Although it very often gets slammed as right wing, I quite like the idea perpetuated in Robert Heinlein's Starships Troopers, whereby only people who have served the state in some form or other for a set number of years earn the right to vote. That way, one could instill a sense of duty and pride in citizens, and they would feel that voting was a privelege and something to be guarded and used for a purpose. If that were the case, politicians would have to work hard to earn something that people really valued.
Not to mention the added bonus that all the freeloaders and junkies would get stuffed over and receive no help whatsoever:rotfl:
Chock