To think you should have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the facts before being allowed to vote

[Bearbehind]

Ok, I appreciate this is purely hypothetical is it could never be enforced but, it does astound me when a proportion of the electorate, albeit hopefully small, are so clueless they come out with comments like I've seen this morning which included:-

-Looking forward to doing some online shopping for items from the USA as they'd be cheaper now the pound has dropped

-Being surprised that the markets have fallen following the vote to leave and not realising their vote would have that effect

-Thinking this decision might pave the way for Norway to hold a referendum to leave the EU too

It's bad enough we all have to filter through the outright lies, like the money saved on the EU which would go straight to the NHS, and the scarcity of facts but people making decisions when their basic understanding is so poor is downright scary.

Ever heard of subtitles or audio narrative, fuckincunt?

Imo if there's any issue with voting in this country then it's with the politicians rather than the electorate.

I'm not great with politics, but before an election I read a lot from all sides and try and form an opinion from that. Making that decision is deliberately hampered by politicians focussing on some things, completely ignoring others, bending the truth a lot and that's before you get to the outright lies...

I think there does need to be reform when it comes to elections/referendums here but from the politics. How can you make a good choice if a party can do/vote through the exact opposite of their manifesto? How can you make a good choice when no one actually knows what the outcome of either choice will be?

I had planned to vote remain yesterday, but in the end I didn't vote as I was at the hospital with the baby, but for the first time ever I seriously contemplated not going (before I had no choice) because running the gauntlet of the "who did you vote for?" people outside after really put me off. The campaigning has been really nasty here and there's some involved that I certainly won't ever vote for in any capacity again after their behaviour in this one.

If you want people to vote for you then educate them and tell them the truth. It shouldn't be a battle to see who scares people the most.

The idea of some sort of barrier or tariff to being able to vote is hideous. The fact everyone has an equal vote is the only right thing about the sorry saga of politics.

Some people on here are so educated that they think women fought for all women to vote, unless they might be a little bit less educated than others and only if they shared the same opinion as them...

Let's go back to letting the white educated men vote for the rest of us.

There's already the hideous graphs of how long people who voted would have to 'live with their decision'
And people are seriously talking about they wish votes were weighted so younger people's votes counted more than older people's.
It's a fucking disgrace

To suggest unless someone hits your "approved list" votes goes against everything to do with voting.

I'm still interested to understand why the OP thinks she is more entitled to vote than "Fred" who voted because of his mates influence.

lala I am so sorry to hear your baby was in the hospital, I hope all is well now.

I think in answer to your question that the answer is to make voting a legal requirement (except in exceptional circumstances as it is in Australia, such as your situation) and that actually referendums should be more frequent so that government bodies have to answer to us. So if a government doesn't stick by its manifesto, which they rarely do they have us to answer to if they don't. Sadly we are often stuck with decisions made by those in power without any consequences.

I agree with you 100% the fact everyone can vote is the only thing that is right about this sorry system of politics.

I don't think people are suggesting that younger people votes count more.

It is more to illustrate the point that there are far reaching long term implications of voting for an exit:

• did politicians do enough to highlight that this would reduce the opportunities for young people. The opportunity to work and live in 20+ countries
• that there could be long term economic implications. Cuts made now to shore up the economy will create further damage to the UK infrastructure. Less for schools, for hospitals to invest. Making cuts now, which will happen, will cost much more later down the line. There was a reason that labour had to plough money in to hospitals and schools via PFI.....

That's what the graph is all about.

I also think there should be a

None of the above

So we can see how many people are not happy with the state of the selection, of course this doesn't work in a referendum situation

I cannot believe that people are seriously promoting the idea of a qualified vote!!! do you know what a democracy is? That everyone, no matter what their wealth, background or education, is equal before the law, and has an equal right to have a say in the government. THAT is democracy, that is what has been fought for all over the world, that is what Britain has led the way in for decades. If that right is qualified at all, or in other words restricted to certain people, it is not a democracy. As others have said, who then determines who has the right to vote? Is it the educated, or the wealthy or the powerful?

I actually overheard 2 brexiters today -

person a)-'Well i didn't think it would actually happen like this'
person b) 'i know, i actually feel embarrassed, i'm not admitting to my friends i voted out'
a)'but we can rejoin if we need to, can't we?'
b)' yes i'm sure we can'...

Said it all!

OP was obviously a Remain voter.

Shock! Horror! Not everyone agrees with you.

Get over it.

I'm still interested to understand why the OP thinks she is more entitled to vote than "Fred" who voted because of his mates influence.

I'm not talking about anyone being more entitled to vote than anyone else.

I'm talking about how pathetic it is to vote for absolutely no other reason than it is what Fred is doing then regretting the decision as they didn't understand what they were doing.

That's very difference being influenced by others, the latter implies a degree of thought.

I actually said this to someone today! Admittedly it was because I heard some questionable reasons behind some peoples votes. "I dunno what this is all about but DH says to vote X so I'll do that." "I'll vote X because I want the protection the UN offers."
And a couple of others.
Literally had no idea what the referendum was.

The result for me was unwelcome but I accept it. We have to move forwards and look to the future. But it does rankle a bit knowing that some people literally had no single idea what they were voting for.
And that goes for both remain and exit voters.

So OP what makes you more qualified to vote?

What did you do?

To phrase it another way

Why are you allowed to vote? What was your reason

Believeit Yes, some people are genuinely suggesting that young people's votes should be worth more.
I'm fully aware of what people are intending to show with the graph.
And,yes, some people are using it to say young people's votes should be more heavily weighted.

And your original post gave reasons you didn't feel "worthy" so I'm very interested to hear why yours are more so.

I live ( and teach) in an area which went nigh on 80% leave. It's also an area with the lowest per child spend in school, the lowest tertiary education per family, and lowest final exam level per family. It's also the highest manual workforce, all rural.

You would not believe the poverty out of London. You would not believe how, since this goverment, I've scraped to buy resources for my class. You would not believe how I've fought for kids of all ages and groups to get what they deserve.

And yet, I know the self same parents who receive my help ( and let's not forget, any SRB grants come from the EU. My extra help. The regeneration money for my town) voted out.

I despair. I can't explain it to the kids. I've explained jingoism, nationalism and racism to my own kids. We will fight on. I just can't face my class.

Until the vast gulf between rural school attainment and Eton is addressed, you won't get equality. When half the sixth form has no cash, no hope of university, no chance, no family model of attainment, we won't get equality.

I'm furious, but all this vote has done is show what i already know.

FFS, I've never said anyone should be excluded from voting or that people can only vote if they think the same as me.

If you are happy to have your future swayed by a group of people who have absolutely no comprehension of what they voted for or what it meant, I can't argue with you.

I'm damn sure those women who fought to allow the rest of us to vote didn't envisage us saying 'I dunno what's going on but I'll do this cos Fred said so'

I

Your thread title op is this

AIBU to think that people should demonstrate a basic understanding of the facts before being allowed to vote

So I am asking you

What constitutes a good understanding why are you allowed to vote but someone else not

Stand by your convictions and share why you are allowed to vote. What is considered a basic understanding

Because you have said 100% some people shouldn't be allowed to vote

So your opinion is completely valid your allowed to have it, I'm asking what you would say is considered a basic understandind