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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 1507 Views
Meh - 22/03/2010 09:07:27 AM 844 Views
Re: Meh - 22/03/2010 01:53:43 PM 867 Views
I know what you mean. I love hearing that the "majority" are against this. - 22/03/2010 01:57:15 PM 961 Views
surveys are crap anyways. - 22/03/2010 01:59:39 PM 803 Views
That's ignorance speaking. - 22/03/2010 02:02:46 PM 829 Views
well yah. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say surveys as a whole are nonsense - 22/03/2010 02:09:42 PM 759 Views
Some are a plurality, some are a majority.... - 22/03/2010 04:01:56 PM 883 Views
But most of them with a high/low don't go into enough detail - 22/03/2010 09:24:29 PM 929 Views
A question? - 23/03/2010 01:11:07 AM 857 Views
I accept that there are situations where leaders must go against popular opinion - 23/03/2010 02:53:00 AM 892 Views
on the other hand *edited stupid spelling error* - 23/03/2010 03:09:47 AM 997 Views
On a certain level I do agree with you - 23/03/2010 05:14:24 AM 809 Views
I was thinking about this after posting - 23/03/2010 12:12:17 PM 802 Views
Ahahahahahahahaha - 23/03/2010 12:57:17 PM 937 Views
why? *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:37:00 PM 412 Views
Because "populous" is not a noun in English. *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:42:16 PM 389 Views
This. - 23/03/2010 03:46:25 PM 862 Views
damn you phonetics. - 23/03/2010 03:50:33 PM 1120 Views
As Emo Philips would say - 23/03/2010 04:32:52 PM 882 Views
I always laugh when I see someone say people are "retarted" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:51:46 PM 467 Views
"Get a life, morans!" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:55:27 PM 404 Views
I think this is one of them - 23/03/2010 12:49:35 PM 1303 Views
A step in the wrong direction. - 22/03/2010 10:38:31 AM 977 Views
didn't realize it had - 22/03/2010 11:49:36 AM 817 Views
I am happy for it - 22/03/2010 11:55:10 AM 814 Views
The Bill passed? - 22/03/2010 12:27:36 PM 922 Views
I think with the saturation coverage it has been getting people are just worn out *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:27:59 PM 427 Views
hollah that. *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:58:47 PM 368 Views
Yes. - 22/03/2010 02:38:03 PM 821 Views
Re: No posts on the bill passing? - 22/03/2010 01:39:14 PM 833 Views
I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist. - 22/03/2010 01:43:07 PM 1017 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 825 Views
The Bill won't get repealed. Whatever happens in November. - 23/03/2010 12:17:21 AM 833 Views
There are 18 incumbent Dem Senate seats; 41+18<67. - 29/03/2010 11:15:29 AM 844 Views
I am worried. The official reports show that it will actually erase some debt. But . . . - 22/03/2010 01:39:26 PM 935 Views
I think reform had to start now. - 22/03/2010 02:27:11 PM 1020 Views
That's a good column. - 22/03/2010 02:44:56 PM 907 Views
I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:20:54 PM 844 Views
Re: I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:33:31 PM 818 Views
Let's be realistic here at least.... - 22/03/2010 04:16:23 PM 817 Views
I hope your house is built on fimrer foundations then your reasoning - 22/03/2010 04:25:49 PM 852 Views
I'm not worried, there are lots of ways to pay for the bill. - 22/03/2010 05:36:39 PM 770 Views
You should worry about cost control (AKA the only real reason for healthcare reform to begin. ) - 23/03/2010 07:02:24 AM 942 Views
bingo - 24/03/2010 03:45:48 AM 969 Views
Next question: WTF do we do about it? - 24/03/2010 04:00:39 AM 855 Views
sadly probably not a damned thing... - 24/03/2010 04:20:45 AM 811 Views
I worry the day is coming when the Bastille is stormed. - 29/03/2010 11:06:31 AM 913 Views
It is a good start - 22/03/2010 03:01:08 PM 797 Views
Re: It is a good start - 22/03/2010 04:13:28 PM 783 Views
Heh - 22/03/2010 04:21:22 PM 885 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 04:32:30 PM 814 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 08:25:05 PM 876 Views
Sorry, I was out seizing the means of production. *NM* - 22/03/2010 07:43:19 PM 353 Views
You should delve the debate before getting excited. - 23/03/2010 07:22:36 AM 910 Views
I really like what GRR Martin wrote in his blog. - 23/03/2010 09:55:11 AM 939 Views
I agree with him - 23/03/2010 12:14:47 PM 842 Views
I would say it is rather weak point - 23/03/2010 01:12:43 PM 830 Views
Erm... - 23/03/2010 01:39:58 PM 930 Views
I am pleasantly surprised - 23/03/2010 04:14:52 PM 747 Views
Exceptions? - 24/03/2010 05:08:17 AM 773 Views
I haven't been following it too closely - 23/03/2010 02:10:39 PM 981 Views

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