[jlgaddis]

I forget who said it and I won't even get the quote exactly right, but I'm reminded of something I once heard:

> The greatest thing about a democracy is that every idiot is allowed to vote.

> The worst thing about a democracy is that every idiot is allowed to vote.

[jhanschoo]

If democracies don't allow idiots to vote, that creates a disenfranchised class that does not accept the government as legitimate. An important role of democracy is to stave off class conflict, arguably just as important or moreso than having a government that serves the people efficiently.

A proper long-term solution is to have governments invest in critical thinking skills and education, but of course, it's a catch-22 situation.

[throwaway_l33t]

Yeah, the problem is coming up with a test that actually identifies who’s “informed” without biasing the electorate unfairly.