<p>Do you think that people who are uneducated about the issues and about the country should be entrusted with the responsibility of voting? I'm talking like the people who voted for Bill Clinton because they thought he was hot. Should there be limits on democracy? Of course, there will never be a good way to measure if someone is too uninformed to vote, but in theory. </p>
<p>Also, do you think, if there were a law passed that said if you haven't voted in the last 20 years you've lost the right to vote, any of the people who were newly disenfranchised would care?</p>
<p>"I'm talking like the people who voted for Bill Clinton because they thought he was hot. "</p>
<p>^ I honestly never knew there were such people out there who actually thought that other than Monica.</p>
<p>Losing the right to vote is a bit extreme. But perhaps inactive voters should get expired voting status and have to reregister.</p>
<p>I don't think that that uneducated people should be entrusted to vote. But at the same time I don't want to advocate for passing a test to vote.</p>
<p>I think selective disenfranchisement is just risky business. There would be too many little alleys and loop-holes... it's just bad news. That's how we kept blacks from voting for so many years. Although I do hate the fact that so many people vote so carelessly.</p>
<p>I'd instate a mandatory course about elections, voting, issues, etc. every few years and make attendance a prereq. for voting. That way, people will at least be informed before they vote.</p>
<p>No, everyone who is an American citizen should be allowed to vote. In fact, if anything, I think they should include more people by lowering the voting age. I agree that a lot of people take advantage of the gifts of democracy, but that doesn't mean we can arbitrarily remove the right to vote from them. That is elitist, manipulative, and against the principles of America which I still believe in heartily. Things may not work out like we want, but they will run their course, and people will learn from their mistakes, and the world will be better. Don't panic and get your panties in a bunch after one weird election, things will be fine.</p>
<p>... but I don't know exactly how to go about deciding who would and who wouldn't. I like the idea of having an expiration after a long period of not voting and I also like the idea of providing/instating classes to educate the masses. </p>
<p>My problem is with people who are passionate about a party yet have NO CLUE what they stand for or why they support them. I feel like if you are going to have a voice, you need to be educated.</p>
<p>the average voter in america is stupid. so it would be nice to un-include them in theory, but it's impractical. so we shouldn't actually do it :o)</p>
<p>anijen21: you think we should LOWER the voting age? how low? being in high school, i see people my age have no idea about politics (not that older people do). i'd be wary of allowing, say, 16 year olds to vote.</p>
<p>Lowering the voting age would probably lead to more democrats. I agree that most people in high school have no clue what they think, what the issues are, or anything about how the government works. The most persuasive arguments I heard at my school this year were "GWB looks like a monkey" and "John Kerry is so f-ing ugly." That's about how educated they got.</p>