Raph Frank wrote:
On Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 8:09 AM, Greg Nisbet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Breaking a bit with voting methods, I would like to bring up another
issue regarding one's ability to influence politics: suffrage.
As the only one here not legally qualified to vote, I must express
dissatisfaction with the status quo.
There were several historical requirements for being able to vote:
1. Citizenship
2. Residency
3. Age
4. Criminal Record
5. Sex
6. Race
7. Class (arbitrary non-race inherited characteristics)
8. Wealth
Half of these requirements are gone, only the first four remain.
I disagree with 3 and 4 (and to a lesser extent 1 and 2).
I agree with you on 4 (Criminal Record). If criminals are having an
effect on the voting system, then you have to [sic] many people in prison.
No, it simply means that your elections are /that/ close. If,
hypothetically, an election with nearly 6 million voters came down to
nearly 537 votes, it would be absurd to argue that that should require
the prison population to be brought down to 536 or less.
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