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Why Are American Voters So Uninformed?
.zerohedge ^ | January 29, 2013 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 02/02/2013 7:16:07 AM PST by Mozilla

The sad fact is that it appears completely rational to be ignorant about politics. The cost of being an 'informed' voter - as opposed to a bigotted closed-minded ignoramus - is high, from the time spent following (and interpreting) the news in the paper, online, and on the television. As the following clip notes, "becoming an informed voter is competing with a lot of other needs in your life," from American Idol watching to eating Cheetos in the bath. Of course, the sad truth is that it has never been more important to be 'informed' and so the 'bread-and-circuses' will continue lest we stumble upon the truth - but perhaps this brief clip will sway a few more to the dark side of 'the informed' - though just because 'you' are better-informed does not mean politicians will do a better job - as the probability of your vote changing the outcome of an election is for all practical purposes, zero!

Video


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dopeydowns; dumbingdown; education; lamestreammedia; voters
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1 posted on 02/02/2013 7:16:12 AM PST by Mozilla
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To: Mozilla

2 posted on 02/02/2013 7:21:30 AM PST by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Libloather

It’s not that they’re uninformed, it’s what they know that just isn’t so.


3 posted on 02/02/2013 7:22:13 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

The “cost” of staying informed (ie, time spent reading, listening, thinking, and conversing on FR and elsewhere) is nowhere near as bad as the “cost” of angst and hopelessness one gets these days. I remember that being informed during Reagan gave one a sense of boundless optimism and joy...now it’s the opposite.


4 posted on 02/02/2013 7:27:47 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Mozilla

Check out the high school and college Political Science books. What goes into the brain is what comes out.


5 posted on 02/02/2013 7:30:05 AM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!)
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To: Mozilla

Even if all voters were somehow “fully informed”, all many of them care about is “Who gonna gib me mo’ stuff?”.


6 posted on 02/02/2013 7:31:01 AM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: Mozilla

You hand most Americans a candy bar, ice cream cone, and a 100 dollar bill and the will follow you anywhere. I’ve just lost faith in most Americans. Blind idiots that could not see the difference in Romney and King Obama. Both not the best but logic would tell one the lesser evil of the two and that was Romney. Economy is the biggest problem.


7 posted on 02/02/2013 7:36:17 AM PST by Logical me
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

That’s it! I can barely read the news reports these days. I’m in Jersey and to read about this Menendez guy is to go totally depressed. Worse, you have to dig out this news - it’s nowhere to be found on tv.


8 posted on 02/02/2013 7:40:40 AM PST by miss marmelstein ( Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: Mozilla

Relatively few have the ability to rise above the brainwashing and indoctrination they receive in the government schools.


9 posted on 02/02/2013 7:40:53 AM PST by Iron Munro (I Miss America, don't you?)
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To: Libloather

10 posted on 02/02/2013 7:40:53 AM PST by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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To: Mozilla

Relatively few have the ability to rise above the brainwashing and indoctrination they receive in the government schools.


11 posted on 02/02/2013 7:41:19 AM PST by Iron Munro (I Miss America, don't you?)
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To: stars & stripes forever
G I G O
12 posted on 02/02/2013 7:45:02 AM PST by Hoodat ("As for God, His way is perfect" - Psalm 18:30)
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To: Mozilla

The majority of people living in this country cannot tell you who America won its independence from or who the current vice president is. There is no way in hell that they could understand how the U.S. Government is supposed to work or what the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence are. The dumbing down of America worked very well for the liberals. Only a total, blithering idiot would question the need for the U.S. Constitution or Bill or Rights. These days, “experts” all over “academia” are doing it.


13 posted on 02/02/2013 7:48:57 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Now Playing. Obama II - The Revenge of My Father.)
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To: stars & stripes forever

Biggest mistake I made in my life was letting my smart and ambitious daughter enroll in Political Science. I’ve told her I want my money back.


14 posted on 02/02/2013 7:52:23 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Mozilla
Why Are American Voters So Uninformed?

Because they don't follow Freerepublic. 90% of people get their "news" from left leaning or outright communist backed sources.

Keep your powder dry.

FMCDH(BITS)

15 posted on 02/02/2013 7:53:20 AM PST by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: nothingnew

I am always telling my friend stuff that is going on. She sends me emails occasionally outraged about crap I knew 6 mnths to a year ago that she dug up somewhere. She argues back that she is informed, she watches the news and reads the paper. The only saving grace is she does not vote Dem and asks me how to vote on propositions.


16 posted on 02/02/2013 8:02:22 AM PST by sheana
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To: Mozilla
Because WE frame the narrative......


17 posted on 02/02/2013 8:08:45 AM PST by Lakeshark (!)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

I don’t doubt that there are a group of people in America who willingly don’t want to face the facts and acknowledge the truth. They would rather bury their heads in the sand and ignore what it going on. They are sheep and have no idea of how bad Obama has gotten.


18 posted on 02/02/2013 8:10:47 AM PST by Mozilla
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To: Lakeshark

So true. The MSM is lying to the viewers.


19 posted on 02/02/2013 8:35:44 AM PST by Mozilla
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To: Mozilla

The Democrats don’t give their voters what they want, they give them what they’ll settle for. If you understand that difference, then you understand why the Democrats are successful. If Tom Peters rewrote his IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE book for the Democrat voters, he would have to title it IN SEARCH OF GOOD ENOUGH.


20 posted on 02/02/2013 8:58:20 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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