With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Original post by alina

Oct 22, 2003 01:50 PM

Do you think there should be a minimum level of education with regard to current events for a person to be eligible to vote?

If HS really educated us, that would be a good base. But since it doesn't, sometimes I feel like a current events kind of test would prevent some of the politicians from gaining office?

I am referring to some basic understanding of current events, not formal degree education, such as college/university

alina Posted: Oct 23, 2003 08:56 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question

Posted by kmcwed

Absolutely not!!!

Having a formal education does not guarantee that a person is 'Smarter' than someone else.

I've met highly educated people who lack common sense, life experience, and emotional intelligence.

True intelligence isn't always found inside books.

Karen:
I was not referring to formal education!!! And much less intelligence, which 'supposedly' cannot be learned.

I agree that there are many life lessons to be learned from experience, but I do think that following current events to some degree should be a pre-requisite for voting.

alina Posted: Oct 23, 2003 09:01 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question

Becky, I tried to follow political agenda's of candidates prior to the last presidential election (the first one I ever voted in). I found it difficult to find the fact vs. sale gimmick with regard to determining what a candidate stood for. Besides media, where else can I turn for more objective information?

BTW, I agree with you that not much has changed with regard to female representation, be it in politics or workplace.

alina Posted: Oct 23, 2003 11:35 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

bump

Ronnie&Theresa Posted: Oct 23, 2003 11:39 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

I want to know..

How come Felons cant vote!

ChristineC68 Posted: Oct 23, 2003 11:46 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

I think a lot of people would continue to vote along party lines even if they are very familar with the issues. So more information is not always going to make a difference.

Theresa - To answer your question, I copied this excerpt from this article

The simple answer to your question is that felons can't vote is because voting is a civil right and you forfeit certain rights, temporarily anyway, when convicted of a serious crime.

Ronnie&Theresa Posted: Oct 23, 2003 11:52 AM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

So felons who do their time, once out still are punished and never get their full rights back..

I say F that.. I would commit more crimes. If i pay the price and start over, I should have rights!!!!!!!

America Sucks!

Jordan Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:01 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Well said Becky - I couldn't have said it better or agree more.

Posted by Becky

Alina, I am addressing this to you because you said taht you don't follow elections and pretty much vote along party lines, but I am sure there are others that do the same thing.

Someone just said that voting is a precious gift. It isn't a gift. It is a RIGHT. A right which women who came before us fought long and hard for. I can't imagine not educating myself about political issues because it was not that long ago when women were considered so inferior that they had no choice in how this county was run. If you think that things have changed that much, go ahead and count how many women are in Congress. Its pretty pathetic considering we are half of the population.

We need intelligent women to make informed choices. Please make sure you know what the candidates stand for and VOTE!!!!

Alina - for the most part, I'm a single-issue voter b/c of abortion, as well. I don't see this as a bad thing - if someone has a different slant, I'd be interested in hearing it.

Jordan Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:18 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Posted by Ronnie&Theresa

So felons who do their time, once out still are punished and never get their full rights back..

I say F that.. I would commit more crimes. If i pay the price and start over, I should have rights!!!!!!!

America Sucks!

Maybe I'm closed minded, but I agree with the law. I think once you've taken a life or raped someone, you have forfeited your rights to certain things. I agree that the person has paid the price by going to prison, but for some reason I don't feel that they should have equal rights.

Just like I agree with Megan's law - I think communities (especially with children in the community) have every right to know if a sex-offender is moving in next door to them - regardless of the fact that this person paid for their crime.

Lisa Rose Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:26 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Posted by Ronnie&Theresa

So felons who do their time, once out still are punished and never get their full rights back..

I say F that.. I would commit more crimes. If i pay the price and start over, I should have rights!!!!!!!

America Sucks!

OMG...please tell me you are kidding with these statements???

You can not actually believe that criminals....bank robbers, cop killers, rapers...child molestors, drug dealers..should actually have the same rights as upstanding citizens???? You choose to live a life of crime...then DO NOT expect to have the rights of upstanding citizens!!!

Also, the America Sucks is kind of a harsh statement...JMO.

Ronnie&Theresa Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:30 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

YOu people make me sick.
Its so nice to see so many people are so judgemental.....

Hysterical...

What about a young kid who got into a fight
Went to jail served one year and still is a FELON...

