This lack of "understanding" is not the failed product of deeply concerned sincerely earnest conscientious thinkers. Those who do not "understand" have no desire to understand.
Sometimes I think that we, the informed voters, are at the mercy of the miserably uninformed mass of voters that turn elections for the benefit of the most corrupt pols. The democrats are the beneficiary of such an ignorant, tuned out electorate. You know, like those that get all of their news from places like "The Daily Show" and couldn't name the vice president of the US if their lives depended on it, for example.