Who is Mentally Competent to Vote?

[fuzzis]

States Face Decisions on Who Is Mentally Fit to Vote (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/us/19vote.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp)

... Rhode Island is among a growing number of states grappling with the question of who is too mentally impaired to vote. The issue is drawing attention for two major reasons: increasing efforts by the mentally ill and their advocates to secure voting rights, and mounting concern by psychiatrists and others who work with the elderly about the rights and risks of voting by people with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

This summer, recommendations for national standards will be released by a group of psychiatrists, lawyers and others led by the American Bar Association, suggesting that people be prevented from voting only if they cannot indicate, with or without help, “a specific desire to participate in the voting process.”

Some state skirmishes involve efforts to ease restrictions, while others involve specific cases that compel officials to clarify old laws....

Not at all sure how I feel about this. Considering that in other places on this site, we're talking about how elections have become a popularity contest, it almost seems that in some places they're trying to apply a standard that arguably doesn't exist.

How many people actually go into a voting booth and make a fully informed choice about who they are voting for? And if there are folks who are voting for a person because they have the coolest commercial, how is that much different from a person who is mentally ill casting a ballot?

[wilebill]

States should decide who is mentally fit to run for office before tackling this issue.

[TheKing]

The mentally ill or old people have lost no rights...just because youre concerned about who they vote for or the process involved in it...doesn't remove their right as an american to vote

the only people who don't have the right to vote are people under 18 and felons.

if you have the mental capacity to make your way down to the voting precinct, walk in there, go into a booth and vote...then you have the right.

[Fish-Bait]

The last time I cast a ballot I missed a 4 pound bass. Bummer, I should have sharpened my hooks before I tied the ballot on!

[Conveyor Belt]

I once believed in one american, one vote. I don't think I believe that anymore. We've got a democratic republic where those who don't contribute get as much say so as those who carry the burden. How is that fair?

We fought a war with England over Taxation without representation. Now, we have representation without taxation. I'm taxed to the tune of $1000 a month, just me, not my family. People I work with pay zero, zero federal taxes. In fact, they get money back in $1000's of dollars that I contributed. Now, a few of these people are responsible, but most are not. They have no idea who's running in an election or what they stand for, for the most part. A few times, I've asked and they're voting strictly on race of the candidate or strictly on who so-and-so said to vote for. They have NO idea. Why does my $1000/month in taxes vote count the same as their's?

[fuzzis]

Why does my $1000/month in taxes vote count the same as their's?

Because the right to vote is not predicated upon the contribution you make. I believe that one of our founding assumptions is that we are all equal under the law...which means your $1,000/month in taxes doesn't grant you anything when it comes to having your voice heard via a vote.

Voting and tax reform really should have no connection.

[TheKing]

so you think your vote should carry the weight depending on how much taxes you pay in?

dude you are waaaaaay more misguided than i ever thought you were

im a republican guy...i hate abuse of the welfare system as much as the next guy...i hate paying taxes...i hate a lot of government regulation...i think capitolism is a great thing....

but i know that we need the liberals/democrats to keep our asses in check and make sure we don't go overboard

and you my friend...with that statement..went way overboard...

[Conveyor Belt]

We're all entitled to our opinions. I know 99.9% of people disagree with me. That's okay.

I just have a HUGE problem with people voting who have no stake in the outcome of the election save for what else they can get for free.

I can't vote for the board of Walmart because I don't own stock. I don't get to decide the direction of the store. If I did own stock, I'd only get as much vote as stock I held. Those who have a bigger investment in the company get more say so. If I pay more taxes, I should have more say so in the direction of the country than those that are just along for the ride. Some people will get more say so that me. Some less. I'm good with that.

Nothing will ever change to how I think, so what does it matter, anyhow.

[mac]

I used to work with mentally retarded people. Some were only mildly affected while others were profoundly disabled. Every time there was an election, we had to load them up in a van and take them to the polls. Even though some of them had more of an understanding than others, I don't think a single one of them understood who they were voting for, or why. They just went in there and found a name that appealed to them and marked it. The ones who were higher functioning voted for who their parents, friends, etc. told them to vote for.

The argument is that they have the right. Sure they do. But what's the point? The staff loaded those people up and carted them to the polls like they were really doing something patriotic when the only real reason anybody wanted to go was to get off campus and out of the house for a while.

