Vote Mobs!

[daria]

oneh2obabe already posted this in the Federal Election thread, but I think it needs its own topic. It's so very, very exciting to see young people getting their butts to the advanced polls!!

Vote Mobs This is a page with all the vote mobs that have been and will be held across the country.





Kelowna's vote mob will be held at City Park from 1:30 to 2:30 Thursday, April 21st. All the Kelowna-Lake Country candidates will be attending!

[The Green Barbarian]

wow - so this is what desperation smells like? Good luck - in all seriousness, it is good to see young pepole voting. It's too bad they are being controlled in this way by fools, but at least they are voting.

[daria]

Why does my elation at the sight of the youth being motivated to vote sound like desperation to you? Are you concerned they won't be voting for the Conservative party?

[The Green Barbarian]

Why does my elation at the sight of the youth being motivated to vote sound like desperation to you? Are you concerned they won't be voting for the Conservative party?

uhh...I guess you think the rest of us are really stupid Daria...the title of one of the videos is "surprise Harper" - and the news reports from these "vote mobs" have indicated that they are being co-ordinated by the Liberal party. But whatever- this is just par for the course - I went to University too - not that long ago - and every election our campus would be inundated with NDP and Liberal candidates asking us to vote, and of course dangling the carrot that they represented our interests because if they got into power they'd forgive all of our student loans and freeze tuitions, and of course remind us all about how the "big business" Conservatives didn't care about us. It was all a giant load of garbage, but the weak-minded always fall for that stuff.

[Homeownertoo]

wow - so this is what desperation smells like? Good luck - in all seriousness, it is good to see young pepole voting. It's too bad they are being controlled in this way by fools, but at least they are voting.

You don't often do a blooper like this. There's nothing positive about anyone "controlled in this way by fools" casting a vote. And nothing, IMO, good about seeing young people (under 25) voting at all, as I've argued elsewhere.

[daria]

wow - so this is what desperation smells like? Good luck - in all seriousness, it is good to see young pepole voting. It's too bad they are being controlled in this way by fools, but at least they are voting.

You don't often do a blooper like this. There's nothing positive about anyone "controlled in this way by fools" casting a vote. And nothing, IMO, good about seeing young people (under 25) voting at all, as I've argued elsewhere.

If people under 25 shouldn't be voting (according to you), then you'll probably also want to keep them from being enrolled in medical school, law school, etc. Many students who finish their undergraduate degrees are often enrolled in such professional schools by the time they're 22. Also, if you don't think that under 25s should vote, then you'd best not be taxing them. Taxation without representation is ridiculous.

Since you want to put age limits on voting, why don't we require elderly voters to be tested for dementia/Alzheimer's disease prior to being allowed to cast their vote? You wouldn't want that, now would you?!

[steven lloyd]

Since you want to put age limits on voting, why don't we require elderly voters to be tested for dementia/Alzheimer's disease prior to being allowed to cast their vote? You wouldn't want that, now would you?!

I can’t say I necessarily agree with homes in automatically disqualifying potential voters just because they are under 25. I do like Captains (tongue in cheek?) suggestion that we give potential voters an IQ test. I think I might support some kind of general intelligence testing for people to earn a voter’s card before we would allow them to vote.

[daria]

Since you want to put age limits on voting, why don't we require elderly voters to be tested for dementia/Alzheimer's disease prior to being allowed to cast their vote? You wouldn't want that, now would you?!

I can’t say I necessarily agree with homes in automatically disqualifying potential voters just because they are under 25. I do like Captains (tongue in cheek?) suggestion that we give potential voters an IQ test. I think I might support some kind of general intelligence testing for people to earn a voter’s card before we would allow them to vote.

I think there's something to be said for instituting an IQ test, but I do not necessarily support disallowing people the right to vote because they have an ABI (acquired brain injury) or are developmentally challenged. They have a right to vote for a party that takes their particular social/medical issues to heart. I was merely using elderly persons with dementia/Alzheimer's disease as an example of voter discrimination that would impact people roughly Homeownertoo's age, since he wants to discriminate against the youth. I actually think we should lower the voting age to 16. If we're letting them behind the wheel of a vehicle, then we might as well let them into the voting booth!

Besides, if people could not be taxed because they weren't represented in government, wouldn't we all want to fail such an IQ test?!

