I'll be on Fox News Tomorrow

[OzzyKP]

Smiley don't forget people can babysit and deliver newspapers and volunteer and do other jobs from like 9 or 10. And you can get a piolits license at like 13.

[Wiglaf]

And teens most definitely pay social security taxes. A large number of teens work. I know I, and all my friends had jobs in high school. A clear majority of every teen i've known has had an after school job, or a summer job. You are totally off base.

60% of 16-19 year olds looked for work in 2000. Reduce the age group to 16-18 and you'll get a much smaller figure of people who have even worked. And that's including summer jobs, etc. You think 16 year olds will go to the polls because they're losing $50 out of their paycheck every week?

[OzzyKP]

Wow, from 1% of teens work, to 60% of teens work, that's what you call an ex·ag·ger·a·tion

[Wiglaf]

No, not really, and I get the feeling you're ignoring my arguments now.

99% of teenagers do not deal with feeding families, or holding serious jobs. Most flip burgers to pay for videogames, or work summer jobs to pay off cell phone minutes. They would not seriously consider voting Kerry or Bush based solely on the economics of their job at Burger King. And if they did, it would be a stupid vote anyway, and in an election where 500 votes can swing the balance, that's pretty important.

[Nubclear]

Teenage burger-flippers help fuel the tremendous growth in the manufacturing sector

[Wiglaf]

They're also unaware of it and all other economic principles

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
No, not really, and I get the feeling you're ignoring my arguments now.

99% of teenagers do not deal with feeding families, or holding serious jobs. Most flip burgers to pay for videogames, or work summer jobs to pay off cell phone minutes. They would not seriously consider voting Kerry or Bush based solely on the economics of their job at Burger King. And if they did, it would be a stupid vote anyway, and in an election where 500 votes can swing the balance, that's pretty important.

Who are you to judge the reasons a person decides to vote? Just because they might not be your reasons, doesn't mean they aren't valid reasons.

But if you want to make that argument, that you need to be "feeding families" to count in this society. Then how about we disenfranchise everyone on welfare, everyone on social security, everyone drawing a pension, and hell, all single people too while we're at it.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
They're also unaware of it and all other economic principles

THat would describe damn near all Americans.

[:) Smiley]

The 500 votes can swing the balance argument can be used to disenfranchise just about any demographic group.

[asleepathewheel]

Ozzy-

What age were you advocating voting be lowered to?

[OzzyKP]

16

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
60% of 16-19 year olds looked for work in 2000. Reduce the age group to 16-18 and you'll get a much smaller figure of people who have even worked. And that's including summer jobs, etc. You think 16 year olds will go to the polls because they're losing $50 out of their paycheck every week?

I worked. Definately more than half of my classmates held a summer job. And 50$ out of an average teen's paycheck is a helluva lot of money.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
16

I would agree to that.

I think with an mildly ambitious educational program, you could change America's voting habits to be more educated. Require all 16-18 olds to take a current events/civics class the fall semester of each national election. Maybe they carry what they learn throughout their lives. Maybe not.

[Kuciwalker]

We already do take civics and government classes.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
We already do take civics and government classes.

The last government course I was required to take was in 9th grade, granted that was probably around, say 92?

different schools obviously do things differently. At mine, we had a current events-type class that was purely optional.

I'm talking about a class purely focused on the election and issues. If your school has that, then bully for you and your school. If kids your age could actually vote, then a class like that would actually have meaning, rather than a regular bs hs course.