How did American Voters Get so Dumb? – by Peter St Onge
Going by grade level, it turns out we are getting dumb breathtakingly fast.
In 1900 inaugurals were written at between 13th and 14th grade — modern college level. Today they’re 8th grade for Obama, 9th grade for Trump, and… 7th grade for Biden.
It gets worse the further back we go: Andrew Jackson’s 1828 inaugural was written at 22nd grade — meaning, strictly speaking, two phd’s was the median voter in 1828.
Keep in mind Jackson was a populist man-of-the-people — Washington’s inaugural was closer to 26th grade.
Also keep in mind almost nobody in 1828 — or 1789 — had a formal education.
Jackson kicks off with “Undertaking the ardous duties that I have been appointed,” Washington starts with “Among the vicissitudes incident to life,” for Biden it’s “This is America’s day.”
So how did we get so dumb?
Easy: public schools.
Our democracy in action. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.