British Politics Thread.

[Psychosplodge]

I'm not sure I agree with 18 year olds voting, but thats where we have drawn the line of legal adult hood.

[Mr Mystery]

Except for procreation, which is about the most adult thing one can do in life....

Lower voting age, introduce political studies to secondary schools so they understand the importance. Dispel the ignorance, help dispel the apathy.

[Path Walker]

Or.. get rid of voting and introduce a socialist anarchy?

[Mr Mystery]

No.

That would just lead to more Hipster arses like Brand pontificating about obvious problems, without offering anything even closely resembling a solution.

[Path Walker]

No.

That would just lead to more Hipster arses like Brand pontificating about obvious problems, without offering anything even closely resembling a solution.

Well, no, socialist anarchy is the answer, but Brand will never actually say that, because it doesn't sell books

[Psychosplodge]

Except for procreation, which is about the most adult thing one can do in life....

Lower voting age, introduce political studies to secondary schools so they understand the importance. Dispel the ignorance, help dispel the apathy.

You can procreate from younger than that physically, but I think if you've actually reproduced sub eighteen(not just gone through the motions) I think that probably suggests you're not responsible enough to be allowed to vote.

Anyway...

The campaign is getting silly

[Denzark]

On the subject of voting before 18... Just no. What teenagers know anything about anything? Really? Does anyone think their 16 year old self competent to consider all the issues? OK there are exceptions and some 16 year olds are more intelligent than voters twice their age.

But they are a minority. Not old enough to smoke, drink alcohol and serve in a combat zone, not old enough to vote.

- - - Updated - - -

I just watched all the leader debate that just took place. I thought:

Green was on cloud cuckoo - al very well intentioned but financially impossible.
Plaid Cymru cleverly sniped against her only real opposition - Miliband.
Wee Killy Kranky of Scotland did as well as expected fighting her own pitch.
Cameron looked quite statesman like and had the figures to hand. He defended the extent to which he has polished the turd.
Clegg - actually came over well to me although trying to distance himself from Cameron at the start looked contrived.
Farage - came across as a one-trick pony - but his justification of why it is a good trick - everyone else avoided it.
Milliband. Oh my gods please do not let him lead 70million of us on the world stage. I see more leader-like things in the pan after I have had a heavy night on Guinness.

[Deadlift]

Absolutely right, no way should under 18s be given the right to vote. Most just don't have the inclination to find out how politics effects them and are far too easily swayed by retoric to vote sensible. Sure when they interviewed 16 year olds in Scotland during the independence vote some came across well, most didn't and how many interviews were so bad they weren't shown at all.
Not all, but most under 18s are far too immature to be making decisions like voting.

[Haighus]

I don't agree that under 18's should be given the vote either. I know I've learned a load more about politics in the last 4 years since turning 16, and I would say I was fairly clued in at 16, and I still don't think I should have had the vote then.

Not old enough to smoke

Hmm... as an advocate of the smoke-free generation policy, current people who are underage for smoking should stay that way. Paediatric disease, adult addiction.

[Mr Mystery]

I was just as clueless at 21 as I was at 16 (got gypped on timings!)

Most people are. Indeed, most people are utterly clueless throughout their entire lives, yet they have suffrage.

What's the difference? 16 year olds have to live in the same world as us, give them the vote. At least being in school they can be kept from mind numbing, scaremongering, border line racist NIMBY propaganda.