Should there be a competency test before you can vote?

[Arcades057]

Every election year in America there is a spat of "get out the vote" advertisments on TV, radio, papers, and anywhere else they can stick them. All this advertising to vote, but no advertising to actually educate yourself before you do vote. What good is it to say "I'm voting for Bush/Kerry because my mom is"? I believe the country would be in much better shape if we, as a whole, learned about the political situation prior to voting. Bush likely never would've been elected, he would not have even gotten the nomination from the GOP I bet, and Kerry certainly wouldn't have been running against him. If we were educated and we could weed out the morons and the liars, we'd have a much stronger field of future leaders, like Colin Powell and Joe Lieberman. A few questions that should be answered before someone can vote are... 1) How many states are in the USA? 2) As an American citizen, your rights are explained and guaranteed by what bill? 3) The two major political parties are _____ and _____? 4) There are how many Justices of the Supreme Court? 5) What is the US capital? 6) July 4th is what US holiday? 7) Did you complete this form in English, without aid? I believe #4 is the least important question, but #s 7 and 2 are the most important questions to be asked. If anyone cannot answer these questions without googling it or asking someone, you should not be voting in the US. Thoughts?

[MapMan]

I was watching Fox and friends this morning. One of their reporters just became a British citizen. I learned today it is required that you know how to speak english there. Why can't we do that here ? #7 should be mandatory.

[Arcades057]

There is no point in its not being mandatory, save allowing our elected officials to pander to those who wish to become Americans only in name.

[Danny]

wait those are meant to test people?!?!, im british and i know all that, i thought everyone did, like big bens in london and all that trivial pursuit crap. hey post 1,111 ,and itll never happen again.

[AcesandEights]

The problem with competency tests is that they can be abused, and since our in-power politicos (both wretched parties) are so adept at twisting the system I have, what I feel to be, well placed fears were such a system to be put in place nationwide.

[coma]

bet you half the politicians would fail that test. jay Leno thinks its funny when people don't know who the vice president is. I think it's tragic. While I think peoplw who try not to learn the language are annoying, I would rather have someone who barelt speaks english but understands the US, our customs and ideology than a native whose a total jackass. Most non speakers are not citizens, except for many (dominicans ecspecially) who say they are from Puerto Rico. They BS their way in.

[rightwing401]

It's not just a matter of competency, it's a matter of interest as well. Take any group of people in this country and ask them about political matters, then ask them things about American Idol, and see how much they know about the latter. Believe me, I had it happen in a politcal science class a few weeks ago.

[coma]

Just as bad is when people have beliefs and when questioned, they have no idea why they believe that way or what it means. I had that happen in a poly sci class years ago. Why? Uh Cause I do.duh.

[Zombie-A-GoGo]

Isn't that what a philosophy class is for? People to spout off their ill-formed beliefs and then not be able to back them up (of course, complaining later that the prof is a "Godless Liberal" and that's why they couldn't explain themselves). By the way, I think a more important question should be...shouldn't people have to apply for a license to have children? Talk about needing to prove competency...

[AcesandEights]

By the way, I think a more important question should be...shouldn't people have to apply for a license to have children? Talk about needing to prove competency... Yes, because making laws that restricts individual liberties to correct a problem is the best way to handle any situation

[Svengoolie]

The problem with having any kind of test requirement to vote is that: a. It's against the law. b. The mere presence of such a test, even if made legal, would be used to challenge the outcome of every election from then on. In the past, there have been tests to keep certain elements of the population from voting. These tests were mainly in the South, where white Democrats used them to keep Negroes from voting once they'd re-established a firm control over the land conquered by the Yankees. The only purpose of having such a test is to exclude people from voting and not to include people in the vote. That's the way it would be seen....and that's what would be used to challenge the outcome of every election.

[MinionZombie]

Now as you know I'm not an American, but I've seen enough of your TV to know stuff...so let's see if my couch potato ass paid off... 1) How many states are in the USA? - 50 2) As an American citizen, your rights are explained and guaranteed by what bill? - The Constitution 3) The two major political parties are _____ and _____? Democratic & Republican 4) There are how many Justices of the Supreme Court? 12? 5) What is the US capital? Washington 6) July 4th is what US holiday? Independence Day 7) Did you complete this form in English, without aid? Yes I also think there should be some sort of competency test, the thickness of some people who are fully eligible to vote is scary ... not to mention a bunch of 18 year old idealists who haven't lived at all falling for the liberal dream (which is just as hypocritical as any party) and so forth... As for people learning the native language - DAMN STRAIGHT. Here in the UK a politician (unfortunately it was an old Conservative, however a young black guy said the same thing - which the papers ignore it seems) said that Muslims must get over the idea that we (Britain) would EVER become an Islamic state. They should also learn our language and live by our laws and ways. If they don't like it, f*ck off. And you know ... damn straight ... I think they should be entitled to continue with their religion, I don't really see a problem with them wearing Burkhas and all that stuff, but complaining that we have piggy banks and moaning about BRITISH things is just beyond the pale - live by our laws, rules and society or f*ck off home - if we were living there, we'd HAVE to live by their rules. The problem is in the UK we've got too many political correctness agencies and typically enough the Race Equality bunch came out guns blazing - it was a sensible thing to say (just said kinda gruffly) ... and like a guy on Penn & Teller Bullsh*t said last night - 'we're sleeping and we need to wake up before it's too late' (yes, that was in the one about Creationism though, but the theory remains the same).

[Graebel]

Alright, Minion. You don't get to vote. Silly Brit. I think he meant the Bill of Rights. But I have no effing clue how many justices there are. Too many conservative ones in my opinion. (9?) Tests to have kids? Utah's birthrate would drop to zero. And what are you going to do to enforce it? Forced sterilization? shivers As much as I hate a world full of morons you've got to take the good and the bad. ****as a side note**** My parents live in Idaho and yesterday another woman left her baby in a car for two hours in 90+ degree heat. It is apparently so common there that they have 5-10 a year. Jesus Christ! How do you forget that your kid is in the car?????

[DjfunkmasterG]

Let me answer these for you like most americans/voters would. 1) How many states are in the USA? 2) As an American citizen, your rights are explained and guaranteed by what bill? 3) The two major political parties are _____ and _____? 4) There are how many Justices of the Supreme Court? 5) What is the US capital? 6) July 4th is what US holiday? 7) Did you complete this form in English, without aid? 1) 51 2) The Constipation 3) Republican and Republican 4) 1 5) The White House 6) The day of fireworks and heavy drinking 7) Que?

[Marie]

A few questions that should be answered before someone can vote are... <snip> 7) Did you complete this form in English, without aid? Thoughts? I believe this one is the most important, because without a working knowledge of English you have no hope of being informed in this country. This is not a bad thing, as English is our language, despite the farbiling in Congress over establishing it as such. As pointed out in other posts though, voting tests and poll taxes and such impediments to voting are illegal. I just don't see the reason for having to print ballots in Farsi, much less Spanish. M_