In the November 2008 Connecticut election the voters authorized a Constitutional amendment proposed by the legislature to allow 17 year olds to vote in State primaries if they turn 18 by the next election, November 2, 2010. This means that all 17 year olds should register NOW to vote.This will enable you to vote in (one or more depending upon party rules} primaries to be held in 2010. You can then also vote in the general election.
In the mean time, to exercise your new found freedom to vote why not become politically active by starting a petition to change the State's Constitution? My one day school wide (400 kids) civil sit down boycott of the high school cafeteria eliminated the daily repetitional use of raisins and peanut butter from the federal foods program. We did not have choice of menu as is the case today and a daily dose over an extended period of culinary creations for the same price was just too much to bear. Who would have known you could make so many things from these two ingrediants? One day and one detention later the menu was fixed.To this day I often wonder if I suffered long term effects and whatever happened to all those raisins and peanut butter? My mother would say the hungry children in China got the surplus.
In this petition you can cite the need for laws that you think are worthy with such examples as:
1. Choice of online education option for courses you need or would like to take and get credit in your local district.
2. The ability to play a sport or join an after school group in another district because your school does not have such a program.
3. The ability to take a course elsewhere for credit assuming transportation is available and scheduling permits.
4. More vacation. shorter days, no homework,... NO NO NO!!!!!!!!
Your petition would cite the need for a voter initiative in Connecticut for citizens to have direct democracy. Proposing legislation for consideration under guidelines to insure its legality and its up or down vote in a statewide referendum allows all voters to participate in government.The roots of our country started in Connecticut with the first Constitution (read the history) and this voter referendum puts the power in the hands of the people, directly.
Grab your history teacher, student activists, school newspaper and others to get this going. The petition needs authenticated signatures which can be accomplished with the local town registrar of voters. The target date is Ground Hog Day. Will he see the shining city of light on the hill as so described by Ronald Regan where the rest of the world looks to our beacon of hope for definition of freedom or will he see the darkness and shadow of the Berlin Wall that kept freedom out and the people in to be ruled under tyrants?
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5 comments:
rock the vote! the dems got rockin in 2008. now there the same ole hot air. didnt no 17 could vote in conn, great idea but we gotta get that internet thing going, people dont rite any more.
Thank you for your thoughtful piece promoting online education. About time. Myself and others have been advocating statewide education classes as an alternative to and enrichment of the public schools.
We did not consider petitions to the General Assembly. Now we will. Also we did not consider making this a town issue. Now we will. Will continue to read your blog. I'm a first time visiter.
you gotta get in office. im comin back to your state. my gal thinks im gettin smart what with all these ideas from your blog. dig your school caf story, that was the pits. what dya thk about mickey d taking over?
Do you really think the political process would be better if more young people-specifically 17 year olds participated more? Go to a mall, check out the chat rooms, they (and their 18, 19, 20 year old peers) are the reason we have the president we do. Stimulating piece of writing though.
i can't imagine what all those harford reps would do if more people in this state started telling them what they really want. how could you get all that on a petition, how bout storming hartford??
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