Mencken on Democracy

Related to my somewhat cynical comments at this post, I was reminded of this quotation attributed to H.L. Mencken (with a hat-tip to my friend Martha Baker):

As democracy is perfected, the office of the 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.

Mind you, I hope that will not by the case in the fall of 2008. But the experience of 2000 and 2004 does not exactly make me optimistic.