Reply #30: Stupid people [View All]

I know it may be tough to believe, since most of the people who post here are probably significantly above average intelligence, but there are a lot of stupid people in this country. (Not saying they all voted for Bush, but ...)

Just an example:

The new Medicare prescription drug discount card gives low income people (under $10k or so) $600 to spend on prescription drugs in 2004 and 2005. There are estimated to be about 4-6 million people who would qualify for the benefit, but way fewer than that number have signed up. If the government can't GIVE AWAY $600 to these people, how are we ever to hope that they will understand issues in a way that will lead them to vote their interests.

Sad thing to contemplate, but maybe we should reinstitute some form of "poll tax", although it wouldn't be monetary, it would be a questionnaire. 10 questions. Get 2 right, you can vote. Less than that, you're too uninformed to have an impact on the country.

Sample questions:

Who is the Secretary of Defense?
Who are your current Senators?
Name one Supreme Court Justice.
What is the capital of the United States?
How many states are there?

I think we'd all be amazed how many people couldn't answer questions like these.