License to Vote.

In some ways, this is a good idea.
In this country, there are too many people who decide who to vote for according to s*** printed in the Sun and Mirror newspapers.
Then we have voters who time and again elect idiots, just because "oh my dad always voted labour", or "we've always voted tory".

A really good example is where you hear in pubs and on the street, people complaining about crime, and that "nothing is ever done to the criminals when caught", and bemoaning that youth offenders are back on the streets of their estate.
Then come election, these same areas vote in a Labour mp, a party who do not support having punitive punishment on the wrongdoer. The tories are in general more likely to have the opinion of "hang the bastards" - which although I personally don't agree with this, this is a lot more in tune with what normal working people think.
This is of course just one example. Politicians though sure don't want informed voters, otherwise they'd never get elected.

Thing is, part of the idea of democracy is that everyone gets a vote - even if they don't deserve it.
Start tests, and it could be way open to abuse. You can imagine Brown salivating at the idea of being able to set such tests.Imagine slimy Mandelson being able to dream up the questions , no - they have enough power as it is!

Democracy isn't about national elections anyway.