I weep for the country and lay the blame at the feet of the media

[Wei Wu Wei]

Despite the positives of a free press, it has to be said that it also shows off the bad side of democracy, by empowering the stupid with delusions of the value of themselves and their stupid opinions, and allowing them to use that power to put whores in office who will pander to them by taking from the rest for their benefit. The lowest-common-denominator appeal of the press is a product of the need to sell their publications, and a stupid person pays just as much for it as a smart person...and there are apparently a lot more stupid people willing to buy garbage than smart people willing to buy anything better. Not really any way to fix it, unfortunately, it's just the inherent downside of a free press and democratic elections. The founding fathers weren't unaware of the problem, they were just willing to take the bad to get the good.

This is part of the reason quality universal education was so strongly supported. A solid education wasn't really needed for the economy at the time. A person could do nearly all wage-jobs with minimal education and skills training. Real education and critical thinking skills were part of creating a society of people with the ability to think, so that they could participate in a democratic-style institution.

Even today though, education is under attack. Here in Texas, the Republican party has openly stated that they oppose teaching "higher order thinking skills" in school. The democrats haven't done much better either.

[Bailey]

Are you saying only white, male, landowners should be allowed to vote?

Poor people, women, and people of color shouldn't have a right to vote?

I think only Land owners should be able to vote since they have more skin in the game then some dumbass polisci student at college has.

[AmPat]

Are you saying only white, male, landowners should be allowed to vote?

Poor people, women, and people of color shouldn't have a right to vote?

Looking, looking,,,

Nope! Can't seem to find that in my post. Perhaps you should ask yourself why you are the only retard that asks such asinine questions?

Now endeavor just this one time to see what I might realistically be saying. You're close, but your liberal goggles are clouding your logic again.

[m00]

I think only Land owners should be able to vote since they have more skin in the game then some dumbass polisci student at college has.

Yeah, too bad I rent. What about Americans currently living abroad? Should they not be able to vote?

[AmPat]

Yeah, too bad I rent. What about Americans currently living abroad? Should they not be able to vote?

You bring up a good point and I will admit that it is easier to list those that should not vote than to formulate criteria for voting rights.

Excluding people with no knowledge or vested interest in the country is the easy goal. How to do that justly and fairly is much harder.

I'd start with age. At 18, nobody has paid a nickle of taxes toward the political debt mess we are in. I would like to see voting moved to 21, admittedly that is just another arbitrary number but at least by then many of these have been working somewhere for a couple of years and as such, must live with the choices they voted for. This would (hopefully) limit the emotional vote at somebody else s expense.

I'd like to see a current events and civics test to gauge the level of understanding of how our government works and who is responsible and in power. The internet is full of Obama-Tards who have no idea who was in charge of what branch of government. They didn't know many of the leaders or their party. They could not even name the branches of the government, forget the functions they perform.

I realize that initially, this would eliminate 90% or more DIMoRAT voters, but eventually they would have to learn something about this country they are destroying before being allowed to vote. They would have to learn that every handout they give comes from somebody, and that somebody is them.

[Bailey]

Yeah, too bad I rent. What about Americans currently living abroad? Should they not be able to vote?

Hey I rent too, but I dont think you should be able to vote on certain taxes (property) if it doesn't directly effect you.

[Bailey]

I've read somewhere that since we allowed women to vote our national spending has increased much higher then before.

[m00]

You bring up a good point and I will admit that it is easier to list those that should not vote than to formulate criteria for voting rights.

Excluding people with no knowledge or vested interest in the country is the easy goal. How to do that justly and fairly is much harder.

I'd start with age. At 18, nobody has paid a nickle of taxes toward the political debt mess we are in. I would like to see voting moved to 21, admittedly that is just another arbitrary number but at least by then many of these have been working somewhere for a couple of years and as such, must live with the choices they voted for. This would (hopefully) limit the emotional vote at somebody else s expense.

Would you also raise the enlistment age for the military? I have no problem with the voting age being 21, but I also think that it's completely unfair to allow people to serve in the military and then not let them vote.

I'd like to see a current events and civics test to gauge the level of understanding of how our government works and who is responsible and in power. The internet is full of Obama-Tards who have no idea who was in charge of what branch of government. They didn't know many of the leaders or their party. They could not even name the branches of the government, forget the functions they perform.

My problem with this is that inevitably it will be the government who gets to write the test. I guarantee you that you will see questions like:

Is global warming a generally accepted scientific principle?
a) Yes
b) No

No = fail the test, sorry you can't vote.

[AmPat]

Would you also raise the enlistment age for the military? I have no problem with the voting age being 21, but I also think that it's completely unfair to allow people to serve in the military and then not let them vote.

18 year olds don't generally possess the necessary knowledge to make sensible political decisions. They do possess the skills required for military service.

In fairness, waiting until they are 21 for military service could be done to eliminate this argument. Now how do we handle drinking and smoking or adult movies? Our society evidently thinks that 18 year olds can vote and die for their country, yet must wait to drink, smoke and attend adult movies. Where's that argument?

My problem with this is that inevitably it will be the government who gets to write the test. I guarantee you that you will see questions like:

Is global warming a generally accepted scientific principle?
a) Yes
b) No

No = fail the test, sorry you can't vote.

No doubt this is a huge hurdle and I don't know how to get around it. Common sense cannot be applied as Liberals don't have it. History is completely changed and truth is negotiable to liberals.

I suppose an independent board of experts would be polluted with the same progressive disease as everything else.

[noonwitch]

Yeah, too bad I rent. What about Americans currently living abroad? Should they not be able to vote?

As long as they only vote in American elections. I don't think someone should be allowed to vote in American elections and the elections of another nation.