Why the objection to literacy tests for potential voters?

[☭proletarian☭]

It's not like anyone is denied an education nowadays. If you can't read/write English, you don't know what form of government the US has, or you can't name the two houses of Congress, why the fuck should your be allowed to vote and fuck this country up more?

The objection comes from the Democrats who would lose at least half their support if a literacy test were enforced.

Best answer yet!

​

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Let's keep this thread going!

Toss me a beer.

 

[JWBooth]

Because a requirement that one correctly conjugate the forms of be is discriminatory.

 

[rightwinger]

Let's keep this thread going!

Toss me a beer.

 

[rightwinger]

As if "literate" people can't be misguided???





Tea Party opening speaker suggests law that kept blacks be kept from voting be reinstated | Raw Story

Are you claiming that Blacks aren't allowed in school today? Or that they're too stupid and would necessarily fail any test?

Trouble with your literacy?



I asked if you thought "literate" people could be misguided.

Literacy levels are higher in Blue States than in Red States

 

[Dr Gregg]

It's not like anyone is denied an education nowadays. If you can't read/write English, you don't know what form of government the US has, or you can't name the two houses of Congress, why the fuck should your be allowed to vote and fuck this country up more?

The objection comes from the Democrats who would lose at least half their support if a literacy test were enforced.

Sure, like all the moron toothless redneck the republicans would lose. I'd be it would be pretty much equal

 

[Zona]

It's not like anyone is denied an education nowadays. If you can't read/write English, you don't know what form of government the US has, or you can't name the two houses of Congress, why the fuck should your be allowed to vote and fuck this country up more?

I agree with you...they should give reading, writing tests. If you cant speak or read English (this worked so well the first time this country tried this) or if you are a republican, you should not be allowed to vote.

 

[uscitizen]

White socks, red neck and Blue ribbon beer....

 

[Valerie]

Because a requirement that one correctly conjugate the forms of be is discriminatory.

Right, I'm all for education and literacy, but to require a literacy test for the right to vote could disenfranchise "the people" .

Tancredo, who is known for his sharp anti-immigrant rhetoric, also attacked what he called the United States' "cult of multiculturalism," and tore into 2008 Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

"Thank God John McCain lost the election," Tancredo told the Tea Party crowd, citing his positions on government spending and immigration.

"This is our country," he added. "Let's take it back."

Southern voting registrars could employ literacy tests arbitrarily. They included dauntingly difficult questions, aimed at keeping those they didn't want enfranchised from voting.

Tea Party opening speaker suggests law that kept blacks be kept from voting be reinstated | Raw Story





>>

The Right To Vote

The Constitution contains many phrases, clauses, and amendments detailing ways people cannot be denied the right to vote. You cannot deny the right to vote because of race or gender. Citizens of Washington DC can vote for President; 18-year-olds can vote; you can vote even if you fail to pay a poll tax. The Constitution also requires that anyone who can vote for the "most numerous branch" of their state legislature can vote for House members and Senate members.

Note that in all of this, though, the Constitution never explicitly ensures the right to vote, as it does the right to speech, for example. It does require that Representatives be chosen and Senators be elected by "the People," and who comprises "the People" has been expanded by the aforementioned amendments several times. Aside from these requirements, though, the qualifications for voters are left to the states. And as long as the qualifications do not conflict with anything in the Constitution, that right can be withheld. For example, in Texas, persons declared mentally incompetent and felons currently in prison or on probation are denied the right to vote. It is interesting to note that though the 26th Amendment requires that 18-year-olds must be able to vote, states can allow persons younger than 18 to vote, if they chose to.

Things That Are Not In the U.S. Constitution - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

>>

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Bill of Rights | LII / Legal Information Institute

 

[jillian]

It's not like anyone is denied an education nowadays. If you can't read/write English, you don't know what form of government the US has, or you can't name the two houses of Congress, why the fuck should your be allowed to vote and fuck this country up more?

The objection comes from the Democrats who would lose at least half their support if a literacy test were enforced.

do tell the class how the democrats can be illiterate yet be overeducated elitists.

and thanks for being proof that such a literacy test would actually have the opposite effect from the one you described.

nutbar

 

[jillian]

Because a requirement that one correctly conjugate the forms of be is discriminatory.

Right, I'm all for education and literacy, but to require a literacy test for the right to vote could disenfranchise "the people" .

