A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Today, idealists with illusions are kicking off a campaign to lower the voting age to 16. A nonpartisan group headquartered in New York City, Generation Citizen, is leading the campaign, which will be called Vote16USA.
Are 16-year-olds, high school juniors, mature and experienced enough to vote? A few might be. But the rest are not. Physically, their brains are not fully developed. Socially and politically, their range of experience and knowledge is narrow, far too narrow for them to render sound judgment when casting their vote.
I supported the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. I agreed with the argument “old enough to fight, old enough to vote.” Now I believe we should have raised the minimum age for military service to 21.
According to the New York Times, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi supports lowering the voting age. At 75, she’s old enough to know better.