In the 1700s, a man by the name of James Otis uttered the phrase, “Taxation without representation is tyranny.” This belief became a rallying cry that led to the creation of our country.
However, we now live at a time when an entire group of people is taxed, and receives no representation. Working teenagers who are not yet fully adults are allowed to work, drive a car, are required to pay taxes, and can even be tried as adults in a court of law in some instances, but have no say in the policy decisions affecting them.
It is truly “taxation without representation” in the fullest way. Now I’m sure many of you reading this think teenagers are too irrational and immature to warrant a voice in politics. While that holds true in many cases, I think we can agree those who have found a job, pay taxes, and can legally drive don’t fit this mold. Thereby, I see the only reasonable and fair solution is to lower the voting age to 16 for those who have proven they are adept at handling the responsibilities of the real world.
