>How would you feel about changing voter eligibility from citizenship to taxpayer?
If anyone actually tried to make it happen, I would assume they had a cynical motive.
Would every taxpayer have an equal vote, or would those that pay more get more votes?
Would a rich person be able to manipulate the system by paying one million people in a poor country $10 to pay $1 in taxes, making them eligible to vote?
Where would they be able to vote? In which state and district?
Would it be net taxpayers? That is to say, would it exclude anyone who receives more in government benefits than they pay out?
I don’t mind it though, especially in restricted cases like the above, but I don’t have strong feelings about immigration either. I know it makes right wing people literally go insane though, so it’s a good idea if you want to “trigger the MAGAs”.
No, I think we can just leave it as it is. I don’t think it would fly anyway since New York tried it for municipal elections and it was struck down as unconstitutional
Given the state of our politics, I think it would also be a dangerous message to send because inevitably it would turn into the concept that the wealthier you are the more votes you get
Let’s take a friend of mine, for example. She has very severe tourettes syndrome. It’s such an extreme case that she’s been studied, mentioned in research materials, and had experimental brain surgeries performed through grants. She absolutely cannot work. Just can’t. She flails, she screams, she says inappropriate things, and none of this is in her control at all. As such, she does not pay income or property taxes.
She does, however, represent a portion of the population that has an obvious interest in the ADA and social services. I don’t believe that only people who are able bodied and financially independent should have influence over what kinds of policies are approved and what issues get attention. Furthermore, she’s just as chomped in the ass by sales tax as any of us.
For that matter, excluding people with no income or property from voting in general seems like it would only serve to exclude the poor from participating in democracy.
In theory it sounds great. Maybe we could even have an upper house of Congress where the weight of your vote is based on how much you pay in taxes.
In practice there would likely be ways to game the system to control who votes.
You don’t want hunter’s (big 2’d amendment supporters) votes to count more despite their money being used by the government for conservation efforts? Well those are “user fees” not “taxes” even though they are paid to the government.
You want your favorite rich people to have more say without hurting their bottom line? Raise their taxes but offset to providing government services to do things for them that they would normally have to pay for.
I think it would create more messes without having the intended effect.
So those that are unemployed can’t vote and if Russian state agents want to influence our vote then they just open a tiny lemonade stand and pay taxes on the profit from that?
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>How would you feel about changing voter eligibility from citizenship to taxpayer?
If anyone actually tried to make it happen, I would assume they had a cynical motive.
What tax? Sales? Income? State? Federal?
Probably against. Although I do think long-term alien residents should be eligible to vote.
Are you proposing unemployed people lose their vote? Or are you just suggesting that people who work here should get to vote?
they tried this in NYC for municipal elections and it was overturned after being ruled as unconstitutional. https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nycs-non-citizen-voting-law-struck-down/
I don’t mind it though, especially in restricted cases like the above, but I don’t have strong feelings about immigration either. I know it makes right wing people literally go insane though, so it’s a good idea if you want to “trigger the MAGAs”.
No, I think we can just leave it as it is. I don’t think it would fly anyway since New York tried it for municipal elections and it was struck down as unconstitutional
Given the state of our politics, I think it would also be a dangerous message to send because inevitably it would turn into the concept that the wealthier you are the more votes you get
Let’s take a friend of mine, for example. She has very severe tourettes syndrome. It’s such an extreme case that she’s been studied, mentioned in research materials, and had experimental brain surgeries performed through grants. She absolutely cannot work. Just can’t. She flails, she screams, she says inappropriate things, and none of this is in her control at all. As such, she does not pay income or property taxes.
She does, however, represent a portion of the population that has an obvious interest in the ADA and social services. I don’t believe that only people who are able bodied and financially independent should have influence over what kinds of policies are approved and what issues get attention. Furthermore, she’s just as chomped in the ass by sales tax as any of us.
For that matter, excluding people with no income or property from voting in general seems like it would only serve to exclude the poor from participating in democracy.
Fuck that.
Everyone gets to vote. Period.
I’m pissed we take it away from convicts. They absolutely should get to vote.
I would go for that as long as you actually pay more taxes than you get in return. You actually have some skin in the game.
I’d oppose that; our government is supposed to be based on the consent of the governed, not the consent of the taxpayer.
It’d also get super tricky to include millions of non-Americans in our elections.
So if I’m a stay at home mom who doesn’t have an income, I’m not allowed to vote?
If I’m an 18 year old college student who doesn’t have an income, I’m not allowed to vote?
If I’m a disabled vet who doesn’t make enough on disability, I’m not allowed to vote?
If I’ve been unemployed for over a year becuase Elon fired me, and I had to move back in with my parents, I’m not allowed to vote?
Fuck no.
Pay to play is not the game we play when it comes to voting so fuck no. That’s ridiculous.
just reinstitute the poll tax…. /s
In theory it sounds great. Maybe we could even have an upper house of Congress where the weight of your vote is based on how much you pay in taxes.
In practice there would likely be ways to game the system to control who votes.
You don’t want hunter’s (big 2’d amendment supporters) votes to count more despite their money being used by the government for conservation efforts? Well those are “user fees” not “taxes” even though they are paid to the government.
You want your favorite rich people to have more say without hurting their bottom line? Raise their taxes but offset to providing government services to do things for them that they would normally have to pay for.
I think it would create more messes without having the intended effect.
What’s the difference? Do all citizens not pay taxes?
Absolutely not. It’s not the 1700s anymore.
I think that is an obviously terrible idea.
Do you mean federal income tax specifically?
So those that are unemployed can’t vote and if Russian state agents want to influence our vote then they just open a tiny lemonade stand and pay taxes on the profit from that?