UK to lower voting age to 16

[Maia]

The Labour government is forging ahead with its plans to lower the voting age in the UK from 18 to 16. Quite apart from the blatantly obvious fact that this is because they expect younger people to vote for them, though they may be disappointed in that, as people that age are more likely to vote Green, it's also completely hypocritical, when taken together with their plans to restrict social media for people under 16. It's as if they believe that someone is a child until midnight on their 16th birthday, then magically becomes an adult.

It's true that the age of consent in the UK is 16, but this is not absolute. It remains 18 when one of the partners is in a position of authority over the other, such as a teacher or doctor, for example.

When I think back to the sort of things I was preoccupied with at the age of 16 I find the whole idea ridiculous, and quite worrying.

[Iwannaplato]

I like the idea of considering voting rights in relation to the age of consent. I am not sure what conclusions I would draw from that, but it's interesting.
As a guess (avoiding what I just said was interesting), I think it probably would benefit Labor. In general teenagers tend more left than right. At least though most of my lifetime. I just asked an AI to check on hard stats in England and it seems the trend continues. I also then asked if teenage women (who tend to lean more to the left) are more likely to vote and they are by a decent margin. So even the polls of teenagers that show a liberal left leaning may underestimate the effects.

[Maia]

I like the idea of considering voting rights in relation to the age of consent. I am not sure what conclusions I would draw from that, but it's interesting.
As a guess (avoiding what I just said was interesting), I think it probably would benefit Labor. In general teenagers tend more left than right. At least though most of my lifetime. I just asked an AI to check on hard stats in England and it seems the trend continues. I also then asked if teenage women (who tend to lean more to the left) are more likely to vote and they are by a decent margin. So even the polls of teenagers that show a liberal left leaning may underestimate the effects.

They did it in Scotland, for their independence referendum (which still didn't work), and for local elections and the Scottish parliament. This has probably ensured extreme left wing administrations there. Whether this is a good thing or not should be judged on the results.

One of the arguments put forward for it is that young people have to live in the country, so why can't they vote. Based on this argument, though, anyone should be able to vote, at any age.

[Wizard22]

It frequently amazes me that with all our collective knowledge and wisdom of the past, very few Westerners realize nor understand the failures of Democracy are now occurring in the exact same course as before. "Voting age" is expanded, votes are expanded to the worst of the plebian, to criminals, to those without roots, to foreigners, to those who would destroy society and/or have its worst interests in mind. Then, eventually, society and democracy collapse together into a heap.

Republics die and then are reborn. England is headed near its end, I fear. The Moslem population inevitably revolt at some point, causing civil strife or war there, and throughout Western Europe. Since Moslems cannot tolerate what is being done in their homeland, by the Zionist leaders of the West. The brutal stabbings of children continue, throughout Worst Britain, with no British men to protect them.

Republican societies are premised on severely restricted ability to vote, for obvious reasons:


Only those most invested and optimistic about society, should be able to vote. Never those opposed to society, criminal, or want its outright destruction.

[phyllo]

Whether this is a good thing or not should be judged on the results.

What would be 'good' results and what would be 'bad' results?

[phyllo]

You can join the UK military at 16 but you can't vote at 16.

[Iwannaplato]

They did it in Scotland, for their independence referendum (which still didn't work), and for local elections and the Scottish parliament. This has probably ensured extreme left wing administrations there. Whether this is a good thing or not should be judged on the results.

One of the arguments put forward for it is that young people have to live in the country, so why can't they vote. Based on this argument, though, anyone should be able to vote, at any age.

That would a poor argument if the person is advocating any age limit, yes.
The boundary is always going to be arbitrary. I don't think we can prove that the day before age 18, you suddenly have the minimal wisdom to make informed choices. Or any age 16 down or up.

So, it would be useful to discuss things, it seems to me, in terms of statistics related to the development of brains/mind/attitudes. When do whatever qualities one thinks are needed begin to kick in, in general.

[FlashDangerpants]

A pisspoor argument for not letting 16 year olds vote is that you don't like who they might vote for.

[phyllo]

A pisspoor argument for not letting 16 year olds vote is that you don't like who they might vote for.

On the contrary, it's an excellent argument when politicians are considering it.

[Maia]

It frequently amazes me that with all our collective knowledge and wisdom of the past, very few Westerners realize nor understand the failures of Democracy are now occurring in the exact same course as before. "Voting age" is expanded, votes are expanded to the worst of the plebian, to criminals, to those without roots, to foreigners, to those who would destroy society and/or have its worst interests in mind. Then, eventually, society and democracy collapse together into a heap.

Republics die and then are reborn. England is headed near its end, I fear. The Moslem population inevitably revolt at some point, causing civil strife or war there, and throughout Western Europe. Since Moslems cannot tolerate what is being done in their homeland, by the Zionist leaders of the West. The brutal stabbings of children continue, throughout Worst Britain, with no British men to protect them.

Republican societies are premised on severely restricted ability to vote, for obvious reasons:


Only those most invested and optimistic about society, should be able to vote. Never those opposed to society, criminal, or want its outright destruction.

Everyone now seems to believe that a civil war of some sort is inevitable. I hope they're wrong, but I fear they are not.

[Maia]

You can join the UK military at 16 but you can't vote at 16.

I'm not sure that's relevant.

[Maia]

They did it in Scotland, for their independence referendum (which still didn't work), and for local elections and the Scottish parliament. This has probably ensured extreme left wing administrations there. Whether this is a good thing or not should be judged on the results.

One of the arguments put forward for it is that young people have to live in the country, so why can't they vote. Based on this argument, though, anyone should be able to vote, at any age.

That would a poor argument if the person is advocating any age limit, yes.
The boundary is always going to be arbitrary. I don't think we can prove that the day before age 18, you suddenly have the minimal wisdom to make informed choices. Or any age 16 down or up.

So, it would be useful to discuss things, it seems to me, in terms of statistics related to the development of brains/mind/attitudes. When do whatever qualities one thinks are needed begin to kick in, in general.

It's pretty common, I believe, to say that the human brain matures around the age of 25.

[MikeNovack]

Only those most invested and optimistic about society, should be able to vote. Never those opposed to society, criminal, or want its outright destruction.

??? Understanding consequences ????

If those who are opposed are disallowed the franchise, then the argument "must abide by the democratic decision" goes by the wayside. Theyb have the right to other means. Of course if you prevail in the clash of arms, they were criminals. But if they succeed and replace you, they have done nothingwrong.

[Maia]

A pisspoor argument for not letting 16 year olds vote is that you don't like who they might vote for.

The opposite is also true.

[phyllo]

You can join the UK military at 16 but you can't vote at 16.

I'm not sure that's relevant.

If you can die for your country, then you ought to have a say in the policies of your country.