But the people who have the power to pass idiotic legislation, waste taxpayer funds, declare war, tell us what we can/cannot put in our own bodies, and regulate every aspect of our lives, don’t even have to be literate.
(And judging by some of the laws they pass, that may very well be the case.)
The underlying principle highlighted by this little story is, however, that America's Founders and Framers of its Constitution for self-government never intended legislators to possess such powers as they profess nowadays.
“...the natural tendency of things is for government to gain ground and for liberty to yield...let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
“But the people who have the power to pass idiotic legislation...don’t even have to be literate.”
Great point.
Are we talking about the actual government cronies, or voters?
And voters don’t have to prove they actually can vote, even if they registered!