Should those who are not intelligent be allowed to vote?

[Pandeeria]

I really do not know. I'm on the fence.

[The Fascist American Empire]

Never thought I'd agree with CNN.

But I have an even better proposition. Not only should they not be allowed to vote, but they shouldn't be allowed to run!

Good riddance 90% of liberals and 50% of conservatives.

[Alaizia]

If they are so intelligent, then they would use the benefits of having positive emotions. There are always areas of knowledge that we are good or weak in, intelligence does not mean over all knowledge of everything.

For instance you would not hirer a master engineer to do a heart transplant.

Oh please, if that was so valid we would meet it more often in our everyday lives. Behaviours like the one you describe (even if intentional and fake) are being read only in management books. And I believe you understand the differential gap between books and everyday life.

[The Silence of Night]

By the OP's logic, most middle schoolers could vote.

[Magisanctan Empire]

The government would have to very strictly define "unintelligent". Making such a law would have nasty side effects.

1) The government would have to set up a whole system of testing to weed out the "unintelligent".

2) The courts would be swamped with appeals cases.

3) Corruption could lead to one party getting a leg up, because they chose to render the beliefs and ideologies of opposing parties to be unintelligent.

[Conserative Morality]

The purpose of voting is not to elect skilled individuals to office. It is to represent the population. Intelligence has nothing to do with it.

[Alderlock]

The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". It was ratified on February 3, 1870, as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments.

You can't define intelligence very well. because everyone learns at different pace and rate. however If you are 18 or older, it should not matter how smart or not smart your are...per the US constitution you are granted the right to vote. No IQ number should prevent you from exercising your right.

[Wickedly evil people]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

I do agree with the Ops listings at the level that it should be common fucking knowledge in the US.

Beyond that no, we should never dictate that stuff, we need to however decide whether we want the uninformed to vote or not, it would be good to not let them vote, but with how politics currently are and all that, I say let them vote.

[Divair2]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

Hahaha.
No.

[Ifreann]

The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". It was ratified on February 3, 1870, as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments.

I am sure intelligence falls right into the "condition of servitude" part.

No it doesn't. "[P]revious condition of servitude" means that people can't be kept from voting if they used to be a slave.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

No...no it wouldn't....

But hey, if we are gonna play this game? I can easily say it would eliminate all Conservatives? Fun right?

...Right?

yeah...see how rude it sounds, what you basically did was call a population on NS unintelligent....

[Hallo Island]

It would cause a lot of... complications. First of all, where would the cut off be? Also, the system could be abused to create a corrupt government where only the people who support the government can vote. Also, there would be a lot of angry stupid people, which never works out too well.

[Hallo Island]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

Not real liberals. You know. Classic Liberals are great. But, in my experience, many progressive liberals are imbeciles.

[Cottesmore]

It could work in principle (hence my nation's pretitle - Geniocratic), but principle and practice are two very different beasts. As has already been mentioned, your criteria for intelligence don't really tell us much. Of course, if someone did not know the things you listed, then it is probably dangerous to let them decide the affairs of a nation.. but not knowing simple sums like that might have one classified as mentally handicapped - and (as far as I know, please do correct me if I'm wrong) in the USA that can prevent one from voting if the decision was made by a court.

Also, "intelligence" can vary quite a lot. I have a friend who is brilliant at understanding mathematics and science, yet he can't grasp spelling or grammar. He doesn't have dyslexia or anything, he's just a terrible speller. As for me, I'd say I'm the opposite. I'd consider myself good at English/Literacy as a subject, but I just don't have the same grasp on mathematics as he does.

[Risottia]

So NSG, should those who are not intelligent be allowed to vote.

Potential intelligence is overestimated. Actual information about the issue, on the other hand, isn't.

I've seen voters not understanding the difference between Parliament and Cabinet. Such people shouldn't be allowed to vote.

[Gaelic Celtia]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

Oh so funny.

[Sanguinea]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

Not real liberals. You know. Classic Liberals are great. But, in my experience, many progressive liberals are imbeciles.

Liberals, conservatives, socialists, fascists, etc. They're all idiots, humans are idiots. What do you want to do ban voting altogether?

[Dyakovo]

So NSG, should those who are not intelligent be allowed to vote.

A CNN columnist says No:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/12/g ... rant.vote/

New Jersey says yes:
http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/id ... d-to-vote/

My opinion on the issue:
First of all, laws against those who are "not intelligent" voting should not be used against someone for their political identity, or race, for that would probably lead to modern Jim Crow laws. However I don't believe the uninformed should be allowed to vote. As far as I know, those not intelligent, sometimes referred to by the term "idiot", which basically means, in the context of law, someone who is insane or mentally incompetent ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot#United_States_law ). I personally think "not intelligent", in the USA, should be classified as anyone who:

Doesn't know what 2+2 is
doesn't know who the first president is
doesn't know who the current President, and Vice President are
can't find the USA on a world map
Doesn't know what the 1st amendment is (it's the amendment that provides Freedom of Speech, Religion, Assembly, and Press)

That's my belief on the issue. But what say of you NSG? What do you think on the issue?

PLEASE NO:
Trolling
Baiting
Flaming
Spamming
Trollnaming
Any other illegal stuff

Sure, the teabaggers should be allowed to vote.
*nods*

Seriously though, requiring proof of "adequate intelligence" to vote is not constitutional.

[Divair2]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

Not real liberals. You know. Classic Liberals are great. But, in my experience, many progressive liberals are imbeciles.

Hahaha.
No.

[Alderlock]

hey if we didn't allow "unintelligent" people vote. Than, i think 2/4 of the population wouldn't be allowed to vote. too many stupid people are out there.

[Othelos]

hey if we didn't allow "unintelligent" people vote. Than, i think 2/4 of the population wouldn't be allowed to vote. too many stupid people are out there.

I see what you did there.

[Utceforp]

In an ideal world, no, people who are not intelligent should not be allowed to vote. But let's be realistic. Intelligence is too subjective. Sure, sometimes it's not that hard to look at somebody and go "Yep. That guy is an idiot." But I can see the potential for bias towards designating those who don't agree with the same ideology as you as not intelligent. In short, yes, they should.

[NERVUN]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

*** Warned for trolling ***.

[Ethel mermania]

it would eliminate all so called liberals and progressives...

*** Warned for trolling ***.

fwiw he made a valid point. it would be just as easy to say those who dont believe global warming is real, and therefore are too stupid to vote. "all x is y" is precixely why this is a bad idea. the whole concept is subject to manipulation.

thought to be fair currently those who are found by a court to be mentally incompetent can not vote. there is usually a guardianship proceeding making that determination