Should Americans be required to pass the Citizenship Test in order to vote?

[Blue3]

Should Americans be required to pass the Citizenship Test in order to vote?

(The exact same test that naturalizing citizens need to pass.)



Don't just vote... explain and debate!

[Lachi]

Of course not, don't be stupid.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

This would obviously have to be paired with a rigorous reinforcement of our public education system as well as certain system augmentations put in place to make it easy for all qualified citizens to vote. The potential for racism and classism to infiltrate any implementation of this system in modern-day America would be too great--and, regardless, too perceivably great, and the last thing we need to deal with is leftist whining.

This reminds me of when a civil engineering professor mentioned the film "Starship Troopers" to me and mentioned that it posed the question "what does it mean to be a citizen?" Citizenship ought to be more than living nominally within the bounds of the law.

[Enduro]

No

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

No. and anybody who votes 'yes' should br stripped of tje right ti vote (I kid)

[Murica!]

Here, my friends, we can see the continuing normalization of antidemocratic sentiments.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Interesting vote totals so far.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     No, but I do think we need to place a lot more emphasis on these topics in education. It's a shameful indictment of our educational system that most voters do not understand the political system that we have in place.

[RFayette]

     No, but I do think we need to place a lot more emphasis on these topics in education. It's a shameful indictment of our educational system that most voters do not understand the political system that we have in place.

This.  I'd also add that far more attention needs to be placed on critical thinking and proper understanding of evidence (whether it be scientific studies, survey data, news reports, etc.), the scientific method, etc. to help avoid the "alternative universes" phenomenon we see so much right now.

[White Trash]

Here, my friends, we can see the continuing normalization of antidemocratic sentiments.

[Mr. Reactionary]

No. But it would be nice if they could.

[dead0man]

No, of course not.  Like most others, it should be a more important part of public school.

[Hammy]

Absolutely not. A much better idea would require passing one in order to graduate high school.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

I kinda like the idea, test for everybody or nobody.

[dead0man]

Absolutely not. A much better idea would require passing one in order to graduate high school.

Of course, never fly though.  For some reason we as a society have decided it's better to have more people with a thing that's easier to get, than fewer people with a thing that means more.  Everybody gets a participation trophy for showing up and it's called a HS diploma.  They don't care if you learn anything.  They want numbers!  I believe the 4 year college degree is walking down the same path, maybe a decade behind.  They don't care so much about graduation numbers, but they very much want asses in seats and checks deposited in accounts.

[DavidB.]

Another case of...

[angus]

They don't care so much about graduation numbers, but they very much want asses in seats and checks deposited in accounts.

You got that right, and it's immoral.  We don't care how you get the money:  borrow, steal, or work, but be here with the check and you're admitted.  I can count at least three undergraduates who were suspended for academic reasons, and then readmitted in later semesters only to be suspended again for their grades.  This is a big economic and ethical problem, in my humble opinion.

[Blue3]

So the consensus seems to be against a requirement to vote... but how about as a requirement in high school?

And honestly, let's not leave it until 12th grade, civics education needs to be immersive throughout, maybe do this test even as early as 8th grade.

[Ebowed]

You may as well propose a requirement to own land.

Teach civics in school- sure, but there are a lot of issues with education that a requirement to teach civics won't do much to fix.  A lot of students served by scam charter schools, or attending private academies that don't teach science, will continue to miss out.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

     No, but I do think we need to place a lot more emphasis on these topics in education. It's a shameful indictment of our educational system that most voters do not understand the political system that we have in place.

This. Though to be fair, it's perfectly understandable that people do not understand the electoral college or the presidential primary system.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

We basically already are. In order to vote, of course, you must be a citizen. There are basically two ways to become a US citizen:

1. Be born here

If you're born in the United States and stay until you're old enough to vote (and a large majority of natural-born citizens never even set foot outside the country, let alone live outside it), you will have to take a federally-mandated Constitution test at least once during school. I had to take one in eighth grade and another as a sophomore in high school. These tests have 100 questions and are fairly comprehensive.

2. Become naturalized

If you become a naturalized citizen, then you have to take the citizenship test anyway, so this is a moot point.

[Blue3]

We basically already are. In order to vote, of course, you must be a citizen. There are basically two ways to become a US citizen:

1. Be born here

If you're born in the United States and stay until you're old enough to vote (and a large majority of natural-born citizens never even set foot outside the country, let alone live outside it), you will have to take a federally-mandated Constitution test at least once during school. I had to take one in eighth grade and another as a sophomore in high school. These tests have 100 questions and are fairly comprehensive.

2. Become naturalized

If you become a naturalized citizen, then you have to take the citizenship test anyway, so this is a moot point.

I have never heard of #1...

[Coolface Sock #42069]

We basically already are. In order to vote, of course, you must be a citizen. There are basically two ways to become a US citizen:

1. Be born here

If you're born in the United States and stay until you're old enough to vote (and a large majority of natural-born citizens never even set foot outside the country, let alone live outside it), you will have to take a federally-mandated Constitution test at least once during school. I had to take one in eighth grade and another as a sophomore in high school. These tests have 100 questions and are fairly comprehensive.

2. Become naturalized

If you become a naturalized citizen, then you have to take the citizenship test anyway, so this is a moot point.

I have never heard of #1...

Perhaps it's not federally mandated; maybe it's only mandated in Illinois, but it probably should be federally mandated if it isn't.

[Blue3]

We basically already are. In order to vote, of course, you must be a citizen. There are basically two ways to become a US citizen:

1. Be born here

If you're born in the United States and stay until you're old enough to vote (and a large majority of natural-born citizens never even set foot outside the country, let alone live outside it), you will have to take a federally-mandated Constitution test at least once during school. I had to take one in eighth grade and another as a sophomore in high school. These tests have 100 questions and are fairly comprehensive.

2. Become naturalized

If you become a naturalized citizen, then you have to take the citizenship test anyway, so this is a moot point.

I have never heard of #1...

Perhaps it's not federally mandated; maybe it's only mandated in Illinois, but it probably should be federally mandated if it isn't.

Yeah, making that federally mandated is exactly the kind of thing that I'm talking about. But also a curriculum to support it.

[RINO Tom]

Absolutely not.