It is moreover quite the popular and vapid myth that any law, custom, policy, decree, ruling or command of man can ever make one person equal to another, with the possible exception that they can make people equal in death.
Ah yes, the absurd meme that "equal rights" is the same thing as "material equivalence."
We're not advocating Communism. We're talking about universal suffrage.
But can you give a good set of reasons -- not statements of philosophy, but reasons, why a republic should allow people who are incapable of voting responsibly to do so?
1) Government policies will affect every citizen. As such, citizens who have reached the age of majority, and who have not committed a heinous crime, should all have a say in how they are governed.
This is not just a privilege. It's a
right. And taking it away will clearly turn those people into second-class citizens.
2) Who gets to decide who is and is not "responsible?" You?
Why does collecting unemployment and food stamps qualify as "irresponsible," if you're doing it to put food on the table for your family? Or do you genuinely believe that -- especially during a period of, say, 8% unemployment -- that you can walk out your door and find a job in 10 minutes?
Do you lose the right to vote if you declare bankruptcy? If you default on your mortgage? If you have too much credit card debt? If you fail to pay child support? If you get a divorce? If you have too many outstanding parking tickets? If you get busted for possessing a small amount of marijuana?
Should we give every citizen an IQ test, and state that if you do not make the grade, you don't get to vote?
Is voting for a Democrat a sign of "irresponsibility?" It's quite obvious that for some people posting in this thread, the answer to that one is "yes."
3) Why stop at voting? Why should "irresponsible" people be allowed to speak freely, and thus advocate for policy changes? Why should an "irresponsible" person be allowed to refuse to answer a police officer's questions? Surely you do not want irresponsible people to own a gun.
4) Last I checked, disenfranchising large groups of citizens doesn't work out well. Do we really need to review the abuses that were possible because of the Black Codes?