Why Voters are Idiots

[xiphias]

Two years ago, the voters of Massachusetts put a Clean Elections law on the books through initiative petition. This year, they said 3 to 1 that they didn't support a clean elections law. However, in three districts where they ALSO put the same question in worded a different way, the different wording came out that people DID support a clean elections law, 2 to 1. Even though, it THOSE SAME DISTRICTS, the OTHER wording came out they DIDN'T support it, 3 to 1.

Don't people READ these things? Don't people READ the voter guides before they go to the polls? Don't people NOTICE that someone is asking them the same thing in two different ways?

How can we have a democracy if people don't PAY ATTENTION EVEN WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP AT THE POLLS?

Comments

How can we have a democracy?

[ailbhe]

You haven't. Most places in the world haven't. Many places try. I can't think of any, offhand, who have got it right. Ireland was coming reasonably close until the ghost of Thatcherites past came out. Now they're whittling away at the constitution, and downright ignoring parts of it, just like in the US.