Quote by Ambrose Bierce
Vote: the instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.

Summary
This quote highlights a cynical perspective on voting. It suggests that voting is not a reliable measure of a person's intelligence or rational decision-making abilities. Instead, it implies that voting can sometimes be subjected to personal biases and ignorance, which can lead to detrimental consequences for a nation. In essence, it contends that the power to vote can be misused, potentially resulting in both individual embarrassment and harm to the country as a whole.