Voting Rights For The Mentally Unstable: An All-American Tradition.

The New York Times has an interesting story discussing the issues around mentally ill or diseased people voting. I mean, you wouldn’t want a criminally insane child murderer making legislation or a guy with Alzheimer’s planning out the road map to universal health care, so do we really want them driving the country? They are so easy to manipulate. They don’t really know what’s going on. Any rat bastard could steal their votes or sway them to his nefarious cause.

Of course I feel pretty much the same way about a large portion of the voting US population.

Take this quote from the grandmother of Sebastian Go, who is under legal guardianship bacause of his bipolar disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome.

“He has to have someone manage his money for him and make his medical decisions,” Ms. Clarke said. “But Sebastian is able to make a political decision.”

Exactly. He might not be able to balance his cheque book or administer his lithium, but man oh man can he vote.


Posted by Anna Gosline on June 19, 2007 at 11:16 AM in
Comments 5 Comments   Voting Rights For The Mentally Unstable: An All-American Tradition.   Digg

Comments

That’s a really complex issue. I mean we did declare that everyone here who pays taxes and is a citizen should have to right to vote and decide what should happen in this country, but at the same time, you don’t want crazy people leading it.

Posted on June 22, 2007 at 1:27 PM by Amy

It is a really complex issue. I think at it’s heart, it’s about a) the vulnerability of mental folks being manipulated and b) the constitutionality of the criminally insane voting.

In the end, I think most people would agree that some people with mental problems shouldnt’ get a vote. What no one will agree on is where to draw the line...how mad is too mad?

Posted on June 22, 2007 at 4:36 PM by

That’s so true. I mean someone might even want to manipulate that line somehow to get more votes. It’s just ridiculous. I just hope they can figure somthing out.

Posted on June 23, 2007 at 3:40 PM by Amy

I work with people who have disabilities (mental, mental illness and physical disabilities) and some of them vote. Although many, many more are “allowed” to vote, only the people who are the most politically active actually do. It’s really a small percentage when you look at the whole picture.

Several states (including one I’ve worked in) have laws that state people with guardians can not vote, because if they have guardians then they’re like, sort of legally a minor. Others do not.

I often worry about to whom they give their support, but then again, I worry similarly about my not-so-disabled neighbor.

Posted on June 29, 2007 at 12:59 PM by O. Dear

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Posted on December 18, 2007 at 7:14 AM by ouuzttbk

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