Should the U.S. Adopt a Civics Test in Order to Vote?

[Uncensored2008]

Well, that argument is simplistic; if we're not going to do anything because of possible 'corruption', then there is no point in having laws, government, hospitals, roads, or anything else, because all of those can be 'corrupted' too. We should just rely on anarchy and Darwinism and not even bother with voting at all.

It's quite grounded in present day reality. Progs control almost all public education. They oppose the Electoral College, Federalism and other aspects of our Constitutional Republic which thwart their ability to control the rest of us. They go especially bonkers when they lose. Witness the unhinged hysteria about Kavanaugh and their attempts to smear and delegitimize him. I'd rather not have people like that decide what Civics to teach and what tests to design. As Progs promote Big Government, they are firmly entrenched in the bureaucracy and would have ample opportunity to design and enforce ideological purity via a civics test requirement to vote.

If you think that is not possible, take a look at what is going on on Google, FB and Twitter these days. Consider the suppression of conservative viewpoints a preview of coming Prog attractions.

And all of those are being exposed, and aren't supported by the public; if the public doesn't care, and doesn't change it, then the whole issue is moot anyway. Things get that way precisely because the stupid, illiterate, and uninformed were allowed to vote. You also over-estimate how long the current status quo is going to be allowed to operate.

Ah. Are you suggesting that some sort of Anointed Elite is going to save the Deplorables from themselves?

No. If people are educated m, deplorable would just go the way of the dinosaur. Where you belong.

Sad Widdle Bitter Pillian is in very poor form today. As usual.

Fakelawyer Jilly wishes she were educated..

 

[deanrd]

Maybe an empathy test. Something Republicans have none of.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I find myself in the rare position of agreeing with Jillian.

One problem is test design, and another is test administration. I can see this turning quite quickly into a test of ideological purity to be able to vote.

We should go back to teaching civics, as well as the histories of America and West Civilization so that voters understand the philosophical foundations and prices paid to come up with the system to preserve our liberty.

Well, that argument is simplistic; if we're not going to do anything because of possible 'corruption', then there is no point in having laws, government, hospitals, roads, or anything else, because all of those can be 'corrupted' too. We should just rely on anarchy and Darwinism and not even bother with voting at all.

It's quite grounded in present day reality. Progs control almost all public education. They oppose the Electoral College, Federalism and other aspects of our Constitutional Republic which thwart their ability to control the rest of us. They go especially bonkers when they lose. Witness the unhinged hysteria about Kavanaugh and their attempts to smear and delegitimize him. I'd rather not have people like that decide what Civics to teach and what tests to design. As Progs promote Big Government, they are firmly entrenched in the bureaucracy and would have ample opportunity to design and enforce ideological purity via a civics test requirement to vote.

If you think that is not possible, take a look at what is going on on Google, FB and Twitter these days. Consider the suppression of conservative viewpoints a preview of coming Prog attractions.

And all of those are being exposed, and aren't supported by the public; if the public doesn't care, and doesn't change it, then the whole issue is moot anyway. Things get that way precisely because the stupid, illiterate, and uninformed were allowed to vote. You also over-estimate how long the current status quo is going to be allowed to operate.

Ah. Are you suggesting that some sort of Anointed Elite is going to save the Deplorables from themselves?

What? Passing a basic civics test makes one an 'Anointed Elite'? You must live in California.

If passing basic civics tests makes one an 'Elite' in this country, it's best that nobody be allowed to vote, actually. The masses are indeed too stupid to be given such a responsibility.

Regardless; the courts have held that any tax or text imposed in order to vote violates the equal protection clause of the 14th. These tests were part of the "Jim Crow" laws that democrats used to keep black people from voting.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I'm actually surprised how close the vote is on this.

I am not surprised you democrats seek to reestablish Jim Crow. Not surprised at all.

 

[Maxdeath]

It has been suggested many times to have voter registration cards and every time Demorats have shouted it down as a form of poll tax. How is this any different?

Even when it was suggested to be free it was still called a poll tax. Because someone would have to travel to obtain one. Here you are suggesting curtailing someone's right to vote. So in essence you are taking away someone's right because they could not travel to take one or may not have had the economic means to be able to pass some test.

Is your next idea to remove the first amendment from those who can not pass a certain test?

 

[CHAZBUKOWSKI]

As much as I wish that those who voted did so only on the basis of having knowledge and understanding of the issues on which they are voting, and the likely results of the outcome of those votes; I fear that any effort to impose any sort of “civics test” would unavoidably end up being abused in the same manner that “literacy tests” and poll taxes have been used in the past, to unjustly deny voting rights to certain groups.

Articulate. But that would work against the left which relies in the dregs of humanity.

