Opus 2022-117: Whom Should Vote?

More and more I am convinced that the right to vote should be limited.

People who wear a mask while driving alone in their car with the windows up should not be allowed to influence the direction of the country.  People who allow their children to sit in a class with fully made up transvestites putting on a show should not be informed we are having an election.  I question whether people who are impressed by a package of lemon drops advertising itself as a “fat free food” or people who buy a rice product because it is “gluten free” should be allowed out of the house without a minder.  My wife has been known to mumble something about how women should not have the right to vote, but I can’t comment on that myself.

Historically there have been limits on voting.  In ancient Athens, slaves could not vote.  Political offices in Rome were asset based.  In many countries that embraced a democratic form of government you were not allowed to vote if you did not have a certain net worth or income.  It was assumed to have a voice you needed to have skin in the game.  Picture a society where over half the people pay no taxes.  Will they vote for a tax increase so they can get some benefit, say a new library?  You betcha.  In a heartbeat.  They do it because they assume someone else will pay for it.  I am not sure you can blame them.

I would say that IQ might be a way to decide but many people with high intelligence have no common sense.  I don’t think that renters should be able to vote on property tax increases.  There are probably other requirements or standards that could be invoked.  It is a conversation that would be useful.  

As a practical matter, in spite of what I am saying,  I would probably be really reluctant to implement such limitations.  My reason would not be that they are unimportant but that I understand the problem of precedent and the question of who makes the rules.  Who will decide if I am mentally deficient or cognitively challenged?  Will it be the same people who are fact checkers on Twitter and Facebook?  Eventually.  That is the only thing that keeps me from pushing the idea harder.

Maybe we can find a way.

homo unius libri