Lower the Age Requirement for Federal Elected Officials

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The reason why young people don't vote is so obvious that it can be found in the U.S. Constitution. The Founding Fathers, progressive and tolerant though they were, saw fit to cite age as the only limitation to holding a federal elected office. In a document that rightly stands as a model for modern liberal democracy, neither race nor gender nor religion nor creed were mentioned as being relevant to the qualifications of a representative. This only serves to emphasize the degree to which age discrimination is rooted in the American political system. From the beginning, those under 25 (the minimum age for a member of the House of Representatives) have been treated as less-than-equal citizens, so it is no surprise or coincidence that men and women aged 18-25 represent the demographic group that votes the least.

The age requirements mandated in the Constitution for the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency are arbitrary to say the least. What makes a 25 year-old more qualified to represent his or her fellow citizens than an 18 year-old? Why do the res...

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