“Could they possibly be that stupid?”
Honestly, it’s not that they’re stupid. I actually do not like that word, because I think everyone has something to contribute if they put their mind to it - and whose to say what ‘smart’ is? That said, the real issue is that several ridiculous myths have been propagated for years. One myth is that going to an Ivy league school or other high prestige university means that you are one of the brightest people on Earth. That’s just not a general truth, for a myriad of reasons. Yet, government is inundated with these people. It drags down the ability of government to do its job.
Another myth is that those who make it to higher level elected office are also amongst the ‘brightest and best’. Some are, many aren’t, and it just doesn’t correlate. The primary skills required for being an elected politician these days include being good at raising campaign money, knowing how to speak in generalities, and essentially being good at schmoozing people. Hardly a formula for thinking up great solutions for what ails the world.
“Honestly, it’s not that they’re stupid.”
It looks like you’re referring to hubris, a self-induced form of stupidity. I’d be relieved if it were just that, and not something more worrisome.