Should Everyone Get the Right to Vote?

I recently learned and read a little bit about Socrates, the ancient Greek Philosopher, and he made some very good points about why not everyone should receive the right to vote in a representative form of government, specifically republics and democracies.

Essentially, the argument that he makes is that everyone should not receive the right to vote because there are some very stupid people in the world. If everyone were to receive the right to vote then we get stupid people running and winning seats of power and they end up screwing up in their positions. Socrates believed that the right to vote was not a universal right but rather a right that one simply had to earn. He believed that only those who are mentally capable to critically and rationally think about politics and the people running for political office should receive the right. Other wise you get situations such as the hypothetical situation that Socrates brings up. Essentially, you have two people running for a political position, you have a doctor and a candy salesman. The candy salesman makes people feel good with treats and sweet things but is an horrible choice for the job, where as the doctor is there to help people, and yes he may make people feel uncomfortable but ultimately he is competent for the role he is running for. According to Socrates, if everyone had the right to vote, the candy salesman would win every time.

What a lot of people don't realize in the USA, is that we are not a democracy we are a constitutional republic. In fact, at the beginning of the founding of the country not everyone had the right to vote. This was because the founding fathers were part of the enlightenment era and many of the enlightenment era thinkers were fans of classic Greek philosophers like Socrates. So the founding fathers took Socrates advice into practice. The problem of course is that the "smart people" were classified as white males.

So I guess what I am trying to ask is should everyone get the right to vote, or should only those who have earned the right to vote through their ability to think critically and rationally about any political situation be given the right?

 

You get no disagreement from me. In fact, I have been thinking about the possibility of administering some sort of "voting test" to would-be voters to see whether they possess the intellectual capacity to think in a critical fashion. And maybe even the ability to understand arguments in the English language (since everything in conducted in English in this country).

Stupid people should not vote.

 

Yes I have been also thinking about how this would be implemented. and I agree I think the best way is through some test.

 

the constitution gives citizens the right to vote

 

People also have the right to drive but they need to pass the driving test first.

 

Yes I know, but the question is should everyone get the right to vote in the USA.

 

yes

 

Why? What is your reasoning?

 

are you familiar with the 'immortal declaration'?

 

Who should make up the test Bernie Sanders or Sean Hannity?

 

it's irrelevant, tests are unconstitutional

 

Should Everyone Get the Right to Vote?

Yes and No. Since it is human nature to vote for their own self interest I would propose those receiving Federal or State assistance to have one vote and those whom are still working or not receiving Federal/State assistance two votes.

 

that would leave big-oil oligarchs out

'Do Oil Companies Really Need $4 Billion Per Year of Taxpayers’ Money?'

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/...ed-4-billion-per-year-of-taxpayers-money.html

 

I support having a test like this. The question is what kind of test should it be? I support a general political knowledge test much like a citizenship test, maybe some questions on whether they generally know what the issues are.

 

you don't support the constitution

 

The constitution was made to be amendable and the founders themselves amended it. We should try to do the same.

 

I agree, and one reason the courts have done away with "literacy tests" is that they screen for different purposes depending on who makes it up.

 

people should stop being so gullible

oligarchs favor things like 'literacy tests' so they can maintain their hold on wealth and power

 

Actually oligarchs want uninformed people to vote because they are easily controlled. A well informed populace isn't good for a ruling class.

 

I believe that instead of worrying about who votes because they may choose stupidly, we should refine the election process to ensure that only the best people are running in the first place. Anyway, it'd be easier to vet candidates than the populace.

 

What you see as 'well informed', I see as the ruling class. If you want a higher percentage of voters well informed, see to it that a higher percentage of voters get a quality education. We do not create tests to discriminate in the application of enfranchisement. We have been down this road before and we saw how it was manipulated to serve a specific agenda. .

 

That's already done.

The naturalization test that's administered to prospective citizens. That's a not too difficult, already vetted test that covers the basics of US history and governance. If you can't pass it, you really shouldn't be voting anyway.

 

You can demand whatever you want of non-citizens to gain citizenship, and they are non-citizens when they take that test. Heck you can put a physical fitness test in and demand they do pushups and run a mile. You cannot require citizens to pass a test to be eligible to vote, because they are already citizens and thus already entitled . Is it your plan to revoke citizenship of those Americans who do not pass this test so that they cannot vote?

 

generally, oligarchs want people to vote for the candidate they put forth

i think one of the best ways to counter that, is to have all-inclusive voting rights

once people have that, they can vote for education, labor rights and other beneficial ideas


"Our leverage in the elections… goes up as the voting populace goes down."

~ Paul Weyrich, founder at 'moral majority' (1980)

 

I suppose you can say that, white males. But it was at first property owners that could vote. Not all white males. The idea of having property owners only vote was not to have the people vote themselves largess from the public treasury. Today, I would say the propaganda machines of the two major parties certainly play to the not political minded types. Slogans influence many as to whom they will vote for, not substance or knowledge of issues or where candidates stand. Slogans and short retorts.

How many people switched their allegiance from Carter to Reagan with his simple question at the end of a debate, "Are you better off today than four years ago." Morning again in America," in 1984. Not to be out done, Bill Clinton's, "I feel your pain." Did the slogan, "Make America great again," outdistance Hillary's, "I'll be an Obama's third term." If she had a campaign slogan, I either didn't hear it or it simply didn't resonate.

Whether it is a person that sits down and compares where each candidate stands on the issues, compares their experience, does his homework before deciding whom he will vote for or the person who hears Bill say, "I feel your pain," and believes and thus votes for him. Each vote counts the same. My wife usually votes for the person who looks the most presidential, he vote counts as much as the voter who does his homework. Or those who vote political party instead of checking political qualifications, they all count the same.

Regardless, there is no turning back the clock.