I want a test on the ballot.

[wtmusic]

The President of the United States has the power to:
a) sign bills into law
b) decide court cases
c) hire and fire members of Congress

The President of the United States is elected to a term of:
a) two years
b) four years
c) as long as he/she wants

The current President of the United States is:
a) Bill Clinton
b) John McCain
c) George W. Bush

The document which is the foundation of all American law is:
a) The United States Code of Criminal Justice
b) The Constitution
c) The Bible

Miss one? Ballot gets shredded. Sorry, but you gotta have a basic understanding of what you're voting for.

I've been in too many "debates" with voters who would fail this ridiculously simple test.

[baldguy]

1. Voting Rights Act of 1965

No tests

[wtmusic]

2. Needs to be amended. nt

[baldguy]

3. Just imagine Karl Rove picking the questions

[wtmusic]

6. There are all sorts of variables in ballot & election design

which somehow meet a reliable test of impartiality. This would be another one.

[baldguy]

13. Really? For a lot of people the answer to question #4 is "c".

The GOP would ensure that the people administering the test would only pass those that answered "correctly".

[ret5hd]

4. And a poll tax!

[wtmusic]

5. I see...people having to know for what they're voting

equates to having to pay money. Got it. :eyes:

[nemo137]

7. No, but back in the "Bad Old Days," tests were a big form of voter disenfranchisement

I think it's good that we've relegated them to the dustbin with grandfather clauses and poll taxes. I think the solution is to have a national curriculum for US politics and government, and make sure that everyone takes it. I know in Illinois it's required to graduate HS, but I'm not sure about anywhere else.

Also, a 30 minute PSA where they replay all the "Constitution rock" videos from school house rock would be cool, too.

[wtmusic]

9. There isn't anyone who would be disenfranchised by a test like this

except those who are ignorant on the very principles they're deciding. Whoever they are - they're not doing any of us any good.

You could even put a page of basic government information in the voter pamphlet which *answers* all the questions. It's gonna require that somebody crack it open.

[bigtree]

11. bullshit

I can't even believe I'm hearing this

In 1890, Southern states began to adopt explicit literacy tests to disenfranchise voters. This had a large differential racial impact, since 40-60% of blacks were illiterate, compared to 8-18% of whites. Poor, illiterate whites opposed the tests, realizing that they too would be disenfranchised. To placate them, Southern states adopted an "understanding clause" or a "grandfather clause," which entitled voters who could not pass the literacy test to vote, provided they could demonstrate their understanding of the meaning of a passage in the constitution to the satisfaction of the registrar, or were or were descended from someone eligible to vote in 1867, the year before blacks attained the franchise. Discriminatory administration ensured that blacks would not be eligible to vote through the understanding clause. However, illiterate whites also felt the impact of the literacy tests, since some of the understanding and grandfather clauses expired after a few years, and some whites were reluctant to expose their illiteracy by publicly resorting to them.

[wtmusic]

16. How can they vote if they can't read the ballot? nt

[bigtree]

17. you're proving to be an idiot here

I'll let someone else deal with you. You won't get far with that. I'm even going to make you the second person on my ignore list.

[wtmusic]

18. Can't answer the question?

Whatever. It would be an honor to put you on my list as well. :hi:

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[baldguy]

20. WHY DON'T YOU GET A FUCKING BRAIN & READ SOME HISTORY YOU FOOL!

Blacks weren't allowed to vote BECAUSE THEY WERE BLACK - NOT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T READ! The "literacy teats" were just an excuse, "poll taxes" were just an excuse - for evil people to keep power for themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens.

In a democracy EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO VOTE. The more people vote, the better. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.

Stop taking lessons from the bad guys.

[Lyric]

14. It's not a requirement to be smart or educated in order to be a citizen

and to have the civil rights of a citizen. Thank goodness there wasn't any kind of basic civics test when America was still a new nation; hardly any of those small-time farmers, smiths, and merchants would have qualified.

The truth is that you don't need a lot of education to vote your best interests. You just need politicians who don't lie to you so much. That's the goal we should be shooting for--not restricting civil rights to only those who "qualify."

[nemo137]

15. It's still unconstitutional, and a bad idea.

Who gets to make these tests? Who chooses the questions? How do you administer them in a fair way? I mean, sure, I'm with you on the whole "people should know how their government works," but not up for putting anything in the modern voter disenfranchisement toolbox.

[bigtree]

8. how about a poll tax?

:eyes:

[SoCalNative]

10. The good news would be

that most of the Freepers wouldn't be able to pass it.

[stillcool]

12. That's what we need...

more people being disqualified from voting. I think we should go back to white land owners only. If you rent or have a mortgage you're out. Easy peasy.