Our social experiment is over. While I certainly felt a bit of apathy and skepticism, I decided to follow the advice of some passionate and well-spoken young people, visiting a local polling place, and voting for the first time in my life. I thank you all for your input, and I feel a heightened sense of importance in my actions, directly because of your comments. Whether you think voting is important or not, we can all agree that healthy discussion is an American virtue that we should all honor. See you in class.
You know, I actually talked to someone who did something similar last election, and originally I thought they were being clever. But now I'm not so sure. Now I just think your not being very smart. Imagine If everyone decided that their vote didn't matter, that someone else would do it. Or just the opposite? That all the stubborn people like you voted. Our country might turn out entirely different. I don't necessarily wish i could vote, but I know that if I had that opportunity I would take advantage of it. Saying your not going to vote is like saying you don't care about your own future. Voting is one of those defining American rights. It's one of those things that keeps this country from ending up like many of the abused peoples around the globe, from ending up in a 1984 situation. You can say that your vote doesn't matter, that its already decided, but the individual makes up the whole. Nothings set in stone. And even if you think thats not true, it's the fundamental principal that counts.
ReplyDeleteI'm in your camp, Mr. Ferencz. It's ultimately the state government who is in control of the electoral college, not the state population. As you know, there are cases where the popular vote exceeds that of the electoral college, yet the candidate who has more EC wins (A famous example is the election of 2000). The conservative states of the South and Central USA will stay red, and the liberal states of the West and New England will stay blue. This rule only changes with the shifting demographics toward a new generation. Your vote doesn't matter in the long run.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Argentinean voting reforms, while it's a good idea on paper, there are lash-backs which should be need to be addressed via greater education on the candidates. Sure, it's great for young people to voice their opinions, but are their opinions correctly motivated? Most teenagers these days doesn't seems to know enough about the candidates for them to make a decisions. They don't know about the consequences when each reform is enacted. Well, I don't know anything about the Argentinean system. But if it's some superficial way of voting like the American EC system, nothing matters.
I do not have a firm opinion as to whether or not I believe you should vote. It is true that so many have fought and died for their right to vote, but it is only that: the *right* to vote. This does not mean that you have to vote, it merely states that you have the right to choose the choice of voting for the presidential candidate you prefer or deciding to not vote, and letting the fates go their way.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if you really want to try to make a difference in the upcoming election, you could temporarily move to one of the deciding states, such as Ohio.
Also, about what Ziwei mentioned, as to how we, the teenagers, do not have enough "knowledge", what does it mean to be "correctly motivated"? Does that mean that they are influenced by someone older into voting for that adult's first choice, which may not necessarily be the choice of that teen? Also, it probably cannot be said that *most* teenagers these days don't know enough about the candidate. What about those teenagers that watched the debates and follow the candidates actions on the news? I know plenty of those teens.
That may not necessarily work because, like we mentioned in the first E.C discussion, we can never judge how mature or "intelligent" someone is. A person at the age of 18 may have never watched the debates, but may still decide to vote when he/she doesn't know anything about the candidates.
I'm running on and on here, so I'll cut this part short:
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not they want to vote, and one can never tell, if they are "correctly motivated" or "know enough" for them to make the "right decision". We also spoke of this in the first E.C discussion, there is never a "right decision - there is only *your* decision.
Yes, voting is a right that everyone should have and take advantage of, but I believe that you should vote to express your beliefs and values. It doesn’t matter that Obama is going to win New York. That doesn’t change who you support. In a state like New York that is so obviously Democratic, voting is your way of showing what you believe, even though it may not affect the outcome of the election. If you support Obama, vote for him and show the state that you are part of the large group of New Yorkers that believes in Democratic values. If you support Romney, you should definitely vote and show the state that even though you are surrounded by Democrats, you still support him and his beliefs. However, if you don’t strongly support any of the candidates and you don’t really care who wins the election, then I guess you don’t have to vote. If you don’t vote, it doesn’t exactly mean that you’re naïve, but it just means that you don’t care that much about the election. If you strongly believe in anything, not just political values, you should express your support for it. This is why I believe that voting is so important and why Argentina is correct in lowering the voting age to 16. Even in ninth grade, I have strong opinions about the candidate that I would vote for with valid reasons. Therefore, if even now I have an opinion about who I would vote for, 16 is a perfectly reasonable age for voting. Also, it increases the number of voters in the next election in Argentina and brings in more opinions.
