Who should be entitled to vote?

I disagree with universal suffrage.

In my opinion certain categories of people should not be entitled to vote especially in General elections.

I would debar everyone who had been unemployed for a period of twelve months or longer.

I would debar everybody who did not pay income tax.

I would debar all first generation immigrants.

I would debar anyone who is in jail or who's offence is not yet “spent” within the meaning defined and detailed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders act 1974.

And I would abolish “postal votes”, the loss there would be more than offset by the prevention of corruption as has been seen ion recent elections.

My reasoning?

Essentially to support the principle of no representation without taxation, and to take out of the electorate those who might have interests that are at odds with the tax paying public because it's the taxes paid by those in employment that pay the “benefits” to those not in employment.

Any arguments based on paying VAT and council taxes etc. are specious because those taxes come directly from “benefits” which in turn come from tax payers in work.


Won't ever happen of course because politicians are too frit to do what is right if it stands a chance of them loosing their jobs.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Oh Blimey.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Sometimes "sacred cows" should be culled in order for fresh ideas and practices to emerge better suited to changed environments.

Our society has changed hugely since the last major reform of the electoral system yet our electoral system has not.

There comes a point when .....

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Well. I'd agree with you on the Immigrants and Prisoners. But not People out of Work, getting a Job is a Nightmare nowadays and not all the Unemployed are Layabouts. I would have been unable to Vote if I'd not had a Postal Vote when I was Housebound for several Years..
Not sure who you actually mean by the non Tax Payers, is it The Avoiders? or some of the less well off Pensioners? or again the Unemployed?

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

What about indirect tax payers, Drinkers, Smokers, Motorists.?

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Don't be daft Ernie anyone can vote you just have to phone the number of the contestant you want, the man will explain it all at the beginning, you don't have to be a taxpayer, or not in prison or employed as long as you own a TV (come to that you could watch it in a supermarket if you were homeless) anyone can vote on SCD. Good Heavens I sometimes wonder at people...the word plank springs to mind.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

If they're unemployed and not paying income tax then they're getting "benefits" of one sort or another. Even those on low pay still are eligible for income tax but it's at zero percent below a certain level and allowances.

What I'm proposing is that those taking from the income tax payer filled pot and do not contribute from their earned income, even at zero percent, should not have a say in how the portion of earned income that goes to government is spent.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Pensioners? Self funded retirees? I pay no tax because I am on a superannuation pension which is tax free, but if you stopped pensioners voting then you would never get a conservative government again, Labor and the Greens would win every time.

Far more important to the UK is the get rid of the stupid 'first past the post' voting, make voting compulsory for all adults over 18 and get an elected upper house of review.

You probably would have to have an optional preferential system (rather than a full preferential system but at least you would get the government you deserve.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

Wow, Wow, and Wow again. For once I am speechless.
What about rounding up all non tax payers, immigrants, students and non tax paying pensioners + any others considered unworthy and useless. Send them off into outer space in a vehicle which will self desruct. That'll sort it.
IMO this post is not even worthy of an attempt at a sensible reply from me let alone any sort of debate.

Re: Who should be entitled to vote?

The man is making an absolute idiot of himself. He'll be telling us next that women should never have been given the vote.

He is as believable as one of Dr.Who's Daleks. Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate. Or was that the Nazis