(sigh) The reason I commented is because the basic premise of this article is that an informed citizenry is necessary for a democracy to survive, yet the author and many of those who commented on it don't appear very informed. I wouldn't have thought that the irony needed explaining. But then, as Hitler found and I suggest Mr. Sowell understands, an angry, poorly-educated, underemployed populace are easy to manipulate. :-)

I presume you mean your readership? You're writing for people who haven't the basics of simple grammar, let alone a sense of history. Come on, some of them are questioning whether the US is a democracy. Seriously?? Do you think they are going to understand the finer points of the law passed in 1933 Germany, namely the "Enabling Act" (known in German as the Ermächtigungsgesetz), to which you refer? Of course not!! That's why you can use it. Who doesn't like comparing someone we don't like with a Nazi? Hell, the people on here don't seem to have the faintest idea what Socialism is, or any other basic political concept, but they hate Obama and they hate Nazis, so let's put 'em together. My God people, read something real for once...

Many of these comments are anti-American. Whether you voted for the president or not, he is our commander-in-chief and deserves the respect that title demands. I expected the same when GW Bush was president. The amount of name-calling, semi-literate ranting that happens here does nothing to progress what should be a legitimate debate. In fact, I can't wait for the responses to this very comment.