"Maybe 75 percent of people can name the vice president. ... The public's knowledge of politics is shockingly low," economist Bryan Caplan said.

In his book "The Myth of the Rational Voter," Caplan argues that people who know little about our government ought to stay home on Election Day.

But aren't Americans always told it's their civic duty to vote?

"This is very much like saying, 'It's our civic duty to give surgery advice,'" Caplan said. "Now, we like to think that political issues are much less complicated than brain surgery, but many of them are pretty hard. If someone doesn't know what he's talking about, it really is better if they say, 'Look, I'm just gonna leave this in wiser hands.'"

But isn't it elitist to say only some people should vote?

"Is it elitist to say only some people should do brain surgery?" Caplan said. "The bottom line is, if you don't know what you're doing, you are not doing the country a favor by voting."

Voting is serious business. Democracy works best when people educate themselves. So maybe instead of telling people things like "Rock the Vote," these groups should say "Rock or Vote.""

I really don't knoWhich one I'd vote for if I do decide to vote.  There's an episode of South Park that reminds me a lot of this election thingy coming up.  The school has to pick a new mascot because PETA attacks and says they can't use a cow anymore.  The students are allowed to vote for their next mascot.  Kyle decides to write in 'giant douche' as an option, but Cartman thinks it would be funnier to write in 'turd sandwhich' as an option.  Well, what'ya know, those two geThe most votes and they have to have the students vote to pick the winner.  Stan feels like they're both stupid though.

""We have to have a new school mascot and we're supposed to vote between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.  ...I think voting is great, but, if  I have to choose between a douche and a turd, I just don't see the point.  ...I just don't think there's much of a difference between a douche and a turd. I don't care."

Later in thEpisode, someone says:

"But Stan, don't you know, it's always between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.  Nearly every election since the beginning of time has been between some douche and some turd. They're the only people who suck up enough to make it that far in politics."

So I guess, like Stan, I should suck it up and get used to voting for either a giant douche or a turd sandwhich.  I just don't really see how saying "Change" means Obama is really going to change anything.  Or how McCain is really THAT scary.