Should there be an IQ/General intelligence test people should be forced to take before being allowed to vote?

[_deeznuts]

[U4ea0]

98% of voters shouldn't vote period.

No one in the Constitutional Convention was such a fool that he thought of letting an entire populace vote on matters of national interest, and all, I am sure, assumed that the limitation of the franchise to the owners of property was so obviously a part of political prudence that it would never be abandoned. The various states, however, differed in defining ‘property.’ Some limited the franchise to freeholders, but others required a certain amount of taxable property or even property of any kind. The mercantile and financial class, largely centered in New England, naturally insisted that money, in the bank was as good as, and no doubt much better than, real estate as a test of a man’s stake in the state. And it was commerce and speculation that put lots of money in the bank. But even they perceived the necessity of maintaining the limitations on the franchise.

Governor Morris (of Pennsylvania) proposed that the Constitution restrict the franchise to freeholders, that is to say, to persons who owned land as an estate in fee. He was most warmly supported by the Chairman, John Dickinson (of Delaware), who stated that he “considered them [freeholders] as the best guardians of liberty; and the restriction of the right [of franchise] to them as a necessary defense against the dangerous influence of those multitudes without property and without principle with which our Country, like all others, will in time abound.”

Here is what some of them thought...

It is likely that a majority of the Committee agreed with him ‘in principle.’ James Madison understood that the restriction of suffrage was fundamental, and that “the freeholders of the Country would be the safest depositories of Republican liberty. In future times a great majority of the people will not only be without landed, but any other sort of, property. These will either combine under the influence of their common situation; in which case, the rights of property and the public liberty will not be secure in their hands; or what is more probable, they will become the tools of opulence and ambition, in which case there will be equal danger on another side.”

John Mercer (of Maryland) saw the fatal defect of a large electorate: “The people cannot know and judge of the characters of Candidates. The worst possible choice will be made.” He even foresaw that there might arise “in the towns” such pernicious things as political parties that would choose a candidate in their own interest and procure his election by concocting propaganda to make him popular with the ignorant populace.

Democracy is not going to be around in 20 years.

[RavVid]

I like to think there is a great common sense to the voting public. At what IQ would you draw a line?

I usually say this about software 'It takes intelligence to be truly stupid' but I think it could be applied to people.

At what point was it ever a good idea to crowd the other 51 genders into the girls locker room?

No I will go with commonsense tests. Some suggested Q's for the test.

1. Is it a good idea to crowd the other 51 genders into the girls locker room?
2. Do you think the person you are thinking of voting for gives a rats for you or is s/he in it for the money?
3. Do you think there will be no unintended consequences of this new policy you are so excited about?
4. Has this politician really raised so much campaign money without pay back promises?

Please suggest others. We need to combine commonsense for the voter commonsense test..

[BlueScorpio]

What happens if you don't make the cut to vote? What are you going to do if they tell you you aren't worthy enough to fall in love or reproduce based off I. Q? What you going to do if they take your level of intelligence and base it off how you should live, where you work etc. People always come up with these ideas but forget to include themselves or families. What you think is a good idea can always back fire on you.

It's like those people who think there should be cut off or culling at a certain age to maintain resources. What you think is going to happen to you, your friends etc. Once they reach the cutt off? Lol

[Dazed0N0Confused]

Not to vote, but definitely to run for office.
What I think we should make mandatory to do before you can run:
1. Pass the citizenship test on the first try, regardless if you were born here or not.
2. Must be able to read at a high school level or greater.
3. Must have graduated from high school or gotten GED on the first try.

I also think everyone who is a citizen should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.

[Lynx122]

Politics seems so screwed up I don't know what would help there's a good chance that whatever you try and do will backfire. I think everyone should personally try and realize when they're making decisions for emotional reasons and be able to step away from that and think things through again but it's never going to happen.

But smart people are just as susceptible to biases like this. I'm just glad that the political system in my country seems to work better than pretty much anywhere else, so I can just be grateful for it and not complain. But for bigger countries , there are steps that could be taken to make improvements but will it ever happen? It will take a long time, I'll probably be dead by the time their democracy improves.

[Anonymous]

noooope. all we need is proof of citizenship. Tired of being the only country in the world that lets people wander across the border and vote for laws and the leaders of our country.

But something like "intelligence", you have the Democraps literally saying for years that conservatives or people that voted for Trump are uneducated and shit. Clearly that can't be used as a deciding factor in deciding who is "book smart enough to vote". That goes against the founding ideas of this nation.

[Twalli]

If it's nationally certified and doesn't prevent a certain group of people from voting. I took one of the tests the south used to have for voting after the Civil War and failed it. So did most of my class, because the questions were ambiguous and open to interpretation allowing the reviewer to decide what they were looking for regardless of how the person answered.
I would prefer that everyone has to take a citizenship test to be allowed to vote. I did in 11th grade because it was required in my state.