ReplyDelete“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.” (John F. Kennedy)
ReplyDeleteThe question is “What is the right answer?” I’ve met many people who seemed to be settled in the decision for the upcoming presidential election, yet I’ve also encountered many wonderful individuals who are situated in the same dilemma as you were in; in reference to Alice, “the right to vote” is a privilege and an opportunity to express your thoughts and opinions as to which candidate you believe would be most appropriate to become the next president of this country-it is not an obligation/requirement.
The quote promotes that individuals should not be inclined towards supporting a certain policy based upon which party had proposed it, yet we have seen many scenarios in which a Democratic politician proposes an idea which a Republican politician rejects or disagrees upon and vice versa. When both Governor Romney and President Obama delivered a speech stating that they will do the best of their ability to cooperate with their opposing party, I had my doubts-both parties seem to contradict with each other: Republicans want a small government and Democrats want a larger government, and proposing an idea that both parties agree upon is difficult. (You also proposed an idea that we were situated in the middle in which both the small government balances out with the big government…too small of a government will lead to a less effective government whereas a larger government will result in fewer rights and freedoms during a lesson in class.)
Ziwei and Alice brought up an interesting topic regarding maturity; most people seem to agree that when an individual reaches the age of 18, they are considered to be adults, yet maturity varies among different individuals. My older cousin, for instance, is of 18 years, yet he behaves like a toddler; in stark contrast, my younger cousin, far younger than him, assists with her parents as to taking orders from customers and feeding her youngest baby sister since their parents were busy in work. This demonstrates the inconsistencies of maturity and therefore, I believe that there isn’t a definite line as to stating that an individual is considered to be an adult even though there is.
My question: IS THERE A GREY AREA IN POLITICS? (To clarify is there an area where both Republicans and Democrats seem to have common similarities or interests? In this society, we perceive the two main political parties to be against each other in many scenarios that have been presented, including the presidential debates.)
I am sorry if my comment was off topic:):(
I love these comments!
ReplyDelete-Daisy speaks of fundamental principles and fulfilling an American right.
-Calvin relates to my skepticism and goes on to ask when is one mature enough to vote? Are 16 year old teenagers mature enough? Are 18 year-old teens?
-Alice brings up the issue of how there is never a "right" decision, but instead, the decision of the individual.
-Adam believes in supporting your candidate, and if you don't have a candidate, then don't participate if you don't want to. He also likes lower the voting age to 16.
-Jenny raises a wonderful question: Do the parties "cross the aisle" and support each other on some issues, or are they starkly different in every way? Is there a gray (grey is for British people) area?
KEEP IT UP.
Hi. Its hard to make any further comments with all the ideas posted already. However, one main point that I feel is being neglected is the fact that you are not really voting for how the country is going to be run, just who is going to run it. Throughout the debates, both Obama and Romney claimed they will do things, without clarifying the exact process of how they will go about it. I completely respect that; if either disclosed their exact ideas, the other could easily take advantage. But, for this particular reason, I do not feel like my vote will help, because you never really know what the candidates will do, and how it will all work out if they are eventually made president. Aside from it all, I am sorry to say ( I am not pointing fingers, and this does not apply to everyone) but whether or not one participates in the decision, there will always be very patriotic people who will blindly cast votes anyway.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, I agree with you Mr. Ferencz; if you dont want to vote, dont vote.
