I don’t like elections or democracy in general.

The basic premise of democracy is that citizens know what’s best. Citizens should have a say in government, and be able to choose who represents them. By voting, citizens actively shape policies and the general fate of the country. Voting represents a freedom unheard of in past times or in other places of the world. In the US, people are empowered to control their own fates. Everything is “for the people, by the people.” Citizens have freedom.

However, the underlying assumption in a democracy is that voters are well informed and well educated. Not only that, it is assumed that the people who vote have the analytical ability to extrapolate, using a candidates positions on key issues, a candidate’s possible actions in future situations, as well as the outcomes of those actions. In other words, voters are required to be smart. The only problem with democracy is that people are dumb. Really, really dumb.

Ok, not everyone is dumb. Those with good educations will most likely vote well. Smart citizen votes, however, are worth exactly the same as everyone else’s (if you ignore the electoral college, which is also incredibly stupid), including the ignorant majority who vote based on brainless reasons, like race, gender, personality, and elitism (“that candudate thinks he smartur ’an us. I ain’t votin’ for him.”). Others vote solely on the basis of one mundane social issue, like religious fundamentalists who oppose Barack Obama only because he is pro-choice.

In reality, I don’t think any of us, educated or not, are capable of deciding who is ready to lead the country. No matter how hard anyone tries, it’s impossible to fully understand the challenges a President faces. For instance, as a physics major, I feel confident in my ability to judge the candidates’ science policies. However, I know very little about economics, and I have no idea which candidate has a better economics policy. I understand that weakness and I have, for the most part, ignored economics when I decided for whom I would vote this year. The vast majority of voters, however, seem to have a difficult time understanding their own strengths and weaknesses.

When people evaluate candidates on issues they don’t fully comprehend, democracy breaks down. As our leaders become less and less competent, society worsens. I realize that my ignorance of economic issues means I might vote for an equally economically ignorant leader. I could possibly be jeopardizing our country’s economic future. That’s a problem.

Therefore, I propose the wisest form of government is meritocracy, where leaders are chosen by skill, and not by popular vote. Objective tests would provide the best way to assign leadership positions to the most highly qualified experts. We would live in a utopia where computer algorithms decide who to put in office to maximize the country’s happiness level. People would still complain about the government, of course, but that’s what people always do.

All that being said, you should still vote. Democracy kind of sucks, but it’s what we’re stuck with. Besides, what else were you going to do on Tuesday? Go to class? Take the day off and vote!