Should Politicians Take Children's Opinions More Seriously?

[Gibs960]

The title is self-explanatory. Should Politicians Take Children's Opinions More Seriously? I think yes, as children are the future, and if we grow up in a world that is corrupt and disorganised, then we as Kids/Teenagers will suffer. Your opinions? P.S. I'm not sure if this is in the right forum, so if a Mod could move it if it isn't



Edited by Catzsy (Forum Super Moderator): Moved to this forum from ' Current Affairs ' . Thanks.

[dbgtz]

Yes
Oddly, I asked a politician today about what he was doing (he was going around house to house for some reason) and he rejected me because I can't vote. Should have found out what party he was so I could publish it to the paper unless he was a phony then :S.

Anyway yes they should as they're the future voters.

[Inseriousity.]

Good question.

Yeah, they should. There's a reason why people get to 18 and can't be bothered voting and that's because they're not informed about what's going on so they get to 18 and it's all gobbledegook. I had no idea what hung parliament and all these terms mean and if they'd took the time to tell me, in the future, I'd likely reward them for it.

[Judas]

of course they should, as already said we are the future and we have as much right to give our views on how the country should be run, as it is our country as well

[Gibs960]

LOL my mum is 48 and I don't even think she knows what a hung parliament is, because politics is nothing to her apart from when the election is coming :|

[Neversoft]

No. The opinions of children are worthless. Once they mature they're going to have a totally different outlook on life. That's when their opinions start to matter and make sense. There is a reason people can't vote until they are eighteen.

[-:Undertaker:-]

No they should not especially as most young people are lofty left wingers anyway with, lets be frank - ridiculous ideas. I have a better idea though, abolish government whips in parliament and allow free votes which would make sure parliament is accountable to the electorate and not the parties.

[Catzsy]

No they should not especially as most young people are lofty left wingers anyway with, lets be frank - ridiculous ideas. I have a better idea though, abolish government whips in parliament and allow free votes which would make sure parliament is accountable to the electorate and not the parties.

Sources of evidence for the statement in bold, Dan or this is just rhetoric again ?

Anyway there is already a UK Youth Parliament
Link:
http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/4655/index.html
http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/20418/172637.html

Anyone wishing to stand as an MYP should attend a UK Youth Parliament Election Day. The Election Day should consist of at least four workshops around the themes of Representation, Democracy, Citizenship and the UK Youth Parliament. The idea is to give young people an informed choice about becoming an MYP, what is involved and the responsibilities that go with the role. Those young people who still want to stand for election at the end of day, should be supported by the local youth workers to prepare a short statement about why they think their peer group should vote for them.

Depending upon the funding available from the LEA, the election for the post of MYP will then either take place at the Election Day amongst the young people present; or will take place during the following few weeks across the local schools and youth clubs, etc with publicity about the candidates being widely available. In Kent, for the 2004 Elections 55,000 young people registered to vote, whilst 10,000 young people took part in the elections for Sutton in London.


- Once you are elected you will be expected to find out the concerns and needs of other young people in your constituency, and represent these views at local adult council meetings, etc. Your MP will be keen to hear from you, and many MYPs develop a productive working relationship with their MP during their term of office, often having regular meetings at the House of Commons and in the constituency.


- MYPs should be supported at a local level by a local youth participation, or youth worker. The UKYP supports MYPs at a regional level through a Regional Co-ordinator, and regional meetings which bring together MYPs from the UK’s nine English Regions once every six weeks or so. Once a year the UKYP holds an annual sitting, which brings together all of the MYPs from across the whole of the UK, for a three night, four day residential to create a Youth Manifesto which is presented to the Government for a response.


- In addition to working locally and regionally, the UKYP also undertakes to facilitate meetings between MYPs, Government Ministers and Government Departments on the issues that are raised in the Manifesto.


- Increasingly, the UKYP is developing an international element to its work, and in 2004 secured a place for an MYP to represent the UK at the Oxfam International Youth Parliament, in Sydney, Australia; and hopes to undertake a regular exchange programme with the emerging democratic Youth Parliament in Bahrain.

Any young person under the age of 18 can apply to be a UKYP and it is taken seriously and if this is not democracy in action I don't know what is.

[Jordy]

Sources of evidence for the statement in bold, Dan or this is just rhetoric again ?

Anyway there is already a UK Youth Parliament
Link:
http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/4655/index.html
http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/20418/172637.html




Any young person under the age of 18 can apply to be a UKYP and it is taken seriously and if this is not democracy in action I don't know what is.

Hmm I've used their forums a fair bit in the past however I thought the stuff on HabboxForum was a bit more serious. The people on there just rattle on about human rights and education etc constantly, it's not particularly interesting or balanced and while UKYP have succeeded in talking in both houses of parliament, I'm yet to hear of them actually persuading the government to do something.

I do quite like the initiative though. I think politicians should be more respectful to younger people and see them as potential voters and engage with them a bit more. In terms of listening to them I don't think people have a mature or balanced opinion until they are much older so they're not really worth listening to other than through channels such as UKYP.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Sources of evidence for the statement in bold, Dan or this is just rhetoric again ?

Rosie its a well known fact that younger people are to the left of the spectrum, famous Churchill quote on it also can be found on the subject.