Oh he doesn't deserve rights! RIGHT!

julybride444 Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:32 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Wow, for once I agree with Ronnie and Teresa

If you want to talk rehabilitation....if you want to be safe from criminals...turning people out of jail with no voice, little hope for jobs and often no help to attend college (financial aid is cut off for anyone with any kind of drug conviction) is not the way to do it. If you are turned out on the street with only a few dollars in your pocket and little hope for the future, you would probably turn back to the kind of life you knew before.

We need to learn from our mistakes..for decades we've had convincing evidence that our lack of investment in rehabilitation is costing us lives and tax money...now if only we could get the people of this country to support changing our policies.

Oh, and yes, in many ways America Sucks-at least for those who are not part of the powerful elite, or those who are not disallusioned by the 'American Dream' that is getting harder and harder to achieve even for middle class families.

joeslauren Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:37 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

on the flip side, how about the little girl that was killed, who will never have any rights... not even a right to life? or the little boy who was sodomized.. will never have the right to live a normal life? these felons know ahead of time what the consequences will be. the victims never saw it coming.

alina Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:39 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

I don't think a person can change his moral conviction after one year of jail. I think if following the jail release, the person prooved themselves as a regular working citizen, perhaps for a prolonged period of time, I can see them being able to vote.

But if a kid got into a fight, has a felony on his record, and is released one year later - I don't think he should have a right to vote immediately following his release. I think he would need to work and proof that he is not a criminal for at least certain period of time.

ChristineC68 Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:41 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Posted by Ronnie&Theresa

If i pay the price and start over, I should have rights!!!!!!!

Losing the right to vote is part of the price.

joeslauren Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:43 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

exactly my point, christine.

Samanthas Mom Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:44 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

some places do not even have any rights! E.g. Mexico, there is no Constitution you just do not have any rights......

here, we are lucky to have them but if you are a serial murderer chances are there is little hope for rehabilitation.

Lisa Rose Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:45 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

was he in jail for a felony?? If so then no voting rights.

If its a lesser charge...then I think that they can vote.

Also, I am sorry that we make you sick but you posted something general, I answered in general. You acted like we were attacking you personally...I was just stating why a felon should not have the right to vote!!

julybride444 Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:45 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

Taking away someones right to vote is not going to bring the little girl back to life, nor is it going to kill another. We are not talking about releasing criminals, we are saying that once released they should have the very basic rights to vote or get educated. Do I feel that someone who killed or sodomized a child should necessarily be let out at all-no. So, that's a very diff. story.

Most 'criminals' are other types criminals who have bought or sold drugs, stolen, etc. Some who are convicted are not guilty at all (in fact some that are executed are found to not be guilty after the fact-but that's a diff. thread).

Once we've let someone out of jail, we've decided as a community that they've served 'their time', meaning that they have the right to reenter society. With that very basic right should come the right to vote and improve their minds.

Edited to add: Any one of us that has ever smoked a joint, or been in the room when others were, would have had our right to financial aid for a higher education taken away. We were just luck enough not to get caught

Sonicstef Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:45 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

I agree that if you have finished your punishment, you should have rights. (and lets all be serious - a convicted felons life, no matter what the crime or how little of a threat to society he is - is not all peaches and cream)Lets not make this an overly emotional issue...MOST felons have not killed innocent people or anything like that. Taking that very small example and applying to a huge mass of people is not right.

The problem you are addressing is the problem that the justice system doesnt punish people fairly. And that i wholeheartedly agree with - but you cant carry your sentiments on that issue into an issue where there are hundreds of thousands of people who are felons but committed no violent act whatsoever.

As for the original question - i do think that there should be more than an age requirement to vote. Not necessarily education, but IQ seems like a fair one. However, that would be pretty impossible to enforce. What they could enforce is a rule that if you dont vote in more than 2 elections, you cant vote for the next 10 or something. I feel that if you dont value your right to vote, then you should not get a say.

Ronnie&Theresa Posted: Oct 23, 2003 12:48 PM

Re: With regard to all the politics discussions on here: Another question EDITED FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE FIRST MSG

I love the closed mindedness..........

Its so amusing....

People need to get the F out alot more!!
I said nothing about Serious Criminals..

But first of all the Justice System in NYC sucks and those of you who have law inforcement you know that they break their ass and the criminals always get out.......

Second, people who do their time for a crime should have a second chance...

Oh let me guess all you do godders are so righteous!!!