Paphos Life

Jimgward wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:29 pm I have more faith, frankly in 16 year olds voting, who have maybe 70 years of life in front of them, than 80 year olds with 6... Too many voters are selfish in their outlook, rather than for the country as a whole.

I think that unless you mix with 16 year olds or have children of that age, most of us on this forum have little actual idea of what they think and how responsible they are in life.

On reflection, I was certainly not politically astute at 16 or even 18. I think I was in my early 20s but in my mid-20s when "we never had it so good!".

JGW

I have seen three of my grandchildren through their teenage years, non of whom I would consider to have been politically knowledgeable at 16. That said, I do not think that they were remotely interested in politics in the first place.

As far as your statement goes that you would have more faith in 16 years old, than people of 80+ years, I find that quite insulting to an older age group, who have experienced life, and lived through the consequences of the way they voted. May I ask why you made that statement.

Jackie

Jackie
You can live till you're 100 and still have no experience of life and live till you're 16 and have experience of a lifetime
What I'm saying is , you don't gain experience just by living a long life , you have to go out and experience it.

Jim

Jim

I agree with you to some extent, but how one would live to 100, and have no experience of life is beyond me, unless you're a hermit. That said, at 16, I can't see that one would have the experience of a lifetime, i.e. three score years and ten.

Jackie

Jackie

I know many people who's only experience of life was going to work up the road, maybe going the pub for a couple of pints and that was it.
I worked with young kids who had experiences of a lifetime on the oil well fires in Kuwait which was a once in a lifetime experience.
In my humble opinion people can go through life with little or no experience of life outside their comfort zone.
You as a nurse and your husband as a policeman stepped out of your comfort zones and seen aspects of life many people never experience and that's my point, most people never do, age isn't a n indicator of experience of life.

Jim

I thought I had replied to this but obviously didn't hit submit - I was partly tongue in cheek as I wouldn't deny anyone voting, including anyone who pays taxes, can get married, have kids, join the forces, work etc. I know some 16-year olds and they are at least 5 years more advanced socially and world wise than I was then.

Jim B

I accept your argument, that said, how do we fix an age limit on voting, should one pass a test to see how politically informed one is maybe, and not have an age limit at all.

I do know many who vote for a party purely because their parents did, brought up to accept their parents view, and never question whether those beliefs were right or wrong.

Jackie

Firefly wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 11:51 am Jim B

I accept your argument, that said, how do we fix an age limit on voting, should one pass a test to see how politically informed one is maybe, and not have an age limit at all.

I do know many who vote for a party purely because their parents did, brought up to accept their parents view, and never question whether those beliefs were right or wrong.

Jackie

Jackie
Having no interest in politics when I was young, I (as you said) just followed my Dads party affiliation.
My Mums family on the other hand were Labour supporters and it was only later when I started working that I began questioning my voting habits.

Jim

Jim B wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 3:26 pm

Firefly wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 11:51 am Jim B

I accept your argument, that said, how do we fix an age limit on voting, should one pass a test to see how politically informed one is maybe, and not have an age limit at all.

I do know many who vote for a party purely because their parents did, brought up to accept their parents view, and never question whether those beliefs were right or wrong.

Jackie

Jackie
Having no interest in politics when I was young, I (as you said) just followed my Dads party affiliation.


My Mums family on the other hand were Labour supporters and it was only later when I started working that I began questioning my voting habits.

Jim

Living in South Wales, we are surrounded by what the press describe as "traditional Labour voters". This in practice means that people vote the way their "grumpy" did and do not give a fig about what is written in manifesto's. Slowly and gradually this landscape is changing and with the red wall falling in 2019 and the increasing amount of Conservative seats in Wales, the Welsh Assembly has extended the right to vote to 16 year olds, aiming no doubt to gain numbers. However, with growing discontent over the validity and efficiency of the Welsh Assembly, I suspect that there may well be a seismic change next year.

I understand what you're saying and to a certain extent I agree but I don't believe people are sitting down and reading manifests, well not the ordinary person in the street.
I personally think that the press and politicians, both right and left get away with too many lies and misleading statements and the punishments are not strict enough to prevent it.
People actually believe everything they're told instead of questioning whether it's true or not.
The media and Politicians should be fined heavily if they knowingly mislead, it's not true that politics was always like this, there used to be a modicom of honour that if caught misbehaving they resigned. Look at Jenrick, the housing minister, admitted he acted illegally but didn't walk and has the backing of the PM just like Cummings. No honour these days

Jim

I agree with you there. A sense of duty and honour has long vanished from public office.

Diocletian wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2020 5:29 pm I agree with you there. A sense of duty and honour has long vanished from public office.

You mention public office,it appears now that promotion in public office is now decided more and more on a politically correct basis rather than the best person for the job

I think that political correctness has a lot to answer for and can lead to a lack of decision making.

It makes you wonder.......they're just so blaze' about it.

Jim

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... W417ZQTgOk

But politicians don't earn very much! well, yes they do