Bread and Circuses

One man, one vote is a concept to be esteemed until you find out that one man is a selfish idiot. Then it becomes a concept to be reexamined. The Founding Fathers (yes, even Jefferson) were horrified by the notion of electing a president by popular vote, which is why they created the Electoral College.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that one in four students drop out of high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. That is a tragic and lamentable indictment of both families and educators. Nevertheless, would you expect a high school dropout to be capable of evaluating complex social, economic, and geopolitical issues and arriving at an optimal decision on the best way forward? Would you trust your future, or possibly your life, to their ability to decide wisely? I believe the ballot box should have at least a minimum education requirement.

As for selfishness...I am now enamored of the notion of making people earn the right to vote by demonstrating the ability to put the interest of the group ahead of their personal interest. I think a good indicator of that quality is some kind of volunteer national service, whether social, economic, or military. One year ought to be enough to prove your sincerity.