April 21, 2003 at 22:38:50
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Teen: Lower voting age to 16
By MARGIE KACOHA, Daily News Staff Writer Monday, April 21, 2003 — Miranda Rosenberg wants more rights. Inside the North End home of the Rosenberg family, a move is afoot to lower the voting age in Florida from 18 to 16. The force behind the petition drive that already has captured national attention is Miranda, a 15-year-old sophomore at Suncoast High School. Between classes, math club, debate team, fencing and just acting like a normal kid who goes to the movies with friends, Rosenberg, who will turn 16 on June 1, has taken on the task of gathering 480,000-plus signatures to put the question to Florida voters in the form of an amendment to the state constitution. It wasn't the debacle known as the 2000 presidential election that got her started. Rather, it was last year's tax return. She owed the feds about $30 from her part-time job at her father's West Palm Beach dermatology office. Something didn't sit right with her about that — paying into a system where she had no voice. So she decided to act. Now there's a Web site — www.voteat16.com — about 1,000 signatures collected and a growing portfolio of newspaper and magazine clippings. Local media have discovered her, as has a paper in Daytona. But Rosenberg has also made it higher up in the media food chain, snagging a brief quote in Newsweek. Last week, she scored a speaking engagement before Broward County Democrats. And, if anyone needs more proof that her idea is catching attention, she even rated a mention by quipster Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. The spotlight hasn't rattled Rosenberg one bit. "It's a little sudden," was about all she had to say about that. Her father, Dr. Steven Rosenberg, said the family wasn't quite prepared for the reaction. "We're a little surprised by the amount of attention she's received," he said. But Miranda had plenty to say in response to standard comments and questions, including: Teens aren't informed, teens won't vote, teens aren't interested in politics and teens would elect rock stars. In the style of a debater, she has answers for detractors. Citing studies and programs, Rosenberg noted that political discussions between parents and teens and even young children, is a factor in increasing adult turnout. Allowing 16-year-olds to vote would increase voter enthusiasm and create lifelong voters, she argued. Also on her list of talking points: A conviction that lowering the voting age would force politicians to address issues that concern young people, such as preserving the environment and increasing social services. And going back to what spurred her on in the first place, she said "paying taxes and not being allowed to vote is tantamount to taxation without representation." As for the "rock star" argument, she is ready with a political barb or two. Quoting from her Broward County speech: "It was adults who elected wrestler Jesse Ventura to be governor and adults who elected Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan to be president. At least we can't blame those results on 16- and 17-year-old voters." She already has the support of Town Councilman Jack McDonald. "If the school system could train and educate young people why it's so important to vote, they would actually vote while in high school," McDonald said. "Perhaps they would develop a habit of voting because their teachers would encourage them. Actually, voting would reinforce what they've learned, and we would have higher turnouts than 15 or 20 percent. I don't see a downside here, just an upside." When asked what his daughter usually does for fun, her father said this is a natural for the teen. "Fun? This is fun for her," he said. "This is exciting." |