--- Have fun in school today :D ---
Echoing Daisy's idea, I believe that voting is part of fulfilling an American right. The purpose behind it is to get people involved and allow them to have a say in what affects them. I think it's a duty that every person should take part in, especially due to how hard people in the past have fought to acquire this right. I feel that it’s wrong not to take advantage of this opportunity for your voice to be heard. Voting is important to me because it just signifies how great a role citizens have on how our country functions. Yes, it’s true that the president makes decisions for the US as a country but the citizens elected that president to make those decisions. Though I believe it wrong for people not to vote, I also believe those who are not well informed in politics should not vote. Some citizens do not take voting seriously and just pick a random name on a ballot. This isn’t fair to those model citizens who take the time to choose what they think is best for the country and what will help the country prosper. I guess the main idea here is that as citizens we should care about our country and who we choose to represent us. I really like the fact the voting age is lowered in Argentina because it gives younger people a voice as well. It allows us take part in making a choice that affects us, just as much as adults.
ReplyDeleteIn the short run, any one person's vote doesn't make too much of a difference. As some people mentioned above, the Electoral College, which provides the Electoral Vote, is the real factor behind who wins the election. In the long run, though, the Popular Vote does make a small difference. In most elections, though not all, the Electoral Vote is at least based on the polls that lead up to the election. Even though there have been some elections that contradicted the people's choice, there are not many of those, the last one was in 2000 with George W. Bush and Al Gore. Honestly, my opinion on the matter is that you should vote. It's free, and doesn't take up a lot of your time. (Especially since you are off from work on that day). And hey, who knows? You just might matter!
ReplyDeleteTo answer the second question, I'll restate the response of a person above. 16 year olds might not be mature enough to know a lot about politics, and who to choose. They might make a wrong decision. Also, they are easily influenced, so campaigns would be focused on them, to use them as a tool.
Hey Mr.Ferencz! It's me Zafir! I'm not in your class anymore, but I'm really bored and I'm waiting for my pizza to get here.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to write something original when so many people have already discussed so many ideas, like Daniel said. Anyway, I think you should vote regardless of whether or not Obama's already won New York. I agree with Daisy when she talked about other voters having the same point of view as you. There may be other Mr. Ferenczs's out there who won't vote because they think their state is already won by a candidate. Maybe if all those people voted, it could actually effect the outcome of the election. Also, I don't get the electoral college. If Obama is favored to win New York, but there are still people who want Romney, why does Obama get ALL the electoral votes? Why don't the people who vote for Romney get represented?
As for Argentina, I don't know how I feel about them lowering the voting age. My biggest concern is the media. What I mean by this is that I don't want people to be influenced by anything but the candidates and their platforms. I think the media has some influence on who people vote for (Fox News is soooooo Republican). Other influences include friends, family members, teachers and other people. I think when we're 16 there are just too many things influencing our opinion. I'm not saying things like friends, family members, teachers and the media disappear when we get older, but I think they play less prominent roles in our lives. By reading my first paragraph, you could conclude that I think lowering the voting age is a bad idea. But, here is where I'm undecided. Maturity. I don't think there's any way to know at what age someone is mature enough to vote. And it's not just maturity. Some people could care less about who's president and not even follow what the candidates are saying, yet they are allowed to vote. There are just so many situations in which people should not be allowed to vote, but they are just because of their age.
All in all, Mr.Ferencz, you should vote.
I agree with Alice that it is not necessarily wrong if you don't vote, it is the acknowledgement that people have the right to vote that counts. A right gives you a choice, and ultimately it is your ability to make a choice that counts and not whether the choice is morally correct. It is just like the choice of being good or bad, because having the ability to choose is the important thing and not whether you choose to be "good" or "bad". Without the ability to choose, being good in essence is bad because one can't say I "wanted" to be good. Being American means you have a choice, and if it is your choice to not vote then you shouldn't since you are still fundamentally using your right to choose; it would be un-American to be forced to vote. Besides, some people jump into the bandwagon and vote because everyone else is doing it, and that also takes away from the meaning of voting and expressing one's opinion if he just wants to "fit in" and say I voted. Recently celebrities on youtube made a video urging the younger demographic to vote and it was filled with stars like Miley Cyrus, if a person votes just because his/her favorite movie star is doing it and not because he wants to have a voice in the country, then he shouldn't be voting at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with lowering the voting age to 16 because age is just a number and maturity is based on the individual and not the mass. Mr. Ferencz, I don't hold it against you for not voting because it is a choice and you have a legit reason. Before one goes to cast a ballot, he should ask himself " Why am I voting, do I sincerely want to or is it because it's a duty and I owe it to my country to vote." If one feels as if they "owe" it to the country, then he should just not vote because people did not fight for the right to vote just so it can feel like a burden or chore.
