I read with interest Abner Mikva’s piece on his co-sponsorship of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution in 1971 (“A smarter way to pursue the youth vote,” Commentary, Aug. 15). He is very disappointed that so few young people vote. He also related that “high school students routinely score abysmally low on tests of civic knowledge and history.” Now why would we want voters who have little knowledge of civics and history?
I think that this amendment was a misguided effort to get more voters. At the time, we still had the draft, and citizens were concerned that it was wrong to draft young people into the armed services, let them fight and die for our country, and yet not let them vote. It is wrong to do that, but we no longer have the draft. I think it is imprudent to give the vote to young people who have never earned a living. Some have never even held a part-time job. Only when you know what it is like to support yourself can you realistically judge what we should be spending our taxes on.
I wish we could allow young people in the armed services the right to vote, but make the others wait, learn and earn that right. Eighteen is too young.
