Rock the vote, not the cradle

If you can’t get 18- to 25-year-olds to vote, lower the voting age to 14. At least that’s the opinion of State Sen. John Vasconcellos, (D-San Jose), who wants to give children as young as 14 the right to vote calling it “training wheels for citizenship.”

The chances of his proposal passing are slim to none. And that’s a good thing.

Vasconcellos’ proposal would allow 14- and 15-year-olds in California to cast one-quarter of a vote and 16 and 17-year-olds to cast one-half of a vote in elections. But, he does believe that 16-year-olds should get a full vote. This bill requires two thirds approval by the Legislature.

If the state can’t even get 18- to 25-year-olds to vote why would minors be any different? We need to concentrate on getting those already eligible to the polls.

A National Study shows that voting has decreased during the past years amongst the younger voters.

In 2000 only 42 percent of registered 18- to 25-year-olds voted compared to 70 percent of those 25 and older.

Finding ways to encourage 18- to 25-year-olds to vote should be considered before we let youngsters without driver’s license give input.

How will they get to the poll?

They could skateboard or ride their bike. Unlikely to happen. When a teenager gets home from high school they think about MTV, homework, PlayStation, talking on the phone and sports. The last thing on their minds are national issues.

Teenagers are just starting to get informed about politics in high school. And they don’t always make wise decisions, which is why they have their parents guide them through their younger years.

It would be their parents taking them to the poll, which leads to the real issue-this system, would really be providing parents with an extra quarter or half of a vote. Children’s views about the world at large are wholly shaped by their parents or at least strongly influenced by them.

In 1971 the voting age changed to 18 under the 26th amendment.

It was the 18- and 19-year-old boys dying in Vietnam that led to lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 and the fact that these people were paying taxes. But, there are no significant arguments for allowing 14-year-olds to vote.

Most 14-year-olds don’t pay significant taxes so allowing them to vote would be representation without taxation.

It is very unlikely that we will see minors voting anytime soon.

If passed, California will be the first state in the nation to lower the voting age.

This is a very interesting idea on Vasconcellos’ part, but let’s address the real problem, there are not enough 18 to 25-year-olds voting.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

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