Should children and people with certain development disabilities have representation in Congress

[cali]

and Statehouses? Should felons and some ex-felons? How about non-citizens?

This is the most important issue we aren't talking about, and it is what's at stake: tens of millions being deprived of any representation.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Evenwel v. Abbot, and it appeared to many seasoned court watchers that the Conservative Justices, including Kennedy, were leaning toward a draconian shift in how districts will be drawn up; one that would give Republicans a huge, long standing advantage and shift the center of voting power from urban areas to rural ones, by only counting eligible voters.

You can read all about it here:


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/us/politics/supreme-court-to-hear-arguments-on-one-person-one-vote.html?_r=0

[LiberalArkie]

1. I really think a lot of people would like it to go back like it originally was. Property owners.

The United States Constitution did not originally define who was eligible to vote, allowing each state to determine who was eligible. In the early history of the U.S., most states allowed only free male adult property owners (of any ethnicity) to vote. Women could vote in New Jersey (provided they could meet the property requirement) and in some local jurisdictions in other northern states.

[KamaAina]

2. We absolutely should. I intend to become the first Autistic member of Congress someday.

[cali]

3. Go you!

[KamaAina]

4. Unless, of course, Ari Ne'eman beats me to it.

http://autisticadvocacy.org/home/about-asan/leadership/

Ari Ne’eman

Ari Ne’eman is the President and co-founder of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, an advocacy organization run by and for Autistic adults seeking to increase the representation of Autistic people across society. In 2009, President Obama nominated Ari to the National Council on Disability, a federal agency charged with advising Congress and the President on disability policy issues. He was confirmed by the Senate in July 2010 and currently chairs the Council’s Entitlements Committee. From 2010 to 2012, he served as a public member to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, a Federal advisory committee that coordinates all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism. Ari also served as an adviser to the DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workgroup convened by the American Psychiatric Association. He is also a member of the National Quality Forum’s Workgroup on Measuring Home and Community Based Services Quality.

Ari was recently appointed by Secretary of Labor Tom Perez to serve as a member of the Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities. He previously served as Vice Chair of the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force, where he represented autistic adults in reviewing the state’s autism services. He also previously served on the New Jersey Special Education Review Commission, where he authored a minority report on the topic of aversives, restraint and seclusion. He is also a board member of the American Association of People with Disabilities. In addition, he was named by the New York Jewish Week as one of their “36 by 36? in 2010. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, where he studied political science in the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program.

[valerief]

5. And everyone else affected by gerrymandering and electronic vote-flipping machines aren't

represented either.

The only citizens represented are those wealthy united ones.