"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods"

This quote by H. L. Mencken is a cynical view of the electoral procedure. He is suggesting that political leaders are offering incorrect pledges to the public in order to get elected. The "taken items" he is referring to are the promises made by politicians that they have no intention of keeping. He is implying that politicians are taking advantage of the general public by making promises they understand they can't keep in order to get chosen. This quote is a reminder that we should be wary of political leaders and their promises, and that we need to take care to research study and understand the policies of the candidates prior to voting. Mencken's quote is a pointer that we must be important of the electoral procedure and the guarantees made by political leaders.