There should be an elegibility test for voting

[run_to_win]

Yes, because a corrupt and unethical businessman who makes $20 million per year should definitely have much more say in our government (50 times more?) than a high school teacher who makes $40k.

Frightening stuff there, RTW...that's only about a half step removed from saying "sterilize all but the rich, so that the poor don't breed."

[Dphins4me]

  Actually I'm not 100% on this, but I believe it might be much better if the general public could only vote for their district congressman, then the congressman would vote for everything else.

Maybe people might pay more attention to whom they elect.

[bsfins]

Since the Video shows ingnorant rednecks....I thought this is where I should Put this...It's an Anti Obama Billboard in Southern Missouri,Showing Barack in turbin....
http://www.kspr.com/news/local/30727454.html

(modified for better link)

[Fau Teixeira]

i disagree .. i think it's written in the constitution that people have the right to vote .. i'll prove it to you now with facts:

US constitution:

article 1 section 2: The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several ...

ammendment 17, article 1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof...

article 1 section 4: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of Chusing Senators.

So the US constitution establishes that senators and representatives will be elected by the people and also that the states get to define what that means

so now we look at the constitution of the state of florida:

article 6 section 1: Regulation of elections.--All elections by the people shall be by direct and secret vote. General elections shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast. Registration and elections shall, and political party functions may, be regulated by law

article 6 section 2: Electors.--Every citizen of the United States who is at least eighteen years of age and who is a permanent resident of the state, if registered as provided by law, shall be an elector of the county where registered.

this says that every citizen of the united states has the right to vote in any election as long as they are properly registered

what does proper registration mean ? .. according to the laws in the state of Florida .. the following:

title 9, chapter 97.041
(1)(a)  A person may become a registered voter only if that person:

1.  Is at least 18 years of age;

2.  Is a citizen of the United States;

3.  Is a legal resident of the State of Florida;

4.  Is a legal resident of the county in which that person seeks to be registered; and

5.  Registers pursuant to the Florida Election Code.

you might be wondering what the florida election code is .. it's a series of laws that describes the requirements and penalties regarding voting, registering to vote, filing to be on ballots, ballot initiatives, referendums .. etc

if you look at chapter 104 of the florida state law, you'll see that florida classifies the act of voting as a right

104.0515  Voting rights; deprivation of, or interference with, prohibited; penalty.--
(2) (3)  No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of such other person to vote or not to vote as that person may choose, or for the purpose of causing such other person to vote for, or not vote for, any candidate for any office at any general, special, or primary election held solely or in part for the purpose of selecting or electing any such candidate.


and if this is a bit much to follow ..

the united states constitution refers to the right to vote as a right in amendments: 26, 24, 19, 15 and amendment 9 states pretty clearly that just because a right isn't spelled out doesn't mean that it isn't an inherent  right

[Frimp]

^^^

But it doesn't specifically say that we have the right to vote for president. And, it doesn't say that it is a right either.

[Phishfan]

The Constitution does call it a right. You may want to read the 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 24th Amendment, & 26th Amendment. They are use the teminology "right to vote".

[stinkfish]

This is why the Founders gave us the Electoral College.

[Dphins4me]

The Constitution does call it a right. You may want to read the 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 24th Amendment, & 26th Amendment. They are use the teminology "right to vote".

15th -  prohibits each government in the United States to prevent a citizen from voting based on that citizen's race,[1] color, or previous condition of servitude

19th - prohibits each of the states and the federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote because of that citizen's sex.

24th - prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.

26th - standardized the voting age to 18

All deal with voting, but none says anything each individual having the right to vote.  15th & 19th deal with not being able to deny something the right to vote.  However, no where in the United States Constitution does it say we have a "Right to Vote"

[Dave Gray]

However, no where in the United States Constitution does it say we have a "Right to Vote"

Of course it does.  By saying that we cannot remove the "right to vote", you can infer that we have a "right to vote", or else we wouldn't have amendments protecting it.

[Phishfan]

Please read the Constitution sometime. Rather than listing rights what is says is what the government is not allowed to take away. It doesn't say we have the right to take a piss either, but I don't think any of us would say we don't have that right.

Your original stance was "Do you know that we do not have the RIGHT to vote", but yet your last post says "not being able to deny something (I hope you meant someone since you are into splitting hairs with language today) the right to vote".

I get you point, it is not spelled out, but no rights are as I mentioned above.

So in short we DO have the right to vote, although the Constitution does not word it that way.

[Dphins4me]

i disagree .. i think it's written in the constitution that people have the right to vote .. i'll prove it to you now with facts:

US constitution:

article 1 section 2: The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several
  
ammendment 17, article 1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof
article 1 section 4: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of Chusing Senators.

So the US constitution establishes that senators and representatives will be elected by the people and also that the states get to define what that means......

 Yeap, now where does it say the people have a "Right"

so now we look at the constitution of the state of florida:

 I cannot speak to state consitutions.  I'm talking US.  Many people believe the US constitution says we have a right & it doesn't.

the united states constitution refers to the right to vote as a right in amendments: 26, 24, 19, 15 and amendment 9 states pretty clearly that just because a right isn't spelled out doesn't mean that it isn't an inherent  right

  Inherent right?  Maybe, but no where does it say we have a right.

[Dphins4me]

Of course it does.  By saying that we cannot remove the "right to vote", you can infer that we have a "right to vote", or else we wouldn't have amendments protecting it.

  Infer?  Yes, you can infer it, but I said no where does it specifically say we have a right to vote.

It does address not being able to deny someone the right to vote based on race, sex etc... but still no where is the right given to us in the Constitution.

[Phishfan]

  Infer?  Yes, you can infer it, but I said we no where does it specifically say we have a right to vote.

It does address not being able to deny someone the right to vote based on race, sex etc... but still no where is the right given to us in the Constitution.

You said that, after clarification. You originally said "We do not have the right to vote."

[bsmooth]

Someone suggests creating a more educated electorate and everyone automatically assumes that minorities won't make the cut. 

I'm not sure if I should laugh, be disgusted, or offer to loan you my sheet.   

Well since our schools are not turning out masses of "more educated" people, especially in poor areas which just happen to have a higher percentage of minorities, you would see less of them being able to vote. I guess this appeals to you. You have a serious problem with anything involving race, since it is one of the fastest issues you consistently bring up. It seems to always be on your mind.

[Dphins4me]

Please read the Constitution sometime. Rather than listing rights what is says is what the government is not allowed to take away. It doesn't say we have the right to take a piss either, but I don't think any of us would say we don't have that right.

You might want to read it.   As for you lame analogy.  Trying taking a piss on Main St. USA, beside a policman & look at him & tell him you have a right to piss.  Let me know how that works out for you.

I'll be waiting for you to tell me that policeman arrested you.

Your original stance was "Do you know that we do not have the RIGHT to vote", but yet your last post says "not being able to deny something (I hope you meant someone since you are into splitting hairs with language today) the right to vote.

I get you point, it is not spelled out, but no rights are as I mentioned above.

All I basically was saying the "Right to Vote" is not given in the US Constitution.   It is implied that there is a right, but not given.  Not splitting hairs, just pointing out a fact that 99% of the US does not know. 

So in short we DO have the right to vote, although the Constitution does not word it that way.

This makes no sense.