I'm not necessarily opposed, but beyond "they deserve a say in their future" I'm not really sure what the argument for it is.
There's a lot of learning that goes on between the ages of 16 and 18. Like the level of stuff you're learning accelerates quite a lot.
While education isn't a pre-requisite for voting, we gotta set a line somewhere. 18 is the line we've set for a bunch of other things.
I would need more convincing that this line should be changed.
This is fair and reasoned criticism of my somewhat uncareful expression. And I apologise for being a rage merchant on the internet.
She's better in many ways than the Liberals.
But I'm still going to call her a fuckwit on something as black and white as making wage theft criminal.
There's just no justification for that. Unless your worldview is fundamentally inequitable, where you believe some people are more deserving than others.
Which is why I can never see her as anything other than right-wing, despite all her decent positions as you point out.
Education isn't a pre-requisite for voting, but unless we're planning on fundamentally changing how we treat 16 to 18 year olds (which I'm in favour of, by the way), I don't see why 16 should be the new arbitrary age we choose.
Why not 14?
18 is the arbitrary age we've already chosen to confer adulthood.
And when I was 16, I felt much the same way. I had my opinions, and I wouldn't have been against being given the vote. But we also don't let 16 year olds drive. Should we let them do that too?
Honestly, I dunno.
16 year olds aren't stupid, but we just gotta pick some arbitrary line where we think the average person has had enough life experience to be entrusted with voting.
And honestly, it's probably a good thing for people to have the chance of being more numerate and literate via schooling in year 11 and 12, or in a trade or TAFE before they start voting.
Learning accelerates (at least, in my experience) a lot in those last years of secondary schooling.
I'm not necessarily against changing it. I just very dislike Monique Ryan because she hates working people (fact, not opinion, since she's voted against criminalising wage theft), and think this is somewhat a distraction from the economic woes which this kind of ideology produces.
When I was 16 I also didn't see much of a need for it (this topic is raised every couple of years). Even though I was much more engaged with politics than the average person at that age, at the time.
I'm not saying 16 year olds are unqualified to vote, but we gotta draw the line somewhere.
Adulthood isn't totally arbitrary because of how we've structured our society (though, the age at which this is, depends on when people are leaving school/are legally defined as independent).
The reason I think this is a distraction is because this has been suggested time and time again, and it's not likely to get off the ground and it wouldn't make huge swings in voter numbers.
I dunno. As in my edited comment, I just think Monique Ryan is a wanker, who I happen to agree with on wanting to do something urgently about the climate.
This is fair, my language is perhaps a little strong. Still a distraction in my opinion.
Teenagers are in school, and many are very knowledgeable and engaged.
But I don't really think there is much need to change the voting age
On social and environmental issues only. Which is nice, but she's as anti-worker as the moderate Liberals are.
I think they need this exactly wording. The swear words in particular would hopefully make it sink in
Daily reminder for what this independent stands for. She is a big L Liberal who just happens to believe in climate change and that queer people exist.
https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/kooyong/monique_ryan
[Edit: I reckon what I wrote below here was probably a bit extreme. I still don't like Monique Ryan, but yeah, she is at least sane when it comes to climate and identity.
I still think it's fair to post this criticism under every single thing she says. But I will concede that her being a wanker doesn't necessarily mean giving 16 year olds the vote is culture war.
I don't take back anything about her being shit. If you're voting against criminalising wage theft, you are a shit person.
This was my knee-jerk reaction:]
To me, this is more culture war bullshit that right-wingers love to distract us with.
The voting age is perfectly fine where it is and is in line with practically all other age restrictions.
She voted against criminalising wage theft. Teals are not not-shit candidates, despite what The Juice Media might be peddling.
☹️ this does not spark joy
As much as we're not the US, it saddens me how much we permit cars to rule over our cities
kill them and kill them now
[Edit: mod removed your comment, which I think is a pity. How am I supposed to debate you?]
I'm hoping you're not saying this in real life. Probably getting a lotta these 👀 after nuggets of wisdom like that.
You think a piece of shit like that will ever reintegrate? They sent tens of texts while driving
Why are you so sure they're incapable of being rehabilitated? Humans are just black and white to you?
Are you ready to have one of your family be killed by a texting driver?
I'm sure as hell that the death penalty would do practically nothing to solve road deaths. Considering the US is far worse than us in road deaths, and they have the death penalty. It's almost like we shouldn't design our cities around everyone being required to drive :O
This obviously doesn't absolve this arsehole of blame here. He's clearly done the wrong thing, and deserves punishment and years (more than he received) in prison. But it's just not the Australian way to kill criminals. Even for murder.
Anyway. I would strongly suggest you keep your pro-death penalty stance online only (your opinion, while I disagree with you, very strongly, is welcomed here. Online).
This all assumes you live in Australia, or basically anywhere in the developed world other than the US.
People will judge you, rightly, in my opinion.
I don't like this because it doesn't incentivise low cost cards. If you don't then regulate the fees cards can charge, and how payment providers are allowed to pass on those costs to the retailer, it'll become a race to the bottom on rewards cards, and how much they then turn around to charge the retailer.
We'll all bear the cost then.
And frankly, I don't want to pay for others frequent flyer miles.
I'd go one step further and just outright ban rewards cards. That shit is just perverse incentives all the way down.
Yeah. I'm gonna do something rare on the internet: you're right to call me out on this.
I let my dislike for a class enemy get the better of me in the way I expressed myself. Instead of commenting on the topic of voter age.
She's still a wanker for being against wage theft criminalisation. I'll stand by that.