Forum Post: 1ST STEP: REMOVE AGE LIMITS FROM THE CONSTITUTION
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 4, 2011, 1:05 a.m. EST by ird
(3)
from San Marcos, TX
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Perhaps the most important step we can take here - one that will outlast the tests of time - is removing age limits from the Constitution. Young people are not permitted to hold elected office. This means that we and our agenda are not properly represented.
Issues like student loans, text book costs, higher education, the minimum wage, manipulation by creditors (get 'em while they're young!), real reform and strengthening of Social Security and other issues vital to young people are and will continue to be at the bottom of the agenda items list as long as young peoples' voice remain silenced by our Constitution.
Changing the Constitution to permit anyone of voting age to run for any elected office will finaly and permanently enfranchise us and our agenda. This is a vital change that will outlast our temporary economic crisis and ensure that we are heard from here on out.
Thank you.
-IRD
There are a lot of points to be made here, so bare with me.
As it stands, 18-34 year olds are still disenfranchised in this country, yet we have one of the HIGHEST RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND DEBT, not to mention EDUCATION, INCARCERATION in this country, as well as high rates of DEATH and increasing rates of CHRONIC and other DISEASE (ex: diabetes 2), and rather different views on social issues such as marijuana legalization and gay marraige etc. In other words, we are frequently the VICTIMS of public policy but very rarely the BENEFICIARIES of it. This is DIRECTLY RELATED to our inability to run for office.
A lack of "education" and "experience" was used to keep blacks and women from voting too. But the reality is that there was nothing preventing them from running credible campaigns and being credible representatives of their people except for the US Constitution and our political system. The same remains true of young people, who remain the only group still disenfranchised under the US Constitution.
Whether or not you would win as a young person is irrelevant. And as you say, you can run in SOME local elections, and some young people DO win. So it stands to reason young people could and would win at the state and national levels as well. And if you're not "experienced" enough to run for office, what makes you experienced enough to vote? Or drive a car, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, watch porn, or fight in a war for that matter?
How's this for experience? I'm an Iraq War vet, BA in poli sci, did 3yrs restaurant management, VP of my student govt, have run a local election campaign, and I'm 28 years old, can't run for the Senate or Presidency, etc...
Point is, people may not be "likely" to win, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't allow them to run. A 78 yr old probably wont win office either, but that doesn't mean we should make it UNCONSTITUTIONAL for old people to run for office, does it?
Allowing young people to run will provide more visibility to the agenda of the young. Like I said, issues like tuition and textbook costs, the minimum wage, and fixing Social Security are bottom of the barrel as far as the political agenda of this country is concerned. Just as women and minority issues were irrelevant before they were enfranchised.
Additionally, we are one of the most economically disenfranchised and politically disorganized groups (we make less money because we have less work experience, etc) making it that much more important that we be POLITCALLY enfranchised in a system dominated by the economically powerful/organized.
I think the idea behind age limits was that as you aged you gained more experience and hopefully wisdom. there is nothing stopping an 18 year old from running and winning a position such as city council or some such. I also think the idea was to let you gain experience with parliamentary procedures. BTW, you are eligible to run for a representative seat at the age of 25. (article 1; section 2; clause 2)
I seriously doubt you would be able to win a major elected office fresh out of high school or college anyway.
you wouldn't expect to graduate college and get hired on immediately with a major financial company and be CEO would you?
See: "Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong (And How We the People Can Correct It)" by Sanford Levinson.