The Uneducated Voter Enigma

When voting rules were established, the founders were left with two choices:

1) Only those educated in American politics who understand current issues and current events could vote.
2) Everyone, regardless of social status or intelligence, could vote.

They chose the latter. And they chose to let everyone vote because the belief is (rightfully) that by allowing uneducated, unintelligent individuals to vote, politicians (who we assume are more intelligent than the population as a whole - insert snark) would be forced to consider everyone - including those of a lesser social class and lesser intelligence - when they decide how to run the country, because they will need their votes.

Everyone's ability to vote is why the government created social programs to help those in need. It is why scholarships were invented. A number of great things came from allowing everyone to vote.

So it is a strange turn of events, then, that so many of these uneducated, poor voters vote completely against their own self interests. In fact, they are a driving force of the Republican party, a party that essentially believes that those without money are worthless. And it is the educated voters with good, high paying jobs that are voting for Democrats - a political party that supports social programs.

Conclusions are for another day. Today is simply a day to marvel at that phenomenon.