Is average person competent enough to meaningfully participate in

Topic: Is average person competent enough to meaningfully participate in American politics?
Type of paper: Argumentative essay
Discipline: Political science : Political Science
Format or citation style: APA
 
This is a tough question.  Indeed, the question of citizen competence is older than democracy itself.  In this reflective essay be sure to state your opinion on this matter (your thesis statement) and defend it using specific examples from class demonstrating the accuracy of your opinion and/or undermining the “other side” in this debate.  Feel free to take a middle position or a conditional position (e.g. in some circumstance people are competent enough, but in others they are not).
You can write this citing just the textbook and lecture material.  I have uploaded a few outside readings that you can use to get started.  You are not required to read or cite these papers in your essay, but if you are curious or need some help getting started these are excellent sources (They are all excellent. The book chapter is from Samuel Popkin’s The Reasoning Voter.  The rest of the book is freely available online through our university library).  Feel free to cite them, too.  If you choose to use other outside sources, please include a works cited page (any citation style is acceptable).