In many ways, voting represents the "American Dream". Not only does it symbolize the power of individual rights, but it allows for people to openly express and support their ideas. Sure, your vote does not seem to matter when it is compared to the greater collective whole, but the idea behind being able to place your own vote is priceless. In many ways, it feeds our patriotism and allows our country to thrive and be as it is. Just as the American Dream brings promises of social mobility and equal opportunities for all, voting symbolizes that the power lies within the hands of the people. Without the process, Americans would not be as content with the government as they are now. Voting is among one of the only things that allows Americans to openly exercise their liberties. It's presence is significant enough that it keeps the Americans at bay, even while their own government or its political leaders are openly lying to them (Pentagon papers, this year's election campaign). I think you should vote Mr. Ferencz, because not doing so would signify your giving up on the most important value America represents--the idea that power lies withing the hands of "We the People".
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Alice, I don't have a solid opinion as to if you should vote or not. Despite the fact that many people gave their lives for the right to vote, it is still a right, and not a requirement. Being a resident of Democratic New York, a vote might not matter. In that perspective, voting would not affect anything, as the Democratic candidate would be chosen by the majority. On the other hand, as Zafir said, a lot of these individuals can alter the results of the election. In the end, residents of states that avidly support a political party don't really change anything, but voting in a state where opinions are mixed can contribute a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe lowering of the voting age in Argentina can be related to one of our class discussions. Although 18 is the age when an individual is considered to become an adult, it differs from person to person. Depending on the way somebody grew up, they might be mature compared to their age, whereas someone who was brought up in a very controlled manner might not be as mature as expected. In my opinion, it isn't the greatest of ideas considering the fact that at 16, a person would probably follow influences and vote.
America is a republic. As Abby and Daisy said, this entails the involvement of every citizen in government. Or at least in theory. Dissent is filling the streets across the world, from the Arab world, to China, to Madrid, Paris, and Athens- and to ten blocks from our school at Occupy Wall Street. The major cause of this is anger towards governments, and in the case of the US, Americans have (relatively) accessible means of bettering their situation. As a democratic republic every single citizen's vote counts, and all Americans should treat it as a major way to help themselves, their family, and their nation.
ReplyDeleteVote for the candidate who'll fix the issues you want fixed! Vote for the candidate who will keep the stuff you like the same! But the bottom line is vote! The argument that "My vote doesn't count because I'm not in the majority" undermines the basic premise of America being the place of freedom and liberty, where precisely "My vote counts here". The United States, a republic, is designed so that each citizen's interests will at least be acknowledged, recognized, whether or not they constitute a majority.