[uncleBobbyb77]

No, not an intelligence test however a general knowledge quiz covering whatever subjects are pertinent to the legislation being voted on or the qualifications and or history of the nominees running for office. Being well informed is a responsibility that should be taken serious by anyone foolish enough to believe under our current system the votes of the citizens matter and influence the final outcome in the least.

[purplepoppy]

Each side always thinks the other side is dumb but I agree with the premise of the question. For example here in the UK you vote by putting a X in a box next to your preferred candidate. But each year people put a tick there and a X by all other candidates thinking X means no.

[normalice]

No. Because then the problem becomes "who gets to write the test?" Republicans would try to control it to ensure anyone who votes Democrat would fail the test.

Also, the stupidity of the general public is entirely the fault of those who vote to defund public education. It is thus their just desserts to have to deal with an uptick in stupid people making policy decisions.

[RolandCuthbert]

Who gets to decide who votes?

That's why voting is a right given to every American citizen. We could say the barometer for voting is a college-degree. We can restrict it to citizens born on American soil.

Each one of these ideas violate the Constitution.

[Ill_made_Knight]

Now there's a can of worms I hope never to see opened. It would lead to accusations of tests being unfair based on cultural knowledge or any other sort of complaint you can come up with.
It also might actually be used that way to deny certain groups of people the right to vote.
No, absolutely not.

[NamerOfStars]

No. Who'd write it? Who'd administer it? What would keep THEM from pushing in requirements to weed out people who'd vote for things they don't like? Most importantly, why should being stupid keep you from having a voice in government? Remember, stupid people made the Hoover Dam; smart people made Chernobyl.

[jcjj1991]

The dumb people would riot if this were the case.

Jokes aside, smart people make bad decisions. More specifically, they're very good at manipulating the public. They use their smarts for evil. Just remember, Hitler was a genius. Just a very evil one.

Democracy is more about human rights anyways. We vote for ideas rather than kill for them, even if they are horrible ideas

[FunkyMonkee]

Yeah, like everything else they disagree with, they would call THAT racist, too!!

[TDDMS]

I'm perfectly fine with having an IQ test for voting. In fact it was quite the norm for most of US' history that required such. In fact I'm all in favor in limiting the vote for anyone working in government and/or receiving government benefits like welfare.

[vald9inches]

Wouldn't that just be a type of oppression against a minority or majority? I think if people or the government really care about the IQ of people and it's citizens they would make high quality education free but its pretty obvious they want to keep people dumb for the benefit of a few wealthy individuals

[Apulu_Imback]

Would be much better if IQ tests for candidates is done as voting is a basic human right. This would be discrimination as not all people can receive education.

[vald9inches]

Beautiful well said! ❤️

[Apulu_Imback]

@vald9inches thank you 😊

[U4ea0]

Voting is not a basic human right. Human rights don't exist. You think a lion cares about human rights when it wants to chew your ass up? Of course not.

[vald9inches]

@U4ea0 why don't you go live with those lions if you don't think humans have rights fucking dumbass!

[Apulu_Imback]

@U4ea0 Ehh sir I'm saying what I studied from school and I know this because I study political science very well. I'm saying the basic thing here, not talking about your beliefs. What you believe isn't relevant here.

[vald9inches]

Damn someone just got owned and told by a smart little girl! 😂

[JDavid25]

There's public school and the internet, so yes everybody has access to education..

[U4ea0]

@vald9inches I lived not to far from lions in South Africa. I watched what happened when we gave black savages a right to vote. Ruined a perfectly good country. So, I'm no longer a sentimental moron who believes in the absurdity of equality.

@Apulu_Imback Discrimination simply means to choose. What is wrong with that?

[vald9inches]

@U4ea0 damn man racist much?

[U4ea0]

@vald9inches I immigrated to the US when I was 15. That country has deteriorated so far it really isn't even a country anymore. You have cannibals, baby rapists (baby rape is common there now), stupid behavior (stealing gas at night with an open flame torch), and a murder rate the very worst on the planet. I'm no longer sentimental.

[Apulu_Imback]

@JDavid25 and how much true is internet? Students need to study no matter what but those who aren't students won't study unless they have strong will. And mostly uneducated people are poor, they can't afford phone and internet.

[Still-alive]

@U4ea0 ‘black savages?’ Well aren't you a kind man…

[Apulu_Imback]

@U4ea0 nothing wrong with that. Yes discrimination is present, however we aren't talking about that. Just see how much irrelevant your opinion is compared to the post.

[Still-alive]

Yeah this guy is just a blatant racist and somehow decided to pick on a 13 year old over it lol

[Apulu_Imback]

@U4ea0 sorry black savages? I won't tolerate this. Then aren't you a white savage? Oh I'm sorry sir. You are what you tell to others.

[Apulu_Imback]

@Still-alive well if he is going in my biological age then, he is going to regret soon lol.

