[setanta]

Originally Posted by angus58

Well the insane are not allowed to vote on the grounds that they do not know what they are voting for. Using that reasoning, I am saying there could be millions of people who vote who may have no clear idea what they are voting for, yet we ALL have to suffer the consequences of the choices they make. It is certainly the democratic right of anyone to be ignorant, but it is my human right not to suffer the consequences of that ignorance.

As for democracy, which kind are you referring to since there are several varieties? In the UK it is the majority rule, though some would argue that it is tyranny by majority, depending on which side of the ideological spectrum you're on. In this country people are villified for supporting the BNP, for example, yet that is their democratic right to do so, whether you or I like it.
Therefore the rule of the majority becomes the tyranny of the majority but hey ho, it's still democracy!

If people are going to make UNINFORMED choices that affect the outcome of something as important as choosing a government, then there should be safeguards in place. Otherwise your argument to allow everyone to vote should be extended to include all exempt groups on the grounds that not allowing them to do so infringes THEIR human rights.

And where does this kind of reasoning end? The cornerstones of any democracy are equal rights and freedoms for all, which you would be suppressing or basically opposing by enforcing this kind of law. I would rather have a society that promotes free speech and a say for all than have one where the most important decisions on the running of the state are dictated by a minority of citizens. Like I said before, it doesn't work that way.