“Idiot, n. A member of a large and powerful tribe whose influence in human affairs has always been dominant and controlling.”

Currently, how perfectly relevant.

You got that right. ;-)

More like a member of a SMALL but powerful tribe...

Intended to be a joke, but makes no sense. No tribe of idiots could achieve dominance, or have any influence, in human affairs. It takes some smarts to pull it off.

The subject idiocy would reference their comprehension of freedom and liberty, not their smarts, or need for power and control. There is in fact a large powerful tribe of power mongers and control freaks dominating a people that would hopefully desire freedom and liberty.

Their influence can be "dominant and controlling" even if they are fools and completely incompetant as individuals... look at how this tribe put King George W into power and the chaos and loss of life and liberty that has brought to so many (last estimate I saw was that over 600,000 more people have died in Iraq than would have if we had not invaided them without provocation).... Idiots!