- cross-posted to:
- brainworms@lemm.ee
- cross-posted to:
- brainworms@lemm.ee
People mentioned in this article are very old.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 81 Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), 90 President Joe Biden, 80 Former President Donald Trump, 77
I would be happy with a voting age of 16, serving in public office at 26 and no voting or serving in public office at 70.
Sixteen year olds have the most skin in the game from the standpoint of having to live with the consequences of election outcomes. Sixteen year olds were allowed to vote in the Scottish independence referendum for exactly this reason.
Full brain maturation (fronto-cortical pruning) is not finalized until 26.
The incidence of cognitive impairment goes up significantly at 70 years old.
No voting at 70? Wow. That seems so tragically disrespectful towards the people in our community we should be regarding as our elders. I think you are exaggerating the extent of mental decline with age pretty significantly and not appreciating the benefits. One of the most politically active and motivated people I know is in her 70s.
16 year olds may have the most skin in the game, if one can handle such generalized statements, but clearly the thing that teenagers lack is perspective and experience.
Not all elderly people are Mitch McConnell, just like not all young people are George Santos.
Not that I agree with an age cap, but respect for elders isn’t really a value among young Americans. Like, we know that the idea that old people are inherently wise is a farce.
I’m sure it’s valued more or less across different sectors of the young American population, but yeah I think it’s pretty widely recognized that our culture doesn’t really treat our elders well. And we should feel ashamed about that.
Nobody is inherently anything, but everything is the way it is for a reason. There’s a reason why respect for one’s elders is a nearly universal maxim, to the extent that it extends beyond our species, and to disregard that ancient principle is to invite disaster. Old people aren’t the problem.
It is incredibly agist. Plenty of 70 year olds are fully mentally cognizant still. Not allowing them to vote on things like NHS issues seems unfair when entering a time of their life when they’ll be using that service more.
I’m 65 and would happily take a hit for the team. I just retired from 30 years as a family doctor, and I see how people just start progressively losing their mental edge after 70. Not absolutely every single one, but most folks.
An alternative would be a test every voter takes to be able to vote. DMV-like 30-question multiple choice purely on facts of civics and current events. I don’t see that happening given the history of poll tests in our country.
Why 26? If an 18 year old can work full time, shouldn’t they also be able to serve in government. It’s not like you have no stake in the social contract until 26.
Brain maturation (fronto-cortical pruning) is not complete until 26 years of age.
Ever notice how you can work at 16, vote and be drafted/enlist at 18, drink at 21 but can’t rent a car without a co-signer until 26?
Now you know why. Car rental agencies don’t study human neurophysiology, but they damn well know there’s a difference between people who rent their cars before and after 26.
None of that matters, if an 18 year old has a stake in society by paying taxes, working full time, etc. Then they should have access to the workings of that society if they can get people to vote for them.