[fuzzis]

How is that any different than most folks who go to the polls? We like to think that we have an informed electorate, but we don't.

[mac]

How is that any different than most folks who go to the polls? We like to think that we have an informed electorate, but we don't.

I agree.

Most people have the ability to become informed if they so choose. We have to hope that most people will make that choice.

If there's a race that I haven't done my homework on, I don't vote in that particular race. At election time, I usually vote on a few things and leave lots of them blank. I don't want to vote without knowing what I'm asking for.

[aaron]

The mentally ill or old people have lost no rights...just because youre concerned about who they vote for or the process involved in it...doesn't remove their right as an american to vote

the only people who don't have the right to vote are people under 18 and felons.

if you have the mental capacity to make your way down to the voting precinct, walk in there, go into a booth and vote...then you have the right.

This is not a good answer to me. Your restricting it to people who can walk and find the voting booth? What kind of clarification of the law is that? The real issue is, can I go down to Pine Belt Mental Health center, pick up a bus load of people, tell them what box they should mark on the way down, then help them to the voting booth to mark that box. If you don't clarify the law, someone will find a way around it.

[aaron]

We're all entitled to our opinions. I know 99.9% of people disagree with me. That's okay.

I just have a HUGE problem with people voting who have no stake in the outcome of the election save for what else they can get for free.

I can't vote for the board of Walmart because I don't own stock. I don't get to decide the direction of the store. If I did own stock, I'd only get as much vote as stock I held. Those who have a bigger investment in the company get more say so. If I pay more taxes, I should have more say so in the direction of the country than those that are just along for the ride. Some people will get more say so that me. Some less. I'm good with that.

Nothing will ever change to how I think, so what does it matter, anyhow.

We have that now CB. Take $200 of that $1000 to pay to an accountant to find loopholes in the system. Then take the $500 he saved you and pay it to a lobby group that is trying to get what you want. Presto, votes for money. You only get a free vote every couple of years. Paid votes happen every day.

[TheKing]

its not my job to clarify the law

my job is to offer my opinion...and i do think there should be handicap support at the polls...and if memory serves...there is

also...i am with you aaron, i don't think there should be influence with loading them up...but if they want to check the name that they think is the coolest...then its their business...and they did what we allow them and their rights afford them to do

ill be honest...most of the names when i go to vote are a complete mystery to me and i vote based on teh cool name or political party...

but 'lets be real'...the majority of the people only know about the candidate based on the frikken yard signs laying around

[endofthetrail]

We have that now CB. Take $200 of that $1000 to pay to an accountant to find loopholes in the system. Then take the $500 he saved you and pay it to a lobby group that is trying to get what you want. Presto, votes for money. You only get a free vote every couple of years. Paid votes happen every day.
on the other he could just get the same salary as the people that pay no taxes and he probably wouldnt have to pay taxes either. that would make the vote even.:clap::clap::clap: getting by might be a little tougher tho.

[politically incorrect]

Originally, only landowners (taxpayers) could vote. I don't advocate returning to that system, but CB has a point about people with no stake in the outcome of the election being able to put people in office who won't be a good representative of the taxpayers.

I don't have a solution. We just have to keep working to educate people on the role and responsibilities of elected officials and the Constitution and hope some of it gets through.

[just-Wynn]

I don't have a solution.

Solution:
http://img.superpages.com/cities/lottery/lottery.jpg

[amanda]

I've said for years that people should be required to take a test on current events and if you fail - you don't get to vote. There are lots of people out there who vote the way they are told to, either by their preacher in the pulpit or their ill-informed neighbors, without a clue as to WHY they are voting that way. But hey, our system beats the majority, hands-down.

[Conveyor Belt]

I've said for years that people should be required to take a test on current events and if you fail - you don't get to vote. There are lots of people out there who vote the way they are told to, either by their preacher in the pulpit or their ill-informed neighbors, without a clue as to WHY they are voting that way. But hey, our system beats the majority, hands-down.

I believe certain groups would view this as an intellectual poll tax. I'm for it, though... it'll keep the stupid and uninformed from voting.

[Bluesman]

The last time I cast a ballot I missed a 4 pound bass. Bummer, I should have sharpened my hooks before I tied the ballot on!
It was probably one of those damn hanging chads!