"Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
This Amendment changed the voting age from 21 to 18 years old. Goverment stated that if the young Americans could go to war at age 18 then they should be awarded by being able to vote at age 18.
Repealing the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution
American conservatives view the 18-year-old vote as too liberal and influenced by university professors that support the Democratic Party.
In 1971, the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, extending voting rights to all citizens that are 18 years of age on the day of the election. The so-called “youth vote” has, however, been token and only became noticeable in the presidential election of 2008, helping to propel Barack Obama to the White House. Similar efforts to revitalize that youth vote in the 2010 midterm election failed, but this has not stopped some commentators like Ann Coulter from calling for a repeal of the 26th Amendment.
Brain research on teens references the development of the frontal lobe. The same can be said of many senior citizens suffering from the early affects of Alzheimer’s disease, however. At what point does the state preclude voting rights based on brain research?
Socrates was condemned to death for corrupting the youth of Athens. The example reminds readers that young people have always been the voices of change and reform. During the Vietnam War, college students protested and even died, as at Kent State in May 1970. In 1989, Chinese tanks confronted young university students in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Most recently, student riots in Great Britain in November 2010 protested government increases in university tuition (CNN, November 24, 2010)
Reasons to Repeal the 26th Amendment are Politically Motivated
Lowering the voting age to 18 was directly linked to the Vietnam War. Young men putting their lives on the line should have a say in who makes the policies that sent them into war zones, according to legislators of that time. A New York Times item on the youth vote, however, paints a bleak picture (October 10, 2010). According to Amanda Cox, “…in the last two midterm elections, only one in four people under age 30 voted…”
But conservative writers like Ann Coulter fully believe that when young people vote, they tend to vote for liberal causes and candidates; hence, her call to repeal the 26th Amendment. Many of Coulter’s reasons appear valid, but are only half right. Coulter, for example, states in her November 10, 2010 column (Human Events) that “Eighteen-to 26-year-olds don’t have property, spouses, children or massive tax bills.
But Coulter forgets that property qualifications, long part of segregation policies in the South, were used to deny voting rights. If voting is to be based on property qualifications, only the rich would have the privilege. Property qualifications in voting rights ended with Jacksonian Democracy
Youth Brains and Legal Considerations
Coulter raises a concern being heralded within the educational field: “Brain research in the last five years at Dartmouth and elsewhere has shown that human brains are not fully developed until age 25…” She notes that the affected areas include decision making, “rational thinking, judgment…”Brain research on teens references the development of the frontal lobe. The same can be said of many senior citizens suffering from the early affects of Alzheimer’s disease, however. At what point does the state preclude voting rights based on brain research?
Socrates was condemned to death for corrupting the youth of Athens. The example reminds readers that young people have always been the voices of change and reform. During the Vietnam War, college students protested and even died, as at Kent State in May 1970. In 1989, Chinese tanks confronted young university students in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Most recently, student riots in Great Britain in November 2010 protested government increases in university tuition (CNN, November 24, 2010)
Legally, anyone at the age of 18 can sign a valid, legal contract. All the laws of privacy and confidentiality disclosures apply to 18 year olds, which is why colleges and universities refuse to release any student information to parents without written consent signed by the student.
In most states, committing a crime at the age of 16 means that the perpetrator will be tried as an adult. The law recognizes eighteen year olds as adults in every respect. Why should they be denied the right to vote?
One Community College student, commenting on Ann Coulter’s column for a class assignment, wrote that, “I’m twenty years old and in the 2008 presidential election I was eighteen but my frontal lobe was developed enough at this point to be smart enough to vote for neither Republican or Democrat but rather for the Libertarian candidate.”
The same reasons given for the 1971 adoption of the 26th Amendment are valid today. As long as 18-year olds are considered legal adults, they should be allowed to participate in the political process, all the more so given that currently enacted laws will affect them and their children for decades.
Source: Repealing the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution http://www.suite101.com/content/repealing-the-twenty-sixth-amendment-to-the-constitution-a314012#ixzz17ZyqTsBF
In most states, committing a crime at the age of 16 means that the perpetrator will be tried as an adult. The law recognizes eighteen year olds as adults in every respect. Why should they be denied the right to vote?
The Student Vote is Viewed as Liberal
A December 21, 2007 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (Government and Politics, Volume 54, Issue 17, page A1) notes that, “…Barack Obama is the clear favorite of academics…” An accompanying chart discloses that Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University represented pro-Democratic donations of over 80%. This type of data enrages the American conservative right who use it to postulate that liberal professors unduly influence impressionable students.One Community College student, commenting on Ann Coulter’s column for a class assignment, wrote that, “I’m twenty years old and in the 2008 presidential election I was eighteen but my frontal lobe was developed enough at this point to be smart enough to vote for neither Republican or Democrat but rather for the Libertarian candidate.”
Repealing the 26th Amendment is Problematic
Ann Coulter wasn’t even a teenager when the 26th Amendment was adopted, but she benefited from it once she turned 18. Repealing amendments has become a popular theme in the last two years. Republicans that seek to reform immigration policy want to repeal the 14th Amendment. Senator-elect Rand Paul favors repealing the 17th Amendment and is joined in this view by several Tea Party leaders. (The Hill, June 2, 2010)The same reasons given for the 1971 adoption of the 26th Amendment are valid today. As long as 18-year olds are considered legal adults, they should be allowed to participate in the political process, all the more so given that currently enacted laws will affect them and their children for decades.
Source: Repealing the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution http://www.suite101.com/content/repealing-the-twenty-sixth-amendment-to-the-constitution-a314012#ixzz17ZyqTsBF
Comment:
This article talks about some people wanting to repeal the Twenty Sixth Amendment. I do not think it is fair, if people can go to war at age 18 why not let them vote? If they think that being 18 is too young and they can get influenced by other people, why don't they take that in consideration also when they send them to war? I think a person at age 18 is responsible enough to know and decide who they are going to vote for. Yes younger people might rather the liberal party or believe more what they see on TV, but that is part of growing up. I don't think many politicians do not realize how much those guys who are only 18 years old do for us, they fight for their country, they risk their lives every day and giving them the right to vote should be just a given.
Twenty-sixth Amendment Certification Ceremony
Comment:
This is a video from the moment when the Twenty-sixth Amendment was ratified, giving the younger people the right to decide who they want to become President of the United States. I liked when 3 of those 18 year old got to sign the ratification. I completely agree with this Amendment. I hope it does not get repealed and if they want to repeal the right for an 18 year old to vote, then they should also stop sending 18 years old to war.
No comments:
Post a Comment