Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Taxation Without Representation

... For Many Young Americans, This Is The Case...

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(13 y/o boy is mega pissed off he has to wait a half-decade to cast his first vote.)

OK, 13 does seems a little young... But how do you pick an age, a barrier, that on one side argues someone is reasoned and informed enough to elect an official, and that on the other side, they're not? You could argue that a lot of adults aren't reasoned or informed enough to cast a ballot (mostly everyone that watches the 6 o'clock news, for starters).

Well, I was thinking, back to when I was 16, and working at Old Navy. At 16 it is legal to work in PA. So I did. And I legally(?) had 1/3 of my $6.35 an hour taken out of my paycheck for taxes.

In this case, income tax, a tax imposed upon those who are given no representation, contradics the theme of our constitution and the spirit in which it was written. So, should we rethink lowering the voting age again?

Not to mention that if people, curently in our public school systems, could vote...


These questions are being asked all over the world... Germany now has five states where 16 is the legal voting age. 

For me it's as simple as this... If you are old enough to pay for your government's policies, you should be able to vote for the policy makers... Lower it!


Words and Video by Conrad Benner, Photo by Robin Dude

2 comments:

kate borbas said...

I don't hate all your blog entries, Conrad.

Anonymous said...

hey in austria the voting age is 16 even for the national elections.