[Still-alive]

Not just a racist but a fascist as well who unashamedly hates democracy.

[Apulu_Imback]

@Still-alive he should try going through dictatorship, um North Korea wants him.

[Still-alive]

Yup i think he loves putin and xingping as well.

Anyways im expecting a huge essay length reply from him soon (check his answer here whoaa)

[Apulu_Imback]

@U4ea0 Sir, I want to say you, your opinion matters as long as it doesn’t hurts anyone practically. I respect your opinion but I don't respect the fact that you are trying to ashame me by posting irrelevant things. I want you to realise that I am talking about the basic thing and answered the question with my own opinion. Beliefs come later but our constitution wanted equality, now whether people follow it or not is a different thing. Read the asker's question once and read your replies, they ain't similar at all. I'm sorry if I humiliated you or angered you in any way, I just want you to stop talking about irrelevant things. Kindly don't do this to anyone else as well. I respect you, you respect me. Matter solved.

[U4ea0]

@Still-alive Pick on? I haven't said anything derogatory to her. Her comments are fairly typical of a little girl who obviously doesn't understand the protocols of human communication. But, then I see her complexion and we all know the reason for her impairment.

[Still-alive]

@U4ea0 lol so what do you get out of talking to her? Like who cares? Are 13 year olds all you can handle?

[U4ea0]

@Apulu_Imback No, you see I work and can't sit with this in front of me all day.

Exactly why do you imagine you humiliated or angered me in any way? My replies may have seemed irelevant to you, but that is just your lack of understanding as to what is irrelevant and what is not. Looking over your replies, you did the same thing and probably don't need to be calling anyone else out on it. It makes you look foolish.

[Apulu_Imback]

@U4ea0 how is IQ test even related to racists and all social problems?

Yeah you gave irrelevant opinion, I replied it irrelevantly. You get the same kind or replies based on you opinion.

Yeah you are a working man, then why don't you just ignore my replies instead and work? I have mental impairment according to you so yeah I'm workless. You are the only one superior among others isn't it? Then why wasting your time on us fools?

[Still-alive]

@U4ea0 dude you aren’t impressing or proving anything other than you are some troll getting off on harassing 13 year olds

[JDavid25]

The world wide web has all types of information whether correct or incorrect... In my opinion I'm more for not voting in a politician at all at least on the federal level.. You gotta care about an education first.. Poor people can get an education here in America if they care, it happens all the time where kids from poor backgrounds get a great education.. Especially when the parents can choose good schools for their kids.. Its still not an excuse in America..

[Apulu_Imback]

@JDavid25 yes that's actually a point to be considered about. Like so much money is wasted on elections but that much resources can be utilised for education. However we can't deny that democracy is better than other political systems. We should actually come up with something more better than democracy. Where there would be scope for morality, not only competition among political leaders.

[Apulu_Imback]

@JDavid25 over here if parents aren't educated then most probably they won't consider about their children's education as well especially when they are poor. Poverty is a huge problem in my country for education and most poor people here don't have access to internet, leave that, electricity is a problem in rural areas.

[Cuminginside]

He is entitled to his views and south Africa leaves a bad taste in your mouth so much that you have to drive into town with a rifle in your car besides carrying a pistol. Its NO joke in SA but they turned it into a joke whether its the whites or the blacks its now a sad joke and it used to be the jewel of Africa now its a 3rd world dump. Yes U can carry a gun there BUT your probably gonna have to use it.

[U4ea0]

@Cuminginside And we had a space program and a stock exchange! We were fools letting congoids into our once fine country. We even almost had nukes.

[Emiliamazing]

Funny idea, but all that would lead to is more lawsuits and government headache. Perhaps we should all take it upon ourselves to remind each other of why we have such freedoms in many parts of the world and how to support and embrace them.

[Emiliamazing]

@vald9inches-thanks for the like!

[Faith18letsgo]

There should definitely not be an IQ test. We know that standardized tests often end up having other biases. Also some people with disabilities have low IQs but still should have a say in who our government is.

[Ghostluck]

There should be an IQ test required before being allowed to live if you ask me. The world is not just being overrun by stupid people though, it is also being overran by people who aren't right in the head. Bad genetics have been populating like crazy and they have finally outnumbered the rest of the population.

[NewsReader]

It will never happen but would be a good idea. Would you rather have someone who has knowledge to decide what is best for the majority, or a mixed group where the uninformed or misinformed get to meddle in the election?

[JamesDiaz11]

That and a general knowledge test on politics- even intelligent people may have no idea how government actually functions, and make stupid decisions based off that.

However, this would limit black voting to around 5%, which I'm all for.

[Cuminginside]

They tried that with poll taxes and qualifying restrictions, now we have fed law that controls voter rights act. If a person can read they qualify.

[Levin]

An IQ test so you can vote for Biden or Trump?

The intelligence test is your willingness to vote in the first place.

If you vote, you're not that intelligent.