What is this quote I only 1/3 remember?

[BlooInBloo]

A cynical/realist little ditty that goes a little something like this:

"The general public is so stupid that the inevitable result of democracy is for the electorate to eventually elect a leader as stupid as they are."

Something like that - I looked up Mencken, but didn't see it there - anyone know the quote I'm talking about?

[DeSwiss]

1. Not sure if this is it, but its close....

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." ~ H. L. Mencken

[Hekate]

2. That sounds like the very one...

:hi:

Hekate

[BlooInBloo]

3. Thank you!!!

[MADem]

4. One of these, perhaps?

The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.
Art Spander

Vote for the man who promises least; he'll be the least disappointing.
Bernard Baruch

Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.
George Bernard Shaw

Democracy: The substitution of election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.
George Jean Nathan

The whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of stupidity attained by the bourgeois.
Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880)

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.
H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

The greatest task of democracy, its ritual and feast - is choice.
H.G. Wells

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

It is the fundamental theory of all the more recent American law...that the average citizen is half-witted, and hence not to be trusted to either his own devices or his own thoughts.
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

Democracy encourages the majority to decide things about which the majority is ignorant.
John Simon

Every nation has the government it deserves.
Joseph de Maistre

Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame.
Laurence Peter

Democracy is the bludgeoning of the people, by the people, for the people.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Democracy is a form of government in which it is permitted to wonder aloud what the country could do under first-class management.
Senator Soaper

A politician will do anything to keep his job - even become a patriot.
William Randolph Hearst

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.
Winston Churchill

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been
Winston Churchill
http://www.democracy.ru/english/quotes.php

[BlooInBloo]

5. It was the one by the other poster - but I like yours too - thanks!

[MADem]

6. Some of them are a total hoot...and so true! NT

[pnorman]

7. Great collection of quotes!

Thanks for posting that (and the source)!

pnorman
On edit: That is a really great collection of quotes! It goes well beyond the misanthropic viewpoint of humankind of Mencken and others.

[MADem]

8. I found so many that I liked, I just picked some of the ones I enjoyed

Ya gotta love the internets, eh? All sorts of interesting stuff!