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On a certain level I do agree with you Brian Send a noteboard - 23/03/2010 05:14:24 AM
The populous is often ignorant and ill-informed (given the vast quantities of information people now have to pick through to find the unbiased facts, and how few people do so, I still think these are valid labels).

Theoretically, the politicians should have a knowledge/expert-base available to make decision that the ignorant lay person would err on out of ignorance. While they should take the desires and motivations of their constituency into account, it is also their responsibility to use their (theoretical) greater knowledge to make a better and more informed decision than your average grocer would make. In fact, I would say it is a failure of the politician to make a decision that appeases his constituency rather than helps them. Not to say that the desires of his constituents should not be considered. Just that I think it is a disservice to merely appease your "clients" than actually serve them.

But I'm going into a medical profession, so I might have an unrealistic point of view on the matter.

I think people on the whole are idiots that rarely know what they are talking about and prefer to hear biased propaganda from one side or the other of an argument rather than unbiased facts that allow them to come to their own conclusion. Generally speaking I think it's pretty fair to say that I think the average intelligence level of people in this country, and really worldwide, is nothing to be proud of.

That said....I think that in a majority of situations the people that represent us in Congress should be primarily concerned with what their constituents want, because they were elected to represent and speak for their constituents. Obviously they have to do so within reason, but in situations where the public has had plenty of time to make up their mind about a specific bill or issue and you go against your constituent's desires, then I think you are doing them a disservice.

I don't know that any health care bill was ever going to get wide spread support though, so I'll take this one, and hope that the areas where I personally think there needs to be a lot more work done get the attention they need, and that the health care system gets fixed once and for all.
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No posts on the bill passing? - 22/03/2010 08:22:27 AM 1264 Views
Meh - 22/03/2010 09:07:27 AM 591 Views
Re: Meh - 22/03/2010 01:53:43 PM 552 Views
I know what you mean. I love hearing that the "majority" are against this. - 22/03/2010 01:57:15 PM 703 Views
surveys are crap anyways. - 22/03/2010 01:59:39 PM 525 Views
That's ignorance speaking. - 22/03/2010 02:02:46 PM 563 Views
well yah. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say surveys as a whole are nonsense - 22/03/2010 02:09:42 PM 497 Views
Some are a plurality, some are a majority.... - 22/03/2010 04:01:56 PM 614 Views
But most of them with a high/low don't go into enough detail - 22/03/2010 09:24:29 PM 648 Views
A question? - 23/03/2010 01:11:07 AM 564 Views
I accept that there are situations where leaders must go against popular opinion - 23/03/2010 02:53:00 AM 616 Views
on the other hand *edited stupid spelling error* - 23/03/2010 03:09:47 AM 736 Views
On a certain level I do agree with you - 23/03/2010 05:14:24 AM 525 Views
I was thinking about this after posting - 23/03/2010 12:12:17 PM 535 Views
Ahahahahahahahaha - 23/03/2010 12:57:17 PM 679 Views
why? *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:37:00 PM 278 Views
Because "populous" is not a noun in English. *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:42:16 PM 279 Views
This. - 23/03/2010 03:46:25 PM 587 Views
damn you phonetics. - 23/03/2010 03:50:33 PM 842 Views
As Emo Philips would say - 23/03/2010 04:32:52 PM 621 Views
I always laugh when I see someone say people are "retarted" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:51:46 PM 357 Views
"Get a life, morans!" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:55:27 PM 280 Views
I think this is one of them - 23/03/2010 12:49:35 PM 995 Views
A step in the wrong direction. - 22/03/2010 10:38:31 AM 696 Views
didn't realize it had - 22/03/2010 11:49:36 AM 547 Views
I am happy for it - 22/03/2010 11:55:10 AM 544 Views
The Bill passed? - 22/03/2010 12:27:36 PM 657 Views
I think with the saturation coverage it has been getting people are just worn out *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:27:59 PM 301 Views
hollah that. *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:58:47 PM 244 Views
Yes. - 22/03/2010 02:38:03 PM 556 Views
Re: No posts on the bill passing? - 22/03/2010 01:39:14 PM 573 Views
I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist. - 22/03/2010 01:43:07 PM 746 Views
Re: I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist. - 22/03/2010 02:01:07 PM 559 Views
The Bill won't get repealed. Whatever happens in November. - 23/03/2010 12:17:21 AM 556 Views
There are 18 incumbent Dem Senate seats; 41+18<67. - 29/03/2010 11:15:29 AM 555 Views
I am worried. The official reports show that it will actually erase some debt. But . . . - 22/03/2010 01:39:26 PM 675 Views
I think reform had to start now. - 22/03/2010 02:27:11 PM 735 Views
That's a good column. - 22/03/2010 02:44:56 PM 642 Views
I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:20:54 PM 568 Views
Re: I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:33:31 PM 535 Views
Let's be realistic here at least.... - 22/03/2010 04:16:23 PM 557 Views
I hope your house is built on fimrer foundations then your reasoning - 22/03/2010 04:25:49 PM 555 Views
I'm not worried, there are lots of ways to pay for the bill. - 22/03/2010 05:36:39 PM 480 Views
You should worry about cost control (AKA the only real reason for healthcare reform to begin. ) - 23/03/2010 07:02:24 AM 657 Views
bingo - 24/03/2010 03:45:48 AM 688 Views
Next question: WTF do we do about it? - 24/03/2010 04:00:39 AM 561 Views
sadly probably not a damned thing... - 24/03/2010 04:20:45 AM 545 Views
I worry the day is coming when the Bastille is stormed. - 29/03/2010 11:06:31 AM 635 Views
It is a good start - 22/03/2010 03:01:08 PM 523 Views
Re: It is a good start - 22/03/2010 04:13:28 PM 539 Views
Heh - 22/03/2010 04:21:22 PM 585 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 04:32:30 PM 542 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 08:25:05 PM 605 Views
Sorry, I was out seizing the means of production. *NM* - 22/03/2010 07:43:19 PM 245 Views
You should delve the debate before getting excited. - 23/03/2010 07:22:36 AM 633 Views
I really like what GRR Martin wrote in his blog. - 23/03/2010 09:55:11 AM 662 Views
I agree with him - 23/03/2010 12:14:47 PM 571 Views
I would say it is rather weak point - 23/03/2010 01:12:43 PM 547 Views
Erm... - 23/03/2010 01:39:58 PM 645 Views
I am pleasantly surprised - 23/03/2010 04:14:52 PM 488 Views
Exceptions? - 24/03/2010 05:08:17 AM 502 Views
I haven't been following it too closely - 23/03/2010 02:10:39 PM 684 Views

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