Ryan Harris - Benchmark Reflection

In our campaign to propose this new amendment, we do see where those against it might rebuttal. These arguments directly challenging the mental capabilities of many 16 year olds. Let’s look at the logistics of it. A great majority, if not all, 16 year olds live with their parents. In fact they’re mostly still dependent on their parents. Sure 16 year olds may be able to think for themselves, but don’t have the abilities to be truly self-sufficient. There’s also the responsibility of 16 years olds. While their parents may trust them smaller tasks like watch a their sibling or taking out the trash, one would never give a space of power to a child. They wouldn’t even know where to begin. Voting is a prime example of that; children don’t know the first thing about voting and all that goes on behind the scenes. Also, 16 year olds have many other rights such as the right to drop out of school or in some other states, the right to marry and have sex. (Debate: Lowering the Voting Age to 16). While these are freedoms they can choose express at any time, people against lowering the voting age would response to this: “Just because they have those rights doesn’t mean they should express them.” Debatepedia’s article – “Debate: Lowering the voting age to 16” states: “If all 16 year olds left home at 16 and started families it would be considered a disaster.” Countries much like America save things like drinking alcohol, serving in a military, and especially voting too much higher ages. The streets would be full of drunk and pregnant teens. In fact in the article: “Lower the Voting Age to 16: Pros and Cons” from International Business Times talking about the effects of lowering in voting in other countries. While countries such as Austria, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Ecuador have been successful in lowering the voting age, The U.S. and the U.K. alike have failed in such a process. Now let’s look into other things that could occur if America were to lowering its voting age. If we are to lowering the voting to 16, many states could also advocate lowering the criminal responsibility and consent ages to fit with the lowering voting age. What this basically boils down to is since you have to power to vote like the adults before you, one should be considered an adult as well. So, when you are convicted of a crime, even a smaller crime (theft) for example, instead of being tried a minor you immediately be tried as an adult. What the article states about age of consent is: “The issue of consent is particularly important because it extends beyond consensual sex; in prostitution and rape allegations, if sexual contact is proven and the victim is a minor, the perpetrator is automatically guilty on statutory rape.” ("Lower the Voting Age to 16: Pros and Cons). What this means is if the age were to be lower, the said perpetrator would have to go through a full rape trial instead. Another reason people are against lowering the voting age is because they believe that it won’t solve the problem of voter turnout. A plus of lowering the age is the possibility of increasing current voter turnout. But that’s all it really is, a possibility. ("Voting Age, Lowering: Debatabase”). As it stands, in America, voting is a choice. If you don’t want to vote, you don’t have to. Now considering 16 year olds tend to be more involved in their own problems rather than what is occurring across the country, they would most likely be the tiny percentage of people who would attend the polls. In regards to voter turnout is the political knowledge that many 16 year olds have. For the most part, that knowledge is little to nonexistent on a deeper level. Idebate.org shows how lowering the voting age can be very dangerous. It states that 16 year olds could use their voting power very naively, only voting for the candidate they think is cool or that supports a single issue that care about, not looking at the full picture. ("Debate: Lowering the Voting Age to 16"). The 16 year olds of the present are more concerned with things like instant gratification and getting/fixing something with the least amount of effort. The problem with that is it can create the younger voters into very big swing voters. Say one candidate offers to greatly increase curfew for those 16-17, but another offers to clean up the streets, teens may most likely vote for the first guy because they feel that issue he’s addressing directly effects them, so they care more. But say the second candidate offers to give free cars to all 16-17 year olds with permits; they instantly change their opinion to the second candidate because they’re getting free stuff. This can prove extremely dangerous in America. If this were to happen, America as a whole could potentially be electing unfit people to run our country. This is because the demographic of 16-18 years old is just so huge, if they all vote it could easily outclass all the adults voting, leaving the opinions nearly nullified. The adults of America already have a hard enough time deciding whom to vote for and don’t need ignorant teenagers possibly skewing the polls to an inadequate candidate. Also many teenagers tend to go against the popular consensus just for the sake of being rebellious. Something like is the very last we need at the polls. For example, there are two candidates: one obviously for the job and one obviously not for the job. Where vast majorities of people agree with the first candidate and they see that he/she is out best interests, there’s always going to those teenagers who are against the “status quo”. They’ll simply vote for the second candidate really just because, completely and utterly ignorant to their politics. And finally there’s the viewpoint of not all ages groups are affected by things the government tries to pass. Things like healthcare and social security are things that children should know about but it’s certainly not something that they should be worrying about. Things like that are handled by the parents or guardians, and for the most past when parents vote, they take their entire family into consideration. ("Voting Age, Lowering: Debatabase”)

Works Cited

"Debate: Lowering the Voting Age to 16." Debatepedia.com. Debatepedia, 04 Dec. 2009. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Lowering_the_voting_age_to_16>.

"Lower the Voting Age to 16: Pros and Cons - International Business Times."International Business News, Financial News, Market News, Politics, Forex, Commodities - International Business Times - IBTimes.com. International Business Times, 19 May 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/148691/20110519/lower-the-voting-age-to-16-pros-and-cons.htm>.

"Voting Age, Lowering: Debatabase - Debate Topics and Debate Motions." IDEA: International Debate Education Association - Debate Resources & Debate Tools. IDEA Inc., 22 Feb. 2007. Web. 04 Nov. 2011. <http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=588>.

Reflection Questions:

·       How did you group go about making a decision for what to focus on for the project?

- We figured we should attack a subject that would directly affect us, that being letting 16 year-olds vote. While the object topics are just as important, we felt(or least I did) a more personal connection to the project.

·       11th grade Essential ? - What is the role of the individual in creating and sustaining change? 

- The role of the individual can be two things in my opinion: either create change or deter it. For nearly ever individual trying to make change for the better, there are most likely just as many individuals trying to stop that change.

·       How has your understanding of the electoral process and whether or not the US is a democracy evolved during this unit?

-  I know so much more than I did before. I never knew that this is so involved with more than just the presidential candidates on the ballot. I feel like if I’m ever going to vote I’ve got to know my stuff.

·       How did you decide to best relay a message to a national audience with your marketing campaign?

- We decided to go to the audience we are trying to help, teenagers like us. Rather just saying all the positives of letting us vote, let’s see how they’d feel about it.