Tancredo, who is known for his sharp anti-immigrant rhetoric, also attacked what he called the United States' "cult of multiculturalism," and tore into 2008 Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

"Thank God John McCain lost the election," Tancredo told the Tea Party crowd, citing his positions on government spending and immigration.

"This is our country," he added. "Let's take it back."

Southern voting registrars could employ literacy tests arbitrarily. They included dauntingly difficult questions, aimed at keeping those they didn't want enfranchised from voting.

Tea Party opening speaker suggests law that kept blacks be kept from voting be reinstated | Raw Story





>>

The Right To Vote

The Constitution contains many phrases, clauses, and amendments detailing ways people cannot be denied the right to vote. You cannot deny the right to vote because of race or gender. Citizens of Washington DC can vote for President; 18-year-olds can vote; you can vote even if you fail to pay a poll tax. The Constitution also requires that anyone who can vote for the "most numerous branch" of their state legislature can vote for House members and Senate members.

Note that in all of this, though, the Constitution never explicitly ensures the right to vote, as it does the right to speech, for example. It does require that Representatives be chosen and Senators be elected by "the People," and who comprises "the People" has been expanded by the aforementioned amendments several times. Aside from these requirements, though, the qualifications for voters are left to the states. And as long as the qualifications do not conflict with anything in the Constitution, that right can be withheld. For example, in Texas, persons declared mentally incompetent and felons currently in prison or on probation are denied the right to vote. It is interesting to note that though the 26th Amendment requires that 18-year-olds must be able to vote, states can allow persons younger than 18 to vote, if they chose to.

Things That Are Not In the U.S. Constitution - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

>>

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Bill of Rights | LII / Legal Information Institute

I do believe the tea partiers have just gotten hijacked by the racists....

go tom tancredo!

 

[antagon]

tbags have always been racists, and people stupid or indifferent enough to join in a mob with racists.

 

[The Rabbi]

It's not like anyone is denied an education nowadays. If you can't read/write English, you don't know what form of government the US has, or you can't name the two houses of Congress, why the fuck should your be allowed to vote and fuck this country up more?

The objection comes from the Democrats who would lose at least half their support if a literacy test were enforced.

do tell the class how the democrats can be illiterate yet be overeducated elitists.

and thanks for being proof that such a literacy test would actually have the opposite effect from the one you described.

nutbar

Pretty easy.
Democrats draw their support from the lazy and the crazy.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Yeah, look at all the retards that voted in Obama... and look at the fiasco going on.

Perhaps an IQ test?

Definately an IQ test for a drivers license.

Maybe a spelling test, too.

 

[NYcarbineer]

lolQED

another brilliant response by del. Wow, not just 6 word responses, now you are down to only posting 6 letters

brevity is the soul of wit.

In your case, you're half right.

 

[editec]

We don't necessarily have to have a literacy test and by all means we don't need even a test of one's understanding of this nation, our government or the challenges facing us either.

But it would be a grand idea, I think, to know that the people voting are at least competent that they know why they're there and what they're doing.

Or does expecting that modest litmus test of presence of mind from my fellow voting citizens make me an elitist?

We won't let very intelligent, very well informed teenagers vote, but we bus retarded people to the polls?

Something ain't right about that.

A wealthy, well educated person gets to vote for the person who best represents their interests

Shouldn't a retarded person receive the same right?

How?

They don't even know what they're doing when they pull the lever.

And you expect them to vote for candidates who best represent their interests?

All I am proposing is that people who are not mentally competent of what voting even means should not be herded to the polls by unscrupulous people working for candidates.

Not much to ask really.

 

[del]

another brilliant response by del. Wow, not just 6 word responses, now you are down to only posting 6 letters

brevity is the soul of wit.

In your case, you're half right.

hey!

 

[NYcarbineer]

The point is moot. Literacy tests for voting are never going to happen.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Congratulations C4A...glad to hear an immigrant story that shows the immigrants made an honest effort to learn english and participate in the American dream. That's all we ask when legal immigrants come to America...I'm sure you are rightly proud of them.

The single biggest ethnic group (based on heritage) in the US is German, if I'm not mistaken. And yet, we speak English.

Tell us your immigrant story and I'll give your ancestors props too....happy now?

My great granddfather came here from the Netherlands when he was 17. His name was DeSmits. He immediately changed it to Smith to make himself more American.

Are YOU happy now?

 

[manu1959]

50% of this country DOES NOT vote....

THAT is a more serious issue to me....

no one should be required to take a test, in order to be represented.

actualy 50% lets 26% of the voting populace make their decisions for them.....