The Franchise Should Be Limited

[Sasaki Kojiro]

You can't limit the franchise to the point where just the people who really understand the issues can vote...there aren't enough of them to fill congress.

The purpose of the popular vote can't be about the people making use of their expertise. They don't have it and they shouldn't have to have it. If we restrict the franchise it shouldn't be with the goal of getting more expert voters but with getting voters less likely to be greedy, ideological, naive, partisan etc. Filter for character not for IQ or "high-information" or "civics knowledge". I don't see how that could be done though. Raising the age could help a bit.

[Beskar]

I don't see how that could be done though. Raising the age could help a bit.

I disagree, the inverse would most likely be better. As the saying goes, it is hard for an old dog to learn new tricks. The older population are usually rigid and set in their ways, they do not like to move or adapt. They prefer to stick their feet in the ground over issues which are for the worse or continue to promote something because of an incident which 30-50 years ago, which now makes no rational sense.

I know of a local headmaster around these parts who actively prefers recruiting Teachers straight from University over the old-agers. It is because lack of 'experience' doesn't outweigh the fact the new teachers are fully equipped with the latest methods, tools and knowledge whilst the older ones are usually equipped with older and inferior methods, unable to adapt and handle issues. Just as a side note, that school changed from an Ofsted of "satisfactory" to "outstanding", which is a massive difference, and the whole educational ethos has significantly changed for the better changing from a 'rough' school to one of 'quality' education in less of 5 years of the Headmaster taking over.

From a statistical point of view, citizens aged under the age of 30 are those which are most often not likely to vote, those who actively vote are in fact the people you want to cater for, the "old guard" generation. The reason is, there is much apathy with the younger populations mostly due to the lack of visible and viable change, it is the older generation which holds back the younger generation, attempting to snuff out the ideas which will form a far better society.

[Furunculus]

in the particular case of UK teaching i am not surprised, experience may very well be an acceptable trade-off to ensure teachers arrive without have been lobotimised by he NUT.

< son of a teacher

[Papewaio]

I fear a non-democratic apartheid police state more then terrorism.

Each country can chose how they want to run their nation. Take my vote in my country from myself or others and I would partake in the revolution.

[Tuuvi]

The whole point of democracy is that the people have representation in government. If good governance is the goal, and voting rights get in the way of that goal, then we should just ditch democracy and go for something else.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I am willing to vote. Now, where do I get my Obamaphone?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Blaming the ignorant masses is only half of the equation. Why are they so ignorant? Because we have a culture and society that promotes it, from Jersey Shore to the ignorant travesty that was the republican primary debates. You want an enlightened electorate? Spend more on education, and teach your children to be open-minded and intellectual.

But we know that the people who are educated are not open minded. In the subcultures that are very pro education (universities) they are not enlightened voters. And why should everyone have to have expertise on economics, foreign policy, etc? We don't think everyone has to be fit enough and well trained enough to fight in the army. We don't think they should all be qualified as emergency medics.