The ignorant American voter

[FRIZ]

The Boston Globe
October 24, 2004

The ignorant American voter
By Jeff Jacoby

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ed...icles/2004/10/24/the_ignorant_american_voter/

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

Good article.

 

[Black Snowman]

Scary, because it's true.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Not surprising at all. A friend of mine from NY called a couple of weeks ago. He had to write an article about state senate races (he writes for a union newspaper). This guy has a college degree and is very smart.

However, he didn't know the difference between a state senator and a US senator. He thought that Hillary and Chuckles were his state senators. It took awhile, but I finally got the matter cleared up for him. He also didn't know that each state gets exactly two senators, and that the number of members of congress is determined by population.

This is the most basic political knowledge, not even approaching knowing who authored the Declaration of Independence.

I'd love to see a return to poll tests but, hell, we can't even get a law requiring photo ID for voting.

 

[Moparmike]

Damn good article. And sad because its true.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Sad, yes, but better to be surrounded by ignorant American voters than subjects of other nations.

 

[ralphie98]

the truly sad part is that all of these ignorant voters will decide who gets to run the country for the next 4 years. If Kerry gets in, they'll be happy, but not able to explain why they are so happy besides saying that he ain't Bush. I can't wait until the elections are over...

 

[ReadyontheRight]

So...I agree that it's sad that many people are ignorant.

Is there a country where or a time in history when a large portion of the population were NOT ignorant?

 

[TarpleyG]

You know what??? Maybe, just maybe if our goverment wasn't so damned big and convoluted, we could keep track of it all. I have to admit, I can't name all the federal cabinets but I know a couple. I do not know who the current speaker of the house is without looking it up (I forget names, badly). I do know my senators, although I can't stand either of them.

Anyway, there's just too much to possibly remember. Hell, I even get confused trying to remember that Colin Powell is the Secretary of State and that John Ashcroft is the Attorney General and that Condi Rice is the national security adviser.

Sad thing is, I probably spend more time reading political banter than anyone else I know.

Greg

 

[Yowza]

TarpleyG, I was going to say something very similar. In reading that article, all I could think was "so what?" How many people have time to try to keep up with all this ridiculous political and bureaucratic morass we call the government?

Rick

 

[Art Eatman]

Tarpley, I read an article a few years back that not even the General Accounting Offfice could identify ALL the federal agencies, boards and commissions.

One wonders if those who do the basic administration for Congress have a complete list of all committees and subcommittees.

But when you read some of the notions of posters here at THR about "The Law" and "The Constitution", why be surprised at the ignorance of good ol' Joe/Jane Dokes?

Why be surprised at political ignorance on the part of folks who can't make change, balance a checkbook, or name the country lying south of the U.S.?

Art

 

[S Roper]

Yowza, the point of the article was that 150 years ago people did take the time to be informed.

 

[The_Antibubba]

there's a good reason we're a republic, and not a democracy

Yes, their ignorance is scary. Imagine how much more frightening the ignoramuses would be if they weren't continually distracted with pro sports and reality television, and sought to actually "make a difference".

 

[oneslowgun]

Imagine how well we could conrtoll the masses then, if the patent for "Jeweled Chrome" was owned by the GOP.

 

[telewinz]

It's easy to understand, study after study reveals that Americans (and the human race as a whole) really DO NOT WANT change! Change is scary and the results are unpredictable (Iraq!, Flu shots). Sure, we want a major change in our pet projects (pro-gun laws, tax breaks) but other than that thank God we have the Supreme Court and/or Congress to "water down" any real change. I can't think of one radical President that we have had in the past 100 years, maybe their is a reason. How many remember David Duke?

 

[R.H. Lee]

Maybe .gov works so well and so seamlessly, people don't think much about it?

Tarpley, I read an article a few years back that not even the General Accounting Offfice could identify ALL the federal agencies, boards and commissions.

I believe it. Government is too big, too powerful and has too much of our money.

 

[Bob Locke]

Government is too big, too powerful and has too much of our money.

And that isn't going to change one little bit after the upcoming election, unfortunately. :banghead:

 

[Roon]

Great article, he's a very thoughtful columnist.

The truth is, people are so harried with the details of life, they just veg everytime they get a moment, and the kids are plunked down long before they can read.

It's our fault, each and every one of us. Turn off the box, pick up a good book, and every once in a while, go squeeze off a few rounds.

 

[Yooper]

Roon is right, we're too busy living our lives of "quiet desperation" to be as aware of the larger picture as we should.