“Most Americans are so apathetic and ignorant about issues that policy-makers ought to ignore their views.”
For quote… The United States has unusually low voter turnout rates. In our last presidential election only 58.3% of eligible voters actually voted. In voting for our House and Senate representatives we haven’t had greater than 40% of eligible voters voting since 1970 (Wise and Cummings Jr. 190). Often the young and the poor are those who participate least in elections (“Voter turnout”). This means the young and poor people, two groups that often need the most political help, will not be as strong a force in determining their representatives. Therefore, the policy-makers must sometimes ignore the often selfish views of the other demographic and classes who quite possibly elected them, in order to ensure some degree of equality.
Generally, the more educated a person is the more likely he or she is to vote (“Voter turnout”). According to a survey that questioned students at 55 colleges and universities, 98% of students knew that Snoop Dogg was a rapper, while only 23% knew that James Madison was the “father of the Constitution.” Another study found that only 26% of Americans knew what was going on with international affairs. In August, 2003 a poll in the Washington Post revealed that 7 out of 10 Americans believed that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 911 terrorist attacks. Soon afterwards President Bush said there was no connection between the two (Wise and Cummings Jr. 190-191). Knowing all this, is it really wise that policy-makers give the people exactly what they ask for?
After all, policy-makers are usually much more informed and better educated than most Americans. Most Americans are selfish and only want what is best for them. Policy-makers are usually people who care about the country they live in and want to make a difference.
Against quote… It is a horrible idea that policy-makers ignore the views of most Americans. It is “public” policy after all isn’t it? Why then ignore the public’s views?
When the founding fathers of the Constitution left two thirds of the population ineligible to vote, namely women and African-Americans, they set the country up for a history of conflict and violence. Ignoring the views of the public that policy-makers represent, whatever there beliefs may be, will ultimately result in revolution. The American Revolution was a product of the British ignoring the needs and opinions of their American settlers.
Furthermore, it could be argued that it is the fault of the government that its citizens are ignorant of issues. The national government is responsible for educating its citizens so it should educate its citizens on the issues involved in public-policy. If it doesn’t, it will be up to the citizens, who naturally pay more attention their personal lives than the public’s general welfare, to inform themselves. The government allows the media largely to educate its citizens on major issues. The media’s information is often biased, incorrect or completely irrelevant to these major issues.
Many citizens are apathetic to the issues that policy-makers deal with because they are fairly comfortable with their living situations. They may feel that who they vote for will not affect their lives very much in this day and age. If policy-makers make poor decisions or decisions blatantly against public opinion that in some way hinder Americans’ comfort, Americans will certainly vote more and tune into the issues that will affect their lives.
Works Cited:
Wise, David, and Milton C. Cummings Jr. Democracy Under Pressure. 10. Belmont:
Thomas Wadsworth, 2007.
"Voter turnout." wikipedia. 1 Mar 2007
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I think you're right on about the results of this mal-education. In one sense public schools, which our government funds, are established to promote forward, free-thinking people. But the high school drop-out rate in Montana is 4.2 percent.
And so a free and independent press is all the more important. It should not be a cohort of the pentagon, strapped and dependent to the reports of officials.
It's the responsibility of citizens to be educated, to pick apart reporting, and to support things like public broadcasting. Ultimately we're responsible to inform ourselves.. We are the government.
Every organism's heartbeat holds a universe of beauty at http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/green-underbelly
Generally, the more educated a person is the more likely he or she is to vote
Thank God! But even still we manage to send an amazing stupid, corrupt and incompetent group to Washington.
I question many of the premises in this Blog. I don't think the government has any business taxing people who work hard and transferring that wealth to those who don't. Where is that in the Constitution?
And I certainly question whether our policy makers are well informed. Most of them are just corrupt and power hungry. There main skill is their verbal ability to talk stupid people into voting for them. And once there, there power is for sale and mainly goes to the lobbiest with the best promises.
We had amazing statesmen back in the days of the founding fathers. The closer we get to pure democracy the worse our government gets.