[Homeownertoo]

I have elsewhere suggested an upper age limit on voting. And whether I think 25 is the right age, or 21 or 30 or some other number is not really important. What I am alluding to in making the suggestion is that, 1. We should not be encouraging a trip to the ballot box by people uninclined to do so, and 2. Just because someone is allowed to attend post-secondary school, or allowed to drink, doesn't mean they have the same commitment to a well-functioning political system as someone who is earning his/her way or who is prepared to put his life on the line for his/her country and thus has a stake in seeing their contributions put to good purpose. There are many avenues for political participation outside putting your X beside a name; perhaps reserving that right to those described above would enhance its value and the commitment of people who have earned it or wish to do so. Contrarily, handing out votes like condoms at an orgy only cheapens them and leads people to believe their young, uninformed voices deserve to be registered and that doing so will somehow enhance the democratic process.

[oneh2obabe]

wow - so this is what desperation smells like? Good luck - in all seriousness, it is good to see young pepole voting. It's too bad they are being controlled in this way by fools, but at least they are voting.

Actually, the vote mob videos are in response to the challenge issued by Rick Mercer. In case you miss it, I've included the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=225Mx6ya7SQ

[Russ79]

Why does my elation at the sight of the youth being motivated to vote sound like desperation to you? Are you concerned they won't be voting for the Conservative party?

uhh...I guess you think the rest of us are really stupid Daria...the title of one of the videos is "surprise Harper" - and the news reports from these "vote mobs" have indicated that they are being co-ordinated by the Liberal party. But whatever- this is just par for the course - I went to University too - not that long ago - and every election our campus would be inundated with NDP and Liberal candidates asking us to vote, and of course dangling the carrot that they represented our interests because if they got into power they'd forgive all of our student loans and freeze tuitions, and of course remind us all about how the "big business" Conservatives didn't care about us. It was all a giant load of garbage, but the weak-minded always fall for that stuff.

Amen to that. You give half these kids a two-six and they'd vote for whoever you told them too.
Just a giant herd of sheep with a liberal as the shephard.

[The Green Barbarian]

Amen to that. You give half these kids a two-six and they'd vote for whoever you told them too.
Just a giant herd of sheep with a liberal as the shephard.

I remember we had a real left-leaning student council and so of course they wanted us all to vote NDP, because they were all social workers/arts majors with big student loans, and they told all of us that if we were supposed to vote NDP so that we'd get our loans wiped away. I was just thinking, even at that age, how typical - these losers just want a free lunch so they'll vote for the party that wants to give it to them. What about personal responsibility and paying back what you borrow? I am sure not much has changed.

[Smurf]

I have no problem with vote mobs if the voters involved have taken the time to be properly informed and are not just part of an uninformed mob, posibly led by a few. I have a feeling that as was eluded to earlier the ones who are truly interested and properly informed were going to vote anyway.

[The Green Barbarian]

I have no problem with vote mobs if the voters involved have taken the time to be properly informed and are not just part of an uninformed mob, posibly led by a few. I have a feeling that as was eluded to earlier the ones who are truly interested and properly informed were going to vote anyway.

I always voted in school - if only to try to offset the foolishness of my fellow student voters.

[UnknownResident]

I have elsewhere suggested an upper age limit on voting. And whether I think 25 is the right age, or 21 or 30 or some other number is not really important. What I am alluding to in making the suggestion is that, 1. We should not be encouraging a trip to the ballot box by people uninclined to do so, and 2. Just because someone is allowed to attend post-secondary school, or allowed to drink, doesn't mean they have the same commitment to a well-functioning political system as someone who is earning his/her way or who is prepared to put his life on the line for his/her country and thus has a stake in seeing their contributions put to good purpose. There are many avenues for political participation outside putting your X beside a name; perhaps reserving that right to those described above would enhance its value and the commitment of people who have earned it or wish to do so. Contrarily, handing out votes like condoms at an orgy only cheapens them and leads people to believe their young, uninformed voices deserve to be registered and that doing so will somehow enhance the democratic process.

I suppose being an under 25er I should probably take offense to that? I've voiced my opinion, and honestly feel like I'm probably one of the most level-headed people on this subject. The above statements issue is that it groups all under 25ers as uninformed, easily bought yadda yadda. It's complete BS, and I have news for you, most people who vote are uninformed, in all age groups. The youth have a right to vote as much as you do, because they have a different political view (which is what this about, don't beat around the bush) does not mean they shouldn't be able to express it. And what's this garbage about putting your life on the line for your country? Really? I have quite a few friends in the military right now that would probably take offense to that, but it's easy to type the stuff from your cozy chair, right?

So what the middle aged group gets to rule the country because they know what's best? Look where we are, I'll have it be known it was your age group that got us here - great job so far...

I do however think somebody who wants to vote should have to answer a true and false or go through a Q&A or something that proves they are politically informed. I think it would surprise a lot of people how many informed youth are out there, and how many uninformed middle-aged whack jobs there are. If my country took away my right to vote, my political representation, I would leave and never look back.