THE GENERATION DIVIDE
In the June 2016 EU referendum, older people tended to vote for Brexit, whereas the youth were heavily in favour of “Remain”.
The older the person the more likely they were to vote for Brexit, and the very oldest were the most likely Brexiters. The younger the person, the more likely they were to vote “Remain” – and the very youngest voters were the most likely Remainers. Many leftists said the system was unfair because young people were the ones who would “suffer” because old people voted stupidly and “selfishly” They also used the referendum as a pretext for rehashing their perennial agenda/demand for lowering the voting age, yet again, to 16. And no doubt later to 14. Some even demanded that anyone over 60 should not be allowed to vote in long-term decisions (like Brexit) – since the (claimed) negative consequences of that decision would have a greater effect on young people.
IMO if anyone should not be allowed to vote based on their age, it should be the youth. More reasonably, they could be allowed to vote but they would have fewer votes than their seniors.
Of course such a sensible solution could only be implemented if there were a mechanism whereby some people could qualify for extra votes.
But this cannot happen because, as a society, we have painted ourselves into a corner by dogmatically chanting the mindless OPOV (one person one vote) mantra. On the same logic that turkeys will never vote for Xmas, neither will the majority ever agree to dump OPOV in favour of SPMV (some people more votes), or OPMV (older people more votes)
MY YOUNG & FOOLISH HEART
Young people tend to be impulsive hotheads who make bad decisions in almost all areas of life. Even when sober they often behave rashly and irresponsibly – there is a good reason why car insurance companies either refuse to insure under-25’s or heavily load their premiums. There must also be a good reason why, at the time of the moon landings, most NASA astronauts were in their late 30’s. Or why it is very rare for someone under 30 to become a CEO of a major company or a Nobel Science Prize-winner or the elected leader of a country.
So older people – who tend to be more responsible – should be entitled to have more votes.
However, I am NOT saying that extra votes should be awarded based simply on age alone. Admittedly, that would not be as bad as OMOV – nothing can – but it would not be right.
No, voting power (if you like) should depend on every individual’s respective contribution to their community.
But older people, because they have had the time to do so, have almost invariably contributed MORE to society – and their community – than young people.
CONTRIBUTION – how to define and measure it
STATE BENEFITS available in UK – income support, disability living allowance, carers’ allowance, jobseekers’ allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit, tax credits and child benefit.
SENIORITY