To vote or not to vote?

[DarkShinigami]

Currently, schools, the media, and even the government are encouraging the student population to vote. Now, the voting percentage of the student population is at a high. However, many of these students don't listen to the media or to the debates and just vote either for the hell of it, or based on the current ideals. Should it be right for students to vote even though many have no idea what's going on politcally, or economically? I know that many keep up with the current events, but with those that don't, should they be allowed to vote?

[gilgamesh]

i choose to let other ppl choose who they want their country to be run by as long as it'd not a dictator and doesn't interfear in things i value (television, eating, anime, and hockey) im fine

[ningo]

Should it be right for students to vote even though many have no idea what's going on politcally, or economically?
It may not be right...but then that is democracy. Would it be right to determine the right to vote based on IQ? You can't penalise students on the grounds that more of them are turning out to vote. If demographics showed that more of a certain ethnicity were turning out to vote than the average, would they too be penalised? And how would one determine between a voter who was making a well informed vote, and one who was voting for the person whose name they liked? And who is to judge what an appropriate reason for choosing a candidate is?The greatest strength and simultaneously the greatest flaw of democracy is that it is the will of the majority of people; it may well be that the majority of people are either stupid, don't care(and so don't turn out to vote), don't care enough to make an educated vote, or are easily swayed; but that is democracy.

[kenshinsan]

I prefer an autocracy which I will rule. There will be no voting cuz I will live forever and be the one and ultimate ruler..or something like that.

[gilgamesh]

ok his dream is to be ultimate dictator of the world for all eternity....until the rapture where millions of ppl will disapear and you'll be stuck on your little "autocracy" bein tortured by demons for the rest of your immortal life

[DarkShinigami]

I do agree that a group shouldn't be penalized on the fact that more of them are turning out to vote, but there should be some way to ensure that they are making an educated vote on their beliefs. I'm not saying it can be done, but that its still not right since the excess of votes from a person "voting with the flow" can cause a misrepresentation of the public that does know what's going on.

[gilgamesh]

i understand politics perfectly and im in 8th grade

[kenshinsan]

There shouldn't be any limits on requirements from voting because while it may start with political comprehension tests whos to say it wont spread to more serious things and end up where barely anyone can vote but the intelligent and rich.

[gilgamesh]

hey thats how it was 200 years ago and look what happened....the civil war

[DarkShinigami]

I do not mean to offend you gilgamesh, I do realize that many student do understand politics and what's happening in the world around them. I agree with you kenshinsan that it's posible that it can go to far when it comes to limiting voting. I do however, dislike the fact that due to students who don't know why they're voting for someone, a person that society doesn't want can be elected. I do know, and repeat, that it's most likely not possible to filter out these students, but I disagree with how a candidate can be elected even though the knowing group votes the other way.

[kenshinsan]

I understand what ur saying. Most students I know vote how their parents vote even thought they dont know any of the canidates views. Like I say Democrat Parents have Democrat Children, Republican Parents have Republican Children.

[gilgamesh]

there was a girl walking with a cariage with a bunch of newborn kittens in it a democrat walks by and asks what are they, she says republicans, the democrat laughs and walks away. the next day shes walkin the cariage by the democrat again and he says still walkin those republicans? she replies " no im walkin democrats". he asks i thought you said they were repudlicans? " she replied "i did but then their eyes opened

im not sure what my parents are political wise, but i choose to be a democrat the things im seeing on tv and the history i've been forced to read in social studies seems to me that the democratic way was better, soully in my view! but i've often thought the a republican way sometimes seemeed better

[Flame2Flames]

politic's is one of the few things I hate and will learn but I understand the effect it has on people. it usually starts conflicts amonst friends if u tell them who u vote for and they don't like the path u chose. thats why most people don't tell who they voted for. I know that was rather off-topic but i had to say that. I probably won't know which political party I will register for a long time.

Democrat or Republican, one that focuses on family or one that focuses on business and major companys, poor/rich. politc's make no sense even though I understand it

[greenrider85]

i try to vote when i know about what i am voting for. but when i am voting for laws and stuff, the people who wrote it make it so confusing, that most people would be able to understand it. and yet they want peoplet to vote, but they confuse the hell out of the voter, so they don't vote the way they wanted to.

[ningo]

Here's the quote i was gonna include in my earlier post, but thougt it had already been posted here in another debate; well it hasn't, so here you go
Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried

[LightShinigami]

goverments want to let the people vote but whats th eoint when they do what they want anyway

[DarkShinigami]

The point is to let the people who elect the heads of government keep a feeling of them running the country. If the government keeps letting the people choose, they keep some form of order even though they do whatever they want. They are not obligated to the promises they make, unless they want to be reelected. However, as long as the people believe they can make a change, they are still going to be content.