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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 1259 Views
Meh - 22/03/2010 09:07:27 AM 582 Views
Re: Meh - 22/03/2010 01:53:43 PM 542 Views
I know what you mean. I love hearing that the "majority" are against this. - 22/03/2010 01:57:15 PM 691 Views
surveys are crap anyways. - 22/03/2010 01:59:39 PM 514 Views
That's ignorance speaking. - 22/03/2010 02:02:46 PM 550 Views
well yah. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say surveys as a whole are nonsense - 22/03/2010 02:09:42 PM 487 Views
Some are a plurality, some are a majority.... - 22/03/2010 04:01:56 PM 606 Views
But most of them with a high/low don't go into enough detail - 22/03/2010 09:24:29 PM 637 Views
A question? - 23/03/2010 01:11:07 AM 555 Views
I accept that there are situations where leaders must go against popular opinion - 23/03/2010 02:53:00 AM 600 Views
on the other hand *edited stupid spelling error* - 23/03/2010 03:09:47 AM 728 Views
On a certain level I do agree with you - 23/03/2010 05:14:24 AM 515 Views
I was thinking about this after posting - 23/03/2010 12:12:17 PM 526 Views
Ahahahahahahahaha - 23/03/2010 12:57:17 PM 671 Views
why? *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:37:00 PM 274 Views
Because "populous" is not a noun in English. *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:42:16 PM 275 Views
This. - 23/03/2010 03:46:25 PM 578 Views
damn you phonetics. - 23/03/2010 03:50:33 PM 832 Views
As Emo Philips would say - 23/03/2010 04:32:52 PM 609 Views
I always laugh when I see someone say people are "retarted" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:51:46 PM 353 Views
"Get a life, morans!" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:55:27 PM 276 Views
I think this is one of them - 23/03/2010 12:49:35 PM 986 Views
A step in the wrong direction. - 22/03/2010 10:38:31 AM 677 Views
didn't realize it had - 22/03/2010 11:49:36 AM 537 Views
I am happy for it - 22/03/2010 11:55:10 AM 536 Views
The Bill passed? - 22/03/2010 12:27:36 PM 642 Views
I think with the saturation coverage it has been getting people are just worn out *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:27:59 PM 296 Views
hollah that. *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:58:47 PM 239 Views
Yes. - 22/03/2010 02:38:03 PM 546 Views
Re: No posts on the bill passing? - 22/03/2010 01:39:14 PM 567 Views
I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist. - 22/03/2010 01:43:07 PM 737 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 548 Views
The Bill won't get repealed. Whatever happens in November. - 23/03/2010 12:17:21 AM 547 Views
There are 18 incumbent Dem Senate seats; 41+18<67. - 29/03/2010 11:15:29 AM 548 Views
I am worried. The official reports show that it will actually erase some debt. But . . . - 22/03/2010 01:39:26 PM 666 Views
I think reform had to start now. - 22/03/2010 02:27:11 PM 720 Views
That's a good column. - 22/03/2010 02:44:56 PM 633 Views
I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:20:54 PM 560 Views
Re: I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:33:31 PM 527 Views
Let's be realistic here at least.... - 22/03/2010 04:16:23 PM 547 Views
I hope your house is built on fimrer foundations then your reasoning - 22/03/2010 04:25:49 PM 540 Views
I'm not worried, there are lots of ways to pay for the bill. - 22/03/2010 05:36:39 PM 474 Views
You should worry about cost control (AKA the only real reason for healthcare reform to begin. ) - 23/03/2010 07:02:24 AM 644 Views
bingo - 24/03/2010 03:45:48 AM 679 Views
Next question: WTF do we do about it? - 24/03/2010 04:00:39 AM 555 Views
sadly probably not a damned thing... - 24/03/2010 04:20:45 AM 534 Views
I worry the day is coming when the Bastille is stormed. - 29/03/2010 11:06:31 AM 625 Views
It is a good start - 22/03/2010 03:01:08 PM 511 Views
Re: It is a good start - 22/03/2010 04:13:28 PM 529 Views
Heh - 22/03/2010 04:21:22 PM 576 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 04:32:30 PM 531 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 08:25:05 PM 594 Views
Sorry, I was out seizing the means of production. *NM* - 22/03/2010 07:43:19 PM 240 Views
You should delve the debate before getting excited. - 23/03/2010 07:22:36 AM 627 Views
I really like what GRR Martin wrote in his blog. - 23/03/2010 09:55:11 AM 650 Views
I agree with him - 23/03/2010 12:14:47 PM 557 Views
I would say it is rather weak point - 23/03/2010 01:12:43 PM 534 Views
Erm... - 23/03/2010 01:39:58 PM 628 Views
I am pleasantly surprised - 23/03/2010 04:14:52 PM 482 Views
Exceptions? - 24/03/2010 05:08:17 AM 493 Views
I haven't been following it too closely - 23/03/2010 02:10:39 PM 669 Views

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