Should the age to vote be reduced to 16?

Do you think it should be reduced to 16?
Do you think it should remain at 18?

State your opinions, and why.

 

Well in my option age 16 isn't a great age to understand democracy in grovernment, a 16 year old shouldn't really spend time looking towards voting.

 

Why do you think this?

How can you possibly say that a 16 year old shouldn't bother understanding who, and what, controls the foundation of their lives?

 

I agree, a large proportion of 16 year olds wouldn't have the capability to fully understand Political Situations. Furthermore, the majority of 16 year olds live at home and would be influenced by family members which may have a detrimental effect on the outcome of an election.

I believe 18 is appropriate

 

There may be a few 16 year olds who understand it, but that isn't a good enough reason to give all of them the right to vote.

 

The state allows 16 year olds to work, pay taxes, drive cars, do all sorts of things, but why are they forbidden then to vote for the very institution that allows them to do such things?

You honestly doubt a child aged 16 immensely, many are far more educated on political circumstances pertaining to their relevant society, numerous more so than adults and the elderly.

So what If 16 year olds live at home? Voting gets influenced by family members and acquaintances constantly. Not many people sit down and critically evaluate the ramifications should their vote be the decider. Most people merely think what is best for them in the short-term rather than the long-term. 16 year olds are arguably no different, so why deny them to vote for the institution they pay taxes to?

There are far more than you think.

You're not against 16 year olds driving weapons of mass destruction down the road, you're not against them paying more taxes than some of the socialist sponges, yet why are so against them having a say about which collective body governs them?

 

In Australia, you cannot drive individually without an Open class license holder supervising you until you are 17.
US and Aus are two completely different countries to debate in regards to this topic.

 

I live in Australia.

I'm 16, I can drive a car, even if it's with a supervisor. The fact is, I can drive a car.

 

Source?

When you're 16, you're still a teenager. No matter how mentally developed you may be, adults will look down on you as a naive child incapable of fully understanding the reality of the world and won't take you seriously. My point is: the percentage of teenagers who are actually able to comprehend politics at their age is considerably low (at least to my belief).

Now to address your points...

Driving: If they can drive well at their age, I see no issue.
Tax: I haven't really decided whether I'm for or against in this matter.

 

Driving is not an issue.
However, there are many intelligent 16 years old in these countries, but not enough to warrant the permission to let them vote. I feel as though 18 is an appropriate and reasonable age.

Cheers

 

The burden of proof is on you to prove that they're not knowledgeable to such scenarios unraveling themselves on such a widespread scale. Be it TV, newspapers, radios, we teens know about whats going on.

Also, in Australia, any student studying English will look at such issues. Furthering that, any student studying English Communications, will look at it in depth. Notwithstanding that, the people in my friendship group, the people in my acquaintanceship group all know what's going on, and we can justify our position reasonably.

Irrelevant. Many adults are incredulous as to how they can be superseded by such naive minds.

"Source?" You just said it was your belief.

Even if they can't drive well, they can still drive.

It doesn't matter whether your for or against it. The fact is, whichever way you sway, kids still are obligated to pay tax. I for one know I pay more than some freeloaders.

Then why is voting?

Not enough? Such a lackluster reason considering they can do virtually everything an adult can do... except vote. Why is 18 such a magical age?

 

How about you email parliament and ask them yourself and debate with them rather than us if it's such a big issue for you?

 

O wow, is it that you cannot debate your views in a debate forum with me that you pusillanimously advise me to tell a higher authority?

I don't care. It's not a big issue for me. What is an issue for me however, is how some people cannot justify their opinions.

 

How can our opinions be justified without it being contradicted by yourself? If it was justifiable to allow 16 year olds to vote, it would be implemented. However, there is insufficient pertinent evidence to say it is justifiable.

 

You justify them by tossing the ball back and forth. A debate is supposed to be educational for both sides. Hopefully it broadens both sides perspectives as to arguments for and against the issue.

Your second and third sentences aren't arguments.

There's no good evidence to suggest that 16 year olds shouldn't be able to vote because of x.

Also, implementation requires no stipulation of justification.

 

I understand what you mean.
For such a debate to be passed through the senate, there must be justification to why it will be beneficial and how it will have a positive impact on the nation.

I thankyou for your encouraging comments and your wealth of knowledge. I will allow someone else to debate this.

Cheers

 

Some understand it but some don't. So it won't do any good if they were to reduce it to 16.

 

I agree, for such to be enacted into legislation, a rigorous process must be first journeyed. Luckily no such process is required here xD.

This is very easily solved.

Some teens don't have taxable income.
Some teens do have taxable income.
All teens are obligated to pay taxes whence they accumulate taxable income.

Some teens don't understand.
Some teens do understand.
All teens are obligated to vote whence they reach they age of 16.

No different.

 

Just because you and your group know what's going on doesn't mean everyone really gives a fuck. Most 16 year olds I met are like, "Meh, this is out of my hands." or they're too busy doing other things (games, sports, music, etc). To them, it doesn't matter. All they want to do is live their lives. Maybe I've met the wrong type of people and am over-thinking this, but I'm just stating what I witnessed. Personally, I don't care much for politics either.

I said it was my belief because that was what I observed, not what I read or saw on some bloody newspaper/the media.

If they get into accidents, it's their fault, and they will be held responsible. Adults get into accidents too, so you can't say only teens screw up.

 

Most adults have the same mentality as teens. True, not all teens have five eights of fuck all. The same is for adults. My argument is, why should we pay taxes, yet not get a say.

You said that just then. Also, your observations may not be stratified. I've been exposed to an enormously diverse including: private school kids, public school kids, bogans, teenage adults and so on.

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that we're able to drive weapons of mass destruction, capable of causing the loss of dozens of lives in the event of a multi-car pileup. Yet, why can't we vote when we're obligated to pay taxes? We're obligated to support the government, yet where not allowed to decide who the government should be.