Should People with Profound Mental Retardation be Allowed to Vote?

[Whomp]

Moderator Action: Keep on topic or this is closed.

 

[Marla_Singer]

More seriously, for you to have the right to vote, you must be responsible. Kids don't vote because they're not responsible.

If you're mentally ******** enough that you're declared to not be responsible for your actions, you can't vote

It's amazing, when I've read the thread title, I automatically assumed the same answer. I guess that's simply how things are taught in France.

Anyway, I agree with you. As long as someone is medically declared as not responsible of his own actions, he shouldn't be able to vote. There must be a legal responsibility behind a vote. Let me clarify this. I don't question the fact that Le Pen voters are morally irresponsible, but they legally assume their votes. Something someone declared as legally irresponsible of his own actions cannot.

 

[woody60707]

It's amazing, when I've read the thread title, I automatically assumed the same answer. I guess that's simply how things are taught in France.

Anyway, I agree with you. As long as you're medically declared as not responsible of your own actions, you shouldn't be able to vote, and you shouldn't go to jail in case you've commited a crime.

Who said Mentally ******** people aren't responsible for there own actions? Your don't need to be that smart to have a basic understanding of right and wrong.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Who said Mentally ******** people aren't responsible for there own actions? Your don't need to be that smart to have a basic understanding of right and wrong.

We talk here about the most severe cases. Ask yourself that question. Why wouldn't your 5 year-old boy be able to vote?

 

[luiz]

It depends on the level of the retardation. The sever cases should not be able to vote for the same reason that kids are not; the lighter cases can and should vote.

 

[Zarn]

If we let ignorant people vote, why not the mentally challenged? The choice is ********, either way.

 

[skadistic]

They should have a "special election" where they can "vote" and get stickers and stuff but that doesn't actually mean anything and that nobody cares about.

And what kind of sticker would you like when you vote?

 

[skadistic]

It depends on the level of the retardation. The sever cases should not be able to vote for the same reason that kids are not; the lighter cases can and should vote.

One of the few reasonable comments so far. My little brother is classified as ******** and while he can't do math or read and write so well he is more then capable of determining who to vote for. Some of the people he lives with just don't hold the mental capacity to fully understand whats happening around them.

 

[warpus]

If we let ignorant people vote, why not the mentally challenged?

You beat me to it.

 

[Damnyankee]

Alright, I changed the title, should people with Profound Mental Retardation be allowed to vote?

 

[Perfection]

And what kind of sticker would you like when you vote?

One of these fine dealies:

Stickers kick ass!

 

[Babbler]

Can the mentally ******** even know how to vote?

 

[George2816]

Who said Mentally ******** people aren't responsible for there own actions? Your don't need to be that smart to have a basic understanding of right and wrong.

Mentally ******** and medically declared as not responsible of his own actions are 2 different things in the USA. Mentally ******** person can only be declared before he/she is 18. After that he/she can never be declared mentally retarted (BTW if you want to be PC its called mentally disabled) Medically declared not responsible for his/her own actions and you lose all rights to vote (thats is up to a judge but the judge can declare you responsible for your own actions and you can vote again)

 

[MobBoss]

Who said Mentally ******** people aren't responsible for there own actions? Your don't need to be that smart to have a basic understanding of right and wrong.

Depends on the level of retardation. Some do, some dont.

But more is required than simply knowing right from wrong. Even a mildly mentally ******** person may have some difficulty in trying to tell the difference between Bush and Kerry for instance. I mean, they may very well vote for one or the other based upon utterly non-sensical criteria...like they like the name Kerry better or some such nonsense.

Bottom line, if they are cognizant enough to live on their own with a minimum of supervision then sure they should vote. But if they are utterly dependent upon someone to help them out 24/7 and dont really understand such things, then no.

Alright, I changed the title, should people with Profound Mental Retardation be allowed to vote?

No.

 

[cubsfan6506]

They definatly shouldn't be allowed to run.

 

[Damnyankee]

I have a situation for yea. I used to work at a place called the Guild of Exceptional Children. I worked with profoundly ******** adults. The people who oversaw them (Including me) had a substantial amount of power over them. I could, in effect, make them do whatever I wanted to if a potential reward was involved. Anyway, what if a person in such authority told them all to vote for some politician, and they did.

 

[woody60707]

They definatly shouldn't be allowed to run.

I know you said it Tongue in Cheek, but as soon as you give someone the power to disallowed people from voting, it will get used politically.

(and the title should be disallowed to vote, being everyone has the right to vote at age 18 unless ect ect.)

 

[cubsfan6506]

I was just being sarcastic. I know bush isn't a ******.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

No, only responsible people should vote.

 

[amadeus]

Looking at some of the responses here, I'm not sure people without serious mental retardation should be able to vote.