November 4, 2014
The school of Austrian Economics believes there should be little to no government intervention.
An Austrian economist will argue that the extent of a government's power should be to enforce private
property rights and to defend against foreign enemies. In many regards, I share similar beliefs to this
way of thinking. Still, I do believe a government is necessary in some situations. Public services such as
an effective police force could be provided by independent firms. However, privatizing such services
would increase the gap between the wealthy and the impoverished. This would most likely have a
negative affect on a greater portion of the population.
One policy I believe the government needs to intervene on is the minimal standards required for
an individual to vote in our country. Currently, almost any American citizen eighteen years or older is
allowed to cast a ballot. I believe this should still be applicable, except that each individual should be
required to pass a test provided by the state, to ensure at least a minimal understanding of the issues and
policies at stake.
Many would argue that such an act would greatly infringe on an individual's rights. Personally, I
believe higher standards for voters would greatly benefit our nation as a whole. First off, a person is
required to know the menu at many chain restaurants before being employed, yet any level of ignorance
is permitted for a person to be allowed to play an influence in the overall direction of our country.
Additionally, lack of knowledge generally leads to an affiliation with one of the two primary political
parties. Associating with either the Republican or Democratic party tends to lead to an individual
always voting in the direction of their party. This phenomena eliminates the necessity for an individual
to critically think about the issue at hand. This leads to a greater disconnect between the two parties,
which creates more inefficiencies in the higher political processes.
Ultimately, there would be some issues with this alteration. Implementation could be troublesome.
However, in this highly digital age, switching to voting via the internet would simplify the process. The
biggest concern would be tampering with the tests. An unbiased group with members affiliated with all
political parties involved, would be necessary to ensure proper wording and no misleading information.
All in all, an increased standard to vote would benefit our country.
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