Voting Age; Lower it.

Politicians are constantly griping about the uninvolvement of the American public in the electoral process. There are many reasons for this, but I feel that the most prevalent of these is the fact American teens that are willing to vote, are not able to vote. For these three reasons, I feel that the 26th Amendment to the Constitution should be amended to lower the voting age to from 18 to 16: 16 year olds are tried as adults in criminal trial and pay taxes, and also they are stationary, easily represented and have a unique perspective.

The biggest problem with having 18 as the legal age to vote is that it creates a double standard. 16-year-olds hold jobs and are therefore taxed without representation, and they are tried as adults and subjected to the death penalty. As we all know, the 26th Amendment was ratified to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. In the history of the United States, ratified in 1971, the 26th Amendment was the fastest to receive ratification. By lowering the voting age to 18, it eliminated the double standard of 18 year olds going to war, but not being able to vote for whom sent them there. Although that problem is not occurring currently, 16 year olds are holding part and full time jobs, were there is currently legislation on the floor about raising the minimum wage, and they have no impact on what is going to happen. Also, teens as young as fourteen years old are being tried as adults and subjected to the death penalty. The judicial system of the United States is giving the impression to the common public that teens between the ages of fourteen to sixteen have good enough judgement to know the difference between right and wrong, but they are not aware enough to make a good decision on a presidential ballot.

The greatest thing about sixteen year olds is that they are an easy target range. They have more time to watch television and go on the computer. The average teenager of America today spends almost nine hours engaged in some sort of media activity an evening, opposed to the three to six hours an evening the typical adult engages in. Advertising companies have already honed into this well-known fact; how difficult would it be to have politicians do the same? It would be as simple as, shifting the focus of the campaign to draw in the attention of the younger generation. Another contributing factor to the fact that sixteen year olds are an easy target group is that they life at home. This gives in to the "I'm going to do it because you don't want me to do it" effect, in which parents with a child's best interests in mind tell what to do and the child, does the opposite. This effect has led to the shift ideological beliefs between the generations. Because of this and other outside factors, younger voters are more liberal towards things that the older generation holds taboo. Among this list of things is supporting same sex marriages and privatizing Social Security.

Stupid adults vote, how come smart teens can't? It is proven that just for the mere fact that it is unexpected teens are more likely to do research and make informed political decisions. You and I all know that teens do not hold kindly to stereotypes and will go to great lengths to prove them wrong. For the simple fact that voting is something that you are not allowed to do until you are eighteen, political specialists think that many young adults will be eager to vote. If anything, why not count fourteen votes as one adult vote, anything to show representation.

If America thinks they are ready for a female president; then it is apparent to me that the country can handle change. Obviously we do not live in an ideal nation if teens as young as fourteen are tried as adults and subjected to the death penalty. If teens can hold part time jobs without adequate representation and involving them in political processes would be easy, then is it not incentive enough that stupid adults vote and smart teens cannot?

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