Should voting be earned?

Canna Sylvan said:

Voting should be a punishment.

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These days that's exactly what it is.

beenthere said:

Sorry bro, you lost me when I though you inferred the constitution could not be amended.
Perhaps I misunderstood you.

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You said that the Government could amend the Constitution, which is massively oversimplified to the point of being realistically untrue. There is no way a Government could get the majorities needed and the amendments ratified against the will of the people.

Harrekin said:

I'm pretty sure the right to vote is a right conferred by a National Constitution, not a natural right

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I believe that we are told that we have a natural right to participate in our governance. I went down the road I did to see how Beenthere thought our rights were confered upon us. It seems that he believes that government gives us our rights. I do think that we could argue either way on the voting right thing. The consitution does state explicitly that voting cannot be denied or abridged based upon certain individual characteristics. The way it is stated is in the same manner all other described rights are - as though that right already exists.

Beenthere is wrong yet again.

beenthere said:

Well, when you consider it took the states and the government to amend the constitution in order for women and blacks to vote and realizing the fact they can take away your right to vote, how else could one believe different?

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I see that you don't really understand Constitutional theory much at all Beenthere. The Constitution has almost always been amended in order to protect discovered additional rights and rarely the other way (once). Government does not amend the constitution, we do as has been amply stated by others here. You seem to think we owe our rights to government and do not come born with such rights. Such a concept is dangerous to our republic and shocking to me considering that you profess to be a conservative.

canndo said:

I see that you don't really understand Constitutional theory much at all Beenthere. The Constitution has almost always been amended in order to protect discovered additional rights and rarely the other way (once). Government does not amend the constitution, we do as has been amply stated by others here. You seem to think we owe our rights to government and do not come born with such rights. Such a concept is dangerous to our republic and shocking to me considering that you profess to be a conservative.

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The right to vote isn't a natural right.

Come to Ireland and try vote, tell them it's a natural right.

Harrekin said:

The right to vote isn't a natural right.

Come to Ireland and try vote, tell them it's a natural right.

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Go to China and claim that the right to free speech is not a natural right. Just because governments don't recognize rights does not mean they do not exist.

canndo said:

Go to China and claim that the right to free speech is not a natural right. Just because governments don't recognize rights does not mean they do not exist.

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I must be rubbing off on you.

Padawanbater2 said:

Today it wouldn't be anything like that, I'm sure you can appreciate the reality of the situation. Jim Crow laws were based on ignorance/racism.. We know better today.

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This thread is based on ignorance and ageism. Things haven't changed all that much apparently.

canndo said:

Go to China and claim that the right to free speech is not a natural right. Just because governments don't recognize rights does not mean they do not exist.

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Free speech is a natural right, as in, it comes from nature, naturally.

Voting is not a natural right, it is a right conferred by national constitution.

Two completely different things.