To finish with Argentina, I think that's a cool idea. It's great for many reasons: 1. It gives a larger population the ability to vote and may yield a larger turnout of voters (meaning more involvement in government)
2. Youth tend to have and are more open to dynamic ideas for government; older folks often just accept problems as part of the system
3. As Sharon said, why not? Maturity is based on an individual, and if anything 16 year olds, in the educational, stimulating environment of high school, could be more "mature" than voters 25 years out of high school
The right to vote is something that all adults have and you are allowed to make your own decisions on it. However, I somewhat agree with Daisy B's comment at the top of the list. It goes along the idea that your opinion won't make a difference. It doesn't matter if you don't make THAT big a difference, because there will be a large number of people who think the same way. An example of the result of this is littering. People who litter usually think "well one piece of trash isn't going to make a very big difference." However, since so many people think this, places like parks, the subway system and most of NYC look like somebody's unkempt trash can. I would prefer for New York's politics to not look the same way. Additionally, there is another reason I would like to bring up for voting. There is a national popular vote. This vote shows where America stands politically in correspondence to the majority of its population. By not voting, you're not adding your views towards the popular vote and contributing to a twisted perception of America's current political view. Due to other people having the same view as you, you are part of a group of people who are skewing our country's overall political views. I'm not going to say whether you should vote Democrat, Republican, or third party, but not voting at all is a rather nihilistic endeavor that in actuality accomplishes nothing aside from saving you 30 minutes not going to a voting booth and submitting your opinion. Your vote will not count for nothing, you will be a part how America's politics will be perceived today. When I'm of age, I guarantee you that I will vote for a political party, because a vote for nihilism won't change a thing!
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that everyone should take advantage of the rights they have. In this case, Americans have fought hard for the right to vote and it should be used to their benefit. Many call voting a "sacred right," and it is one of the most important parts of our political system, a part that goes back to our earliest days as a nation. People vote for candidates who they believe will benefit them and the rest of the country. Of course, if we do not bother to vote our voice will not be heard by our elected officials. Our elected representatives are guided by what we say particularly when we vote. And if we don't vote we are telling our politicians that we don't care what they do and that is a dangerous thing to tell them. By saying, that because I am a resident of Democratic New York and my vote would not matter would make no sense. Even if your candidate is not elected because of your state being either Democratic of Republican, your vote matters. Many people have cited the famous election of 2000 where Al Gore won the popular vote and George Bush had more electoral votes so he prevailed, but in most cases the person who wins the presidency also wins the popular votes. During the last election, the voter turnout was 64%. This has been considerably higher from previous years. This turnout represents the fact that most Americans are moving towards voting and want to have their voice heard in the elections. Some estimates say that the turnout in this election might be 67% or higher.
ReplyDeleteThe decision to lower the voting age in Argentina will be extremely controversial. I believe that a person should be allowed to vote when they are mature enough and should not be decided as an age, but I see no way that a government could decide whether each person is mature enough to vote. At the age of sixteen most people are influenced by another person and therefore the age should be much higher.
Hey 9th Graders (and any 10th graders that want to take part):
ReplyDeleteFor extra-extra credit, here is an article from today's New York Times about how the outcome of elections are becoming more determined by certain 'battleground' states: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/sunday-review/the-vanishing-electoral-battleground.html?ref=todayspaper
Please read the article and answer the following questions:
1. Both Daisy and Alex S. spoke to the importance of the individual in the voting process, saying “nothing’s set in stone” and “who knows, you just might matter!” The cited New York Times article argues “In a close election, all of those states are completely out of reach for one candidate or the other.” Is voting in these ‘set’ states, such as New York, still important? Why or why not?
2. Adam said that a clear outcome in a given state doesn’t matter: rather, it matters that individual voters shows their support and interest in a particular candidate (if they happen to have a strong feeling). He seemed that not voting is a way of showing disinterest. Jenny mentioned the question of a gray area (or lack thereof) in today's elections. Why is it important (or not important) to voice your opinion even if it may not affect the outcome of your state?
3. Alice mentioned that if one really wanted “to make a difference in the upcoming election, you could temporarily move to one of the deciding states, such as Ohio.” Joydeep said that “residents of states that avidly support a political party don't really change anything, but voting in a state where opinions are mixed can contribute a lot.” Does that mean that voters in New York don’t make a difference either way? How does this relate to question #2?
4. Abby mentioned that she thinks that voting is “a duty that every person should take part in, especially due to how hard people in the past have fought to acquire this right.” Neil mentioned that “Many call voting a "sacred right," and it is one of the most important parts of our political system, a part that goes back to our earliest days as a nation.” How does the history of voting—and the fact that so many groups of people were kept from voting at one time, and that some long-term residents of the U.S. who are not citizens still can’t vote—affect the current practice of voting?
