is open to interpretation in a democracy.

Exactly. You can't have people of a certain political something not vote.


Propaganda works best though.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

It does work best, but to what ends? At whom's loss?

 

[15357]

The entire nation's benefit.

The loss of the educated minority's minority.


This is assuming that its done correctly.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

Define correctly.
Define benefit.
Define educated.

 

[bliink]

This (malformed) thread has gotten way too far off topic (if it even had one...?)