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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 1326 Views
Meh - 22/03/2010 09:07:27 AM 675 Views
Re: Meh - 22/03/2010 01:53:43 PM 661 Views
I know what you mean. I love hearing that the "majority" are against this. - 22/03/2010 01:57:15 PM 790 Views
surveys are crap anyways. - 22/03/2010 01:59:39 PM 616 Views
That's ignorance speaking. - 22/03/2010 02:02:46 PM 645 Views
well yah. