Everyone’s heard at least one person say, “Man, there oughtta be a test people have to pass to prove they’re intelligent/informed/human enough to vote!” Well, in my Skald-like hypothetical, Congress has indeed passed a Constitutional amendment requiring all citizen eligible to vote pass a test. They have formed a committee consisting of the smartest, hippest people on the planet (plus a few total dipsticks, to keep it representative :)) to come up with the questions.
What questions would you pose that would be fair, not leading, and wouldn’t favor any particular demographic or political affiliation?
Read Heinlein’s Expanded Universe for some very whacko suggestions for tests for the polity. These are made pretty much tongue-in-cheek (I hope), trying out ourrageous ideas in the quest to make people think.
I can’t believe that any sort of test is going to lead to a real mess of charges, counter-charges, loopholes, exceptions, and corruption. Better to avoid that path.
Well, I’d suggest something similar to the ER questions…check to see if the person is oriented as to time and space and such. For instance, ask what year (and day) it is, who is currently POTUS (because if they don’t know even that, they have no business voting), who they are, and what they are there for.
Come on Cal, we’re just have’n fun here.
1.) Who is the current VP
2.) Who is the current Speaker of the house? (It’s scary how many people don’t know this)
I wouldn’t have too many history questions on it, for sure. Also wouldn’t have too many 'What’s the name of the current <insert position nobody hears about except they’re on the news once a month> questions because politicians are like waiters, and if they’re doing they’re job right, you barely notice them. We are hiring THEM to do this work, and while there’s a certain amount of knowledge required to even be able to form an opinion as to who might do the job you want them to in the WAY you want them to, that information isn’t going to come from ads or Wikipedia. So unless one spends a serious chunk of time studying who actually has done what, it’s hard to make a truly informed call. Hence the prevalence of party votes.
So…Screw what the NAMES are holding the current positions. But what those positions ARE and what they DO and how much influence the public truly has on their performance beyond voting every couple of years…those are questions that might matter.
We had about 75 out of 425 on election day who could not answer even that basic question. We spent most the day sorting them out so they COULD vote in the precinct they were really registered in.
Ask the same sort of questions immigrants are asked when they apply for citizenship.
Multiple choice questions ripped from that USCIS link include:
[ol]
[li]What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?[/li][li]What are the two major political parties in the United States?[/li][li]What is freedom of religion?[/li][li]What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?[/li][li]Where is the Statue of Liberty?[/li][li]When must all men register for the Selective Service?[/li][li]How many amendments does the Constitution have?[/li][li]What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?[/li][li]What is the name of the President of the United States now?[/li][li]What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?[/li][li]What did Susan B. Anthony do?[/li][li]What is the economic system in the United States?[/li][li]What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?[/li][li]Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.[/li][li]In what month do we vote for President?[/li][li]Who was the first President?[/li][li]What happened at the Constitutional Convention?[/li][li]If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?[/li][li]Why does the flag have 50 stars?[/li][li]Who signs bills to become laws?[/li][li]Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?[/li][li]When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?[/li][li]During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?[/li][li]If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?[/li][li]Who did the United States fight in World War II?[/li][/ol]
An immigrant can have a green card without knowing this stuff. But to gain the right to vote and citizenship they must take such a test. At least six correct answers out of 10 questions is a passing score.
If it is good enough for the immigrant, it is good enough for the natural born American.
Hehe, I think we’re going to have to hijack the thread and answer those qustions ourselves
[ol]
[li]What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? -The Bill of Rights[/li][li]What are the two major political parties in the United States? -Donkeys and Elephants[/li][li]What is freedom of religion? -Freedom from taxes while skirting laws taxpayers actually have to follow[/li][li]What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? -Louisiana Purchase?[/li][li]Where is the Statue of Liberty? -New York Habor, I hope. After Sandy, who knows?[/li][li]When must all men register for the Selective Service? -Before they are considered full-fledged citizens with the right to drink and rent a car. 'cause that’s when the trouble really starts![/li][li]How many amendments does the Constitution have? Either not enough or too many, depends who you ask.[/li][li]What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? No idea. Bet he’s an old, white male, though![/li][li]What is the name of the President of the United States now? Well, it depends on who you talk to… ;)[/li][li]What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? Apparantly the flag, which is weird.[/li][li]What did Susan B. Anthony do? Whatever it was, it was only worth a dollar :eek:[/li][li]What is the economic system in the United States? Money uber alles.[/li][li]What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? Saved us from vampires, duh.[/li][li]Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. Oh hell, someone else insert a wetback joke here, I don’t have the energy.[/li][li]In what month do we vote for President? The one right before everyone flees Washington to cry about the results.[/li][li]Who was the first President? The guy with the wooden teeth![/li][li]What happened at the Constitutional Convention? What happens at the Con, stays at the Con.[/li][li]If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? Apparantly the guy with the most money / guns. which makes me feel sorry for the Speaker.[/li][li]Why does the flag have 50 stars? Because we’re jerks who won’t let PR in.[/li][li]Who signs bills to become laws? Probably not the guy who wrote them.[/li][li]Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? You mean, whose handwriting it is? Or whose ideas they were?[/li][li]When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? However long you can stretch out multiple extensions.[/li][li]During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? Russian Bears, man. They’re gonna take over.[/li][li]If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? Well, unfortunately it’s usually the VP. Poor guy.[/li][li]Who did the United States fight in World War II? Let’s see…again, it depends on who you talk to![/li][/ol]
How about something like “name an elective office that is at stake this year?” (Not “who are you voting for” - I mean, do you even understand that you’re voting for President this year, but next year it’s State Assemblyman or Senator or Congressman, etc.)?
If you don’t even know what you’re voting for but are just going in to tick some boxes off like you’ve been told to do - or to do it semi-randomly at the last minute - maybe that’s not a good thing.
Similarly to the method used by Nigerian Scammers, the questions should be so stupidly ridiculous that anyone responding seriously is either banned from voting, or just humoured and made to feel their vote has been counted.