Yeah, because the utter fucktards who represent the right on this board are any better than the absolute worst of the left. And we won't even get into the inbred, uneducated, retards from the right's stronghold, the deep South.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Yeah, because the utter f•••tards who represent the right on this board are any better than the absolute worst of the left. And we won't even get into the inbred, uneducated, retards from the right's stronghold, the deep South.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

It has been suggested many times to have voter registration cards and every time Demorats have shouted it down as a form of poll tax. How is this any different?

Even when it was suggested to be free it was still called a poll tax. Because someone would have to travel to obtain one. Here you are suggesting curtailing someone's right to vote. So in essence you are taking away someone's right because they could not travel to take one or may not have had the economic means to be able to pass some test.

Is your next idea to remove the first amendment from those who can not pass a certain test?

Failing to protect the electoral system from voter fraud perpetrated by those voting more than once, or those voting who are ineligible to do so, violates the voting rights of those who vote legitimately, by diluting the strength of their votes. I cannot see any valid basis on which toi argue that obtaining a reliable state-issued ID card is so much of a burden as to constitute a greater violation of voter rights than that. You really cannot function at all well in modern society without some form of identification anyway.

It is rather telling that those who most loudly cry about requiring any form of ID to vote as being comparable to a “poll tax” are the same who most strongly support all sorts of much more extreme and absurd burdens to be imposed as a condition of being allowed to exercise one's rights which are explicitly affirmed under the Second Amendment,.

 

[Lewdog]

Just like the title says... do you think voters should prove they understand how the government and voting process works in order to be eligible to vote? It's not something I necessarily agree on, but watching some members on this forum that have no idea how some parts of the government works, or know some of the laws has got me wondering if they understand what they are doing when they get in the voting booth.

Do you know how to spell u-n-c-o-n-s-t-i-t-u-t-i-o-n-a-l ??

I didn't say implement it without proper legislation...

This argument fits in well with my Capital Punishment course. Not only do most developed countries no longer use capitol punishment, but they find how the U.S. uses it very peculiar. Here, basically anyone can possibly serve on a jury that not only determines a person's guilt or innocence, but they could also possibly decide whether a person lives or dies. We've lived under that idea all of our lives and don't see any issue with that, but here is why they don't understand it. You could have a person on the jury that has absolutely NO reasoning skills... or ability to use logic... or the ability to visualize things spatially, all things REALLY important when sitting on a jury. So you could have a SINGLE person that could derail the entire jury that makes a determination for the rest of another person's life. Other countries think it is important that educated and respected people be the ones who make these all-important decisions.

In the U.S., isn't voting and choosing those that will represent our country, spend our tax dollars, and make life-changing decisions, one of a U.S. citizen's most important decisions? Wouldn't you feel more secure knowing that other people voting on the same issue that will affect your life is educated well enough to actually make an informed decision, and not just vote for someone because they like their name, someone told them to, or because of what party they represent? If basic civics is taught early in life, and included on standardized tests that students take EVERY year, why should it be such an issue? When I turned 18, even though there is no longer a draft, I still had to go to the post office and register... so why is spending 15+ minutes to go take a simple test that big of a deal?

 

[Picaro]

Ah. Are you suggesting that some sort of Anointed Elite is going to save the Deplorables from themselves?

What? Passing a basic civics test makes one an 'Anointed Elite'? You must live in California.

If passing basic civics tests makes one an 'Elite' in this country, it's best that nobody be allowed to vote, actually. The masses are indeed too stupid to be given such a responsibility.

You are missing the point, either intentionally or not (my bet is on the latter).

Your 'point' wasn't anything to brag about, it was just hysterical right wing whining, is all. Duh State!!! Oh NOES DA STATE!!! N STuff!!! knee jerk nonsense.

The issue is Who defines the curriculum for Civics classes, Who designs the Test, and Who oversees the testing process. I don't trust the Federal Government to do this for the glaringly obvious reasons demonstrated by The Obabble Embed Resistance.

More strawmen; it's easy to oversee objective testing, even if right wingers are incapable of it , and in fact there are tests out there now that work just fine, no need to dream up new ones at all. Those of us who attended schools that taught civics have seen them , even if many of you haven't.

As your attitude towards Normal People aligns with The Prog-Resistance-Big Government-Self-Anointed-Elite, I totally grok why you want Normal People to be denied the right to vote.

lol yeah right. I totally grok you don't know shit, just babbling now. Again, if merely passing a basic civics test in English makes anybody an 'Elite' in your mind then you're most likely not qualified to vote. I could care less about some stupid infantile 'ideological purity test' game right and left wingers run around trying to enforce on people, and I don't need any votes or peer approval from strangers.

 

[theHawk]

Just like the title says... do you think voters should prove they understand how the government and voting process works in order to be eligible to vote? It's not something I necessarily agree on, but watching some members on this forum that have no idea how some parts of the government works, or know some of the laws has got me wondering if they understand what they are doing when they get in the voting booth.

Any kind of intelligence test would be labeled “racist” by the left.