-Ms. Booth
If the premise that New York will always vote Democrat, regardless of an individual's vote, is true, there is no necessity for you to vote in this, or any election, if you live in New York. The premise is so likely that it can be assumed to be true, but there is the slight possibility, a ridiculously unlikely possibility, that enough Democrats decide not to vote, and enough Republicans do decide to vote, that New York votes Republican even with a Democratic majority.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that one can be "correct" or "incorrect" in choosing not to vote. It cannot be considered good to not vote, nor can it be considered bad. It is true that many Americans have made sacrifices to gain each and every adult citizen the right to vote, but a right to vote is not an obligation to vote. It is the freedom to choose whether you can vote, the right to vote, that is American, not the act of voting.
However, I do wish I could vote. I want to have the feeling that I am contributing to the election process, even if, in reality, I have no influence at all.
Voting is a right that every citizen has, but I don't think it's good to abuse that right. People should be informed about who they are voting for before they vote. I see a lot of advertising telling people that they should vote, but I have not seen anything encouraging people to learn about the candidates. If you know about the candidates and actually have an opinion on who you would want to run the country, then you should vote. If you could care less about politics, don't abuse your right, and don't vote for someone who is going to make America worse.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think that assuming New York is going to vote for the democratic candidate is a bit racist (I can't think of a better word). That's almost like saying if you go to Harlem you are going to get robbed. Sure, there is that possibility, but you shouldn't just assume something like that. Likewise, if enough republicans vote in New York, it may vote for Romney, even though that might not seem too likely.
The right to vote is a right that should be taken advantage of. Like others, I believe that you should vote even if Barack Obama may win the state of New York. America is a desired place to live in because of many rights, including the right to vote. However, people should not vote if they do not know what the candidates' ideas are and what they believe in. The purpose of voting is to express your individual concern for the country. Randomly voting for a candidate will not express your opinion. Many people in other countries may say that you are naive if you do not vote, but these people may not possess this right and strongly crave it. Therefore, they may have a different opinion on this issue. However, I think that you should vote.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Argentina lowering the voting age to 16. Many people who oppose this idea will say that teens may not know what each candidate promises. However, it is impossible to test the maturity of a person, which makes it difficult to determine a specific age that allows you to vote.
Like most people said above, voting is a right that is given to citizens. It is up to the citizen to whether take advantage of it or not. You are making the "common decision". I think there is a growing amount of people who have the same feeling you do on this issue. However, I do not believe that this growing sentiment is good for our future. It creates the notion that there is no reason to vote if conditions and certain situations are not going to improve. Voting is one of the reasons why America is so great. It represents your opinion and what you want as a future for this country even under circumstances like today. Regardless of whether it is a popular vote or electoral state vote, I believe it is important for citizens to vote. Otherwise, this feeling of "one vote will not make a difference" will lower our overall population of voting among citizens even lower. I believe that the government has to encourage people to vote and they should try to influence the first-time voters to vote.
ReplyDeleteI understand your feeling of New York becoming the democratic state on Tuesday. However, your likely assumption basically says, "My vote won't matter." when the reason for voting is that "every vote matters.": This is a matter of our views on the country, I guess, so in the end, it is up to the government to fix.
I do think that you should vote. It is compleatly and utterly true that if you don't vote or vote for Romney that Obama will still receive the 31 electoral votes. However, your vote will matter in the popular vote. The popular vote may not seem to matter but I believe that it does. Future republicans can use this popular vote to show that the people do not like democrats, only though the system of the electoral collage do democrats get elected. The popular vote is also important in that if Obama sees that he won with a greater margin then 0.01%, he will be hartend to keep going and make the country proud. So, your vote will not decide the president but it will have political ramifications. Therefore, vote!
ReplyDeleteJust because the system is wrong doesn’t mean that you should abandon not just your right, but your duty to the government. While Mr. Zarotsky does have a point in saying that we have no idea how it will be run purely based in who we choose, to a certain extent we do know what will happen. Granted, in this election Romney is a wild card, but considering his platform and his voter base and his position as Republican nominee, it is reasonably safe to say that he will most likely ban abortion and lower taxes on the rich, which will not stimulate the economy, according to a recent study by the Budget Department in Congress. We have already lived a term under Obama, so he will likely continue running the administration as he has, although hopefully with less opposition and more cooperation from the Republican members of Congress. The system may be wrong in votes mainly counting in “independent” states, but the result is always conglomeration of its smaller parts. Consider what would happen should all of the Democratic New Yorkers abscond from their voting duties. It is your right to vote, so therefore some argue that it is also your right not to vote. True, but it is not only your right, it is your duty to play a part, however small, in influencing this country’s future.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Argentina is concerned, I agree with the general consensus, which seems to be that such impressionable teenagers would be entirely too susceptible to the party’s whims, which incidentally is exactly what we are seeing in 1984. They grow up so fanatically believing in the party that they are incapable of any independent thought. They would not be able to be relied upon to make independent decisions.
I think that voting is a good idea, even though it most likely won't affect the election at all. Americans are very privileged to have the right to vote. Many people sacrificed their lives to give you this right, and if you don't use it, you are kind of disrespecting them (no offense). Voting is a right that was earned, and shouldn't be taken for granted. In regard to Argentina, I think that it was a bad idea to lower the voting age because many children are still heavily influenced by their parents at that age. Children either agree with their parents completely because they have always been taught that one party is better than the other, or they rebel against their parents and choose the opposite party. Either way they are not really making the decision for themselves. Until they are older, children's decision will always be heavily influenced by their parents, and therefore the voting age should be 18.
ReplyDeleteVoting is a right that I think many Americans today take for granted. Some are so passionate about voting (like those in Ohio who are lining up first thing in the morning; some are even camping outside!) while others do not care as much. But honestly, I don't follow politics at all. It seems to me as if most politicians today are corrupt and hypocrites. They say things that not only makes them look bad but also try to make others look bad too. :(
ReplyDeleteBut, if I were old enough, I would (but by that time, I would pay more attention to the political world...). Voting is a privilege that we, as Americans, should pride ourselves in. It is a right that was guaranteed to us by our founding fathers (although women did have to fight for it). It is one of the most crucial parts in our federal constitutional republic (and one of the reasons that our government is more successful than others). The people play an important role in our government, hence the ever-so-popular "We the People..." on our Constitution. Many countries today don't grant their citizens the right to participate in their governments. There are people around the world, who have died,just trying to get their voices heard.
Although New York State's electoral votes are definitely going to the democratic presidential candidate, I think that as citizens of the United States, 18+ people should exercise their rights. They should not just take for granted the right that many have fought to have. :)
As for lowing the voting age to 16, I am "eh" about it. I mean, in today's society, children at 16 are not exactly the most mature. Although there are exceptions (there's always an exception to everything...) I feel that the majority of 16 year olds could probably care less about their government. They probably worry more about things such as "What's for dinner?" or "How can I get my parents to give me more allowance?" Thus, I think keeping the voting age at 18+ is good.
I think that voting in New York is a bit of a lost cause because so many people usually vote democratically. But if you want a certain candidate to win, there is no hurt in voting for that person just in case, like checking work, there cannot be any hurt. I also think that votes will only matter when they are counted, instead of using it as a suggestion for the electoral college. But until the current system is removed, your vote in a state like New York does not matter all that much. Many people probably feel the same way, and do not bother voting, but there are still probably many more hardcore democrats in this state then there are republicans.
ReplyDeleteLowering the voting age for people to 16 would probably get many children more involved with politics, and many children more educated on how our government works. It would probably change the way candidates campaigned as well, they would have to angle many things toward education which is the biggest impact government could have on most 16-year-olds' lives. It would also have an impact on how school is seen, as of now, most see high school as something mandatory, but lowering the required age of something that is usually restricted to adults could make it easier for children to leave high school earlier.
Your vote probably won't affect the electoral votes as New York is heavily democrat and the electoral college is mostly based on the popular vote. Then again, if you felt really strongly about one candidate then you should probably vote because you never know. Some presidential candidates have won even though they have few popular votes.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know a lot about politics so I would not want to vote yet. I'm still a kid and I don't have any financial stuff to be worried about. Also, most kids are narrow minded and not as open as adults yet. They might hear something good about a candidate and not check if it's really true so they won't be voting for the president who would really help us.
I think that you should vote even if Obama is most likely to win the votes in New York because the ability to vote for who want to lead your country is a right that many fought for and died. Also, you should support your candidate even if the odds are against or for them in your state. However, if you don’t support any of the candidates then it alright not to vote because that is your decision.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure whether Argentina’s decision of lowering the voting age is a good decision. This is because at an age like that many teenagers’ decisions are heavily influenced by their parents. As a result, they will probably just end up voting for the candidate that their parents support. However, there is a good side to this because there are Americans around this age that are very informed in politics and lowering the voting age will allow them their opinions to count. Also, it will be very interesting how marketing will change so that candidates can get these teenagers to support them.
Although I agree with you, Mr. Ferencz, that your vote won't affect the electoral votes as much, I still believe you should vote. Your vote can go beyond who gets to be president, it shows that the citizens of the US care about who their president is and will use their right to vote. Maybe this sounds a bit paranoid, but I feel that if people stopped voting, our right to vote can be taken away.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of voting ages, I think 16 is too low. Personally I believe the voting age should be the same as the drinking age, which was set at whatever it is at because that's when most people become more responsible. I can relate this to my own experiences. I don't know much for politics. While watching the first Presidential Debate, Romney was sounding very convincing when compared to the badly-prepared Obama. The next day my global teacher talked about the debate, and he said much of what Romney said contradicted what Romney had said in earlier dates, or even Romney's actions. If I were to be able to vote, I would probably have voted for Romney if I did not know better.
Although your vote will most likely not matter, you should still vote. You should be exercising your rights, because like what Bonny said, if no one votes, our right may be taken away. Also, a single vote can cause a great difference, because what if we weren't in New York and we were from a state that is considering between multiple candidates? That's when a single vote matters a lot. Even though we are in New York, you should still exercise your right to vote, because you are having a say in who you want to lead our country.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Argentina's decision of lowering voting age is wise, because I think that many people aren't ready to vote. Some younger people may be influenced by others and not vote under their own judgment. Like what Bonny said, older people are more responsible and would have better judgment. Therefore, I think that the voting age should be higher than 16.
Wow Mr. Ferencz. Obama only won 51% of the votes in New York while Romney won 47% of the votes. That means that Romney was close to winning in New York, only losing by 7,000 votes. Also, with a population of 8 million people in New York, almost nobody voted since there were less than 200,000 votes in total. If 7 thousand or more people chose to vote for Mitt Romney at the last minute, he would have won in New York instead of Barack Obama. So, New York could have been won by a Republican and not a Democrat.
ReplyDeleteNever mind. I didnt understand how the Election map from Yahoo worked. So my information only accounts for 3% of votes in New York so far. Lets watch more to find out what really happens.
DeleteHi, Mr Ferencz, I know you voted yesterday, and i agree with your decision. Though your vote may not directly count towards the winner of the election, as it is really the electoral college that votes, but they can be influenced by who the people vote for. I found a website dedicated to finding instances in which one vote swayed the decision (http://cltr.co.douglas.nv.us/Elections/History_at_Work.htm). One vote really does count.
ReplyDeleteAs for Argentina lowering the voting age to 16, I think that is a bad decision. At that age, most teens are not mature enough or educated in politics enough to vote for the leader of their country. Also, teens are heavily influenced by their parents, so they would probably end up voting for the same person