Should voting be compulsory?

[awfulthings9]

Look I’ve participated in your other thread and I’ll make the same statement here. If we refuse someone their vote because of economic status or education level how is that not discrimination?

Wow, where did this come from?

I read back through my post and didn’t see anywhere that I suggested we deny based on economic status or education level. Just pointing out that we are too quick to throw the word “right” around. It causes a lot of problems, politically, when we have confused actual rights with what we feel people are entitled to.

You make reference to my other thread, but I made it clear in about 50% of my posts there that I was playing Devil’s Advocate and that I do not actually believe that someone should be denied the right to vote purly out of what is in the checkbook.

 

[awfulthings9]

First of all, I’m not an American, and I based my understanding of ‘rights’ not on what the US constitution says, but on what seems to be consonant with the dignity of the human person. I don’t have the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church in front of me right now, but I’m sure I could find some sections that relate to ideas like the right to meaningful work and education. This is a Catholic forum not an American politics forum after all.

I do know a bit about American political history though, and the kind of arguments put forward in this quote, about restricting the right to vote based on education, job, etc. are exactly the kind of things put forward by the Southern Democrats in the 1920’s, the so-called “Jim Crow Laws” to disenfranchise black voters by the back door. Saying that anyone can’t vote leads to the possibility for terrible discrimination on the grounds of whatever bias the ‘voting’ group might happen to share.

My bad, I sometimes forget how international these forums are.

Also, whether or not saying someone can’t vote leads to discrimination is neither here nor there. I’m simply pointing out the facts. I didn’t draft the consitution. Whether we think it is a wise or unwise omission doesn’t change the fact that the omission exists. As a society we through the word “right” around way too much, which makes many feel a moral obligation to support things which otherwise have no practical root for support. Take, “right to work”. If someone has a right to work, from whom should this employment come? Against that person’s will?

 

[goofyjim]

My bad, I sometimes forget how international these forums are.

Also, whether or not saying someone can’t vote leads to discrimination is neither here nor there. I’m simply pointing out the facts. I didn’t draft the consitution. Whether we think it is a wise or unwise omission doesn’t change the fact that the omission exists. As a society we through the word “right” around way too much, which makes many feel a moral obligation to support things which otherwise have no practical root for support. Take, “right to work”. If someone has a right to work, from whom should this employment come? Against that person’s will?

Yet all your reasons for not allowing the poor to vote (ignorance, etc.) can also be reasons for not allowing the rich to vote. Or do you think there is some magical connection between wealth and being informed? So then maybe we could also ask shoudl the rich be allowed to vote. And if we answer no to them and no to the poor there will be noone left to vote and no government at all. Which may not be such a bad idea.

 

[awfulthings9]

Yet all your reasons for not allowing the poor to vote (ignorance, etc.) can also be reasons for not allowing the rich to vote. Or do you think there is some magical connection between wealth and being informed? So then maybe we could also ask shoudl the rich be allowed to vote. And if we answer no to them and no to the poor there will be noone left to vote and no government at all. Which may not be such a bad idea.

Jim, I think you are confusing my posts here with those on another thread. I haven’t at all advocated that the poor shouldn’t vote in this thread. I hope that the OP’s topic isn’t taken in a different direction here as I’m just trying to contribute to that discussion by pointing out that her premise is flawed if we exist in a society where that “right” isn’t actually given. In addition, in my other thread, I did indeed ask if the rich should be restricted from voting. You see to think I have some hidden agenda that I don’t (and which I’ve gone out of my way to point out), which is threatening to steer the OP’s thread in a direction different from its intention. Is it really right for us to hijack it in that way when your questions could be asked in the appropriate thread? Nothing I’ve written here warrants the response you’ve given.

 

[goofyjim]

Jim, I think you are confusing my posts here with those on another thread. I haven’t at all advocated that the poor shouldn’t vote in this thread. I hope that the OP’s topic isn’t taken in a different direction here as I’m just trying to contribute to that discussion by pointing out that her premise is flawed if we exist in a society where that “right” isn’t actually given. In addition, in my other thread, I did indeed ask if the rich should be restricted from voting. You see to think I have some hidden agenda that I don’t (and which I’ve gone out of my way to point out), which is threatening to steer the OP’s thread in a direction different from its intention. Is it really right for us to hijack it in that way when your questions could be asked in the appropriate thread? Nothing I’ve written here warrants the response you’ve given.

Au contraire. Someone else started down this course on this thread. My response to your post may be missplace but it seems yours is as well. I am unclear where we got sidetracked because your other thread has been ignored for awhile.

 

[DL82]

Yet all your reasons for not allowing the poor to vote (ignorance, etc.) can also be reasons for not allowing the rich to vote. Or do you think there is some magical connection between wealth and being informed?

Getting a little off-topic, all the reasons for not allowing the very young to vote (ignorance, no involvement in the economy, easily influenced, out of touch with majority views) can also be used against the very old. These reasons are not true of all very old people, but they are also not true of all under-18’s. Many young people are aware of issues in the world from very early on. Nobody would dream of stopping anyone over the age of 80 from voting. Should we think about allowing anyone who is old enough to choose by themselves to register to vote to have a vote?

 

[awfulthings9]

Au contraire. Someone else started down this course on this thread.

But not me. Yet you are making responses to my posts as if I did go that direction in this thread. If someone else has already gone that direction, respond to that person.

My response to your post may be missplace but it seems yours is as well.

How is mine misplaced? I would like to apologize to the OP.

I am unclear where we got sidetracked because your other thread has been ignored for awhile.

Your last post there was three hours ago.