OPINION Purple is the New Party
Let them eat democracy!
by Paul Moomjean paulmoomjean@yahoo.com
A
vcreporter.com ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer STAFF WRITER Kimberly Rivers CONTRIBUTORS Michael Cervin, David Michael Courtland, Ivor Davis, Emily Dodi, Alicia Doyle, David Goldstein, Chuck Graham, Chris Jay, Daphne Khalida Kilea, Karen Lindell, Paul Moomjean, Mike Nelson, Tim Pompey, Emily Savage, Kathy Jean Schultz, Alan Sculley, Kit Stolz, Mark Storer, Alex Wilson, Leslie A. Westbrook, Kateri Wozny GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bret Hooper, Paul Braun, Elaine Cota SALES TEAM LEADER Warren Barrett ADVERTISING SALES Barbara Kroon CLASSIFIEDS Ann Turrietta
s America continues to live in the “essential workforce” political and sociological roller- wouldn’t get a say in coaster that is 2020, the November how their taxes are spent election is less than a month away. As seems ridiculous in light President Trump is currently in quarantine of the current world we after catching COVID-19, along with the live in. Advertising information, call 805.648.2244 rest of the GOP apparently, and DNC canWhile expanding the Classified Ads | Display Ads didate Joe Biden goes around the country voting pool feels like EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICE with a new-founded sense of vigor, I want a natural move to me, 805.648.2244 to encourage you to look at the California there are a lot of conwarren@vcreporter.com (Advertising) general ballot and take a seemingly insig- descending adults with nancy@vcreporter.com (Editorial) nificant proposition and look to vote YES many inarticulate arguaturrietta@timespublications.com (Classifieds) on it. Proposition 18 is a very important ments against it. I’m The Ventura County Reporter is distributed every Thursday in Ventura, Oxnard, Port civil rights and suffrage law that would going to break down Hueneme, Camarillo, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills. The Reporter is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The Reporter may potentially help young people become more the most ridiculous be distributed only by Reporter authorized distributors. No person may, without prior politically astute and less cynical in how arguments by the Vote written permission of the Reporter, take more than one copy of each Reporter issue. The Reporter is copyright ©2020 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part their government sees them. No on Prop 18 team: of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means When I got my ballot on Oct. 4 in the mail, “Many tax increases and without permission in writing by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation (SP50329). Submissions of all kinds are welcomed. However, the publisher I filled in my ballot with my blue pen, when bond debt measures are assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned. I came across this particular ballot initiative. decided on primary and Here is the bill’s definition straight from the special election ballots. voter guide: “Proposition 18 will allow those That’s why only adults who will be 18 years of age by the time of the should vote.” general election to participate in the primary While many teenagers may not understand like a Scooby Doo villain. The argument PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine election of that year if they are 17 at the time every tax on the ballot, neither do most adults. above doesn’t make much sense when you VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt of the primary.” But if teenagers can be hired for jobs, they consider we also have limitations on 18-20 While the idea of more teenagers voting should be allowed the right to select leaders year olds concerning drinking, and people is too dumb to comprehend the issues of the might scare some, mostly baby boomers and who spend those taxes. under 25 cannot run for state senate seats, and day. These were also the same arguments used paranoid Republicans, Prop 18 is actually Opponents go on arguing, “California law of course people under 35 cannot run for presi- against allowing Black people and women AD PROOF something that should have been allowed puts extra rules and restrictions on driver dent. Yet, these teenagers are driving, and they from voting back in the day. Yet these are the since at least the 1950s should be allowed toBarbara vote sameKroon people who take(805) AP tests and honors Client: Cypress Place Ad Executive: 648-2244 and now more than ever. when gas taxation issues classes, and use critical thinking skills in While many teenagers may not understand every tax Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, IAD taught highRUN school comebox, up. date and sign at thesports and after school clubs. Because that is WILL ASand IS. If this proof approval on thedo 1st most proof, check off “FINAL (APPROVED)” bottom onmeets the your ballot, neither adults. But ifPROOF teenagers coached for almost 20 Yet, the worst argument who will vote — the energetic who ISSUE:students 10/8/20 NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS can PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP be allowed the be hired for jobs, they should years, and while I can say made is out of a satirical love thinking and debating and being part of that 17-year-olds might magazine like Babylon the system. right to select leaders who spend those taxes. not be the most politically Bee or The Onion: While the arguments against Prop 18 are minded, neither are most Americans. But one licenses of l6- and 17-year-olds because of “California law reflects the scientific evi- silly and hold no real weight, they are an open thing that many 17-year-olds do have are jobs. concerns about maturity and judgment. The dence that age-related brain development is window to the mind of aging boomers scared Tax-paying jobs. In a country that was founded license restrictions disappear exactly on the connected to the ability to reason, analyze and they are losing their state. Too late. The state on the principle of no taxation without repre- 18th birthday, not before.” Sometimes while comprehend cause-and-effect. The agreed-up- is already lost. We can only hope that the next sentation, the fact that teenagers who make up reading this argument, I feel the authors want- on age of reason, both statewide and nation- generation can fix it. I say, let them vote and a good portion of what we now consider the ed to just write, “I don’t like pesky teenagers!” ally, is 18.” They are arguing that the brain let them eat democracy!
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— October 8, 2020
