NationStates Jolt Archive

Hi. I'm Knoxbanedoodle and I've just submitted a proposal to the consideration of the UN that, if become a resolution and passed, would require all seekers of elective office to pass a test before running, and all voters to do so as well before voting.

Why not?

As an American I live in nearly perpetual dismay over the quality of the general voter's knowledge of government and history.

To get a driver's license you have to take a test, to pass the health inspection a restaurant must qualify by adhering to a bevy of strict standards, applying for unemployment, for a small business license, for an IPO...all of these actions and millions of others are laden with requirements the applicant must meet.

To vote all you have to do is turn 18 and not commit a felony. To run all you have to do is be the right age. To win all you have to do is fool the greatest number of fools.

Why not make of the electorate a club, as lawyers are a club, and doctors? Why not form a BAR examination for would-be voters? Why not?

Inviting disagreement, inviting discussion, inviting support.

Hi. I'm Knoxbanedoodle and I've just submitted a
proposal to the consideration of the UN that, if become a resolution and
passed, would require all seekers of elective office to pass a test before
running, and all voters to do so as well before voting.

Why not?

As an American I live in nearly perpetual dismay over the quality of the
general voter's knowledge of government and history.

To get a driver's license you have to take a test, to pass the health
inspection a restaurant must qualify by adhering to a bevy of strict
standards, applying for unemployment, for a small business license, for an
IPO...all of these actions and millions of others are laden with requirements
the applicant must meet.

To vote all you have to do is turn 18 and not commit a felony. To run all you
have to do is be the right age. To win all you have to do is fool the greatest
number of fools.

Why not make of the electorate a club, as lawyers are a club, and doctors?
Why not form a BAR examination for would-be voters? Why not?

Inviting disagreement, inviting discussion, inviting support.

My people have something similar to this.

Voting is ALWAYS done very publically, meaning it is the extreme opposite
of "the secret ballot".

Each vote, before being "officially cast", is broadcast nationwide, and phone
representatives are standing by at the polling place to accept orders to slap
the voter (only once per call at $1000 per call).

(The $1000 changes as the economy does such that the price is always 1/5
of the callers yearly salary.)

Once all calls are in, and this could take a while, the voter is free to vote in
any way they see fit.

Voting does take a while, but the vote more than pays for itself in Pay-Per-
View revenues.


-Keiki'olu I'ake'oke'o
Current "Big-Diggah" and "Chief Head-Whompah"

"May prosperity and freedom from silly rules be your destiny..!"

* The Rep of Komokom remembers the good old days when we had democracy, where every single man-woman-person-at-or-over the voting age had a single voice, a vote they could cast in election so that the people are governed by the people. Not by people who meet a strict plethora of conditions, because then it stops being democracy and starts being elitist and ultimately point-less.

What's the point in having open elections if only certain people are priviledged enough to decide the fate of a nation? If only the educated are allowed to vote, what's to stop them from restricting education and welfare programs to ensure that they're the only one's allowed to vote in the future as well? That would run contrary to the UN's policy of working towards the betterment of all mankind, and certailny conflict with a few existing UN resolutions.

My people have something similar to this.

Voting is ALWAYS done very publically, meaning it is the extreme opposite
of "the secret ballot".

Each vote, before being "officially cast", is broadcast nationwide, and phone
representatives are standing by at the polling place to accept orders to slap
the voter (only once per call at $1000 per call).

(The $1000 changes as the economy does such that the price is always 1/5
of the callers yearly salary.)

Once all calls are in, and this could take a while, the voter is free to vote in
any way they see fit.

Voting does take a while, but the vote more than pays for itself in Pay-Per-
View revenues.


-Keiki'olu I'ake'oke'o
Current "Big-Diggah" and "Chief Head-Whompah"

"May prosperity and freedom from silly rules be your destiny..!"

i like your way of voting and am thinking about incorparating it into my country!

We might better work on improving the educational level of UN member states rather than exclude the socially disadvantaged from politically interaction. There was a proposal on free education for everyone that did (sadly) not find a majority.

- Sean Lenau for the Free Land of Cloudy Somewhere

We might better work on improving the educational level of UN member states rather than exclude the socially disadvantaged from politically interaction. There was a proposal on free education for everyone that did (sadly) not find a majority.

- Sean Lenau for the Free Land of Cloudy Somewhere

I agree.
Voting and deciding for your future in you country is both a right and a duty.
Driving is a luxury.
You can't compare voting with a drive lisence.

Vote has to be for everybody.
Use time, money and energy to educate people not to cut them off society.

Voting for everybody, such a nice ideal, but it may lead to the lowest common denominator being voted for (just look at those TV programmes were You-the public, vote for your favourite whatevers, always predictable and always showing a lack of imagination and intelligence in the results.....)

Sorry there GOOD NEIGHBOR but in the US at least i know that driving was not considered a luxury but a right." PLease see Right to travel " regarding american laws and rights. In the begining of our once great nation no licensce was needed. But because some people become very dangerous behind a wheel obviously we [USA] cannot allow everyone to drive, just not safe, so a permit/licensce was required. Seems like this persons idea on voters is not far off from how a lisencse came about!