I kind of lean toward returning to twenty-one as the age of majority...to drink, to smoke, to gamble, to vote....to get drafted if the draft were re-instituted... It's a matter of feeling rather than logic.
And here's an idear that would probably get me lynched if I spoke it anywhere but here: In order to get public assistance, a citizen must be registered to vote. I realize that's unworkable, especially since resident aliens are also eligible for public assistance, but it might make the point that there are responsibilities and duties attached to citizenship as well as rights and entitlements. It might also help if high schools made Civics and/or U.S. Government graduation requirements again. But, what am I saying? There is a move to make Algebra 1 (and I don't know what other Maths) an elective. Most schools have already removed Art and Music and Phys Ed from the curriculum as unnecessary. Why should they teach Civics or Citizenship or anything remotely like it?
The military wants 18-year-olds. And the fact that was draft age was the fundamental reason for lowering the voting age to 18. The legal age for purchasing alcohol is 21, of course. I personally believe that, as used to be the case in Wisconsin, it should be 18 for beer and wine and 21 for hard liquor.
We're not on the fence about Bernie. He's first!
ReplyDeleteI kind of lean toward returning to twenty-one as the age of majority...to drink, to smoke, to gamble, to vote....to get drafted if the draft were re-instituted... It's a matter of feeling rather than logic.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's an idear that would probably get me lynched if I spoke it anywhere but here: In order to get public assistance, a citizen must be registered to vote. I realize that's unworkable, especially since resident aliens are also eligible for public assistance, but it might make the point that there are responsibilities and duties attached to citizenship as well as rights and entitlements. It might also help if high schools made Civics and/or U.S. Government graduation requirements again. But, what am I saying? There is a move to make Algebra 1 (and I don't know what other Maths) an elective. Most schools have already removed Art and Music and Phys Ed from the curriculum as unnecessary. Why should they teach Civics or Citizenship or anything remotely like it?
The military wants 18-year-olds. And the fact that was draft age was the fundamental reason for lowering the voting age to 18. The legal age for purchasing alcohol is 21, of course. I personally believe that, as used to be the case in Wisconsin, it should be 18 for beer and wine and 21 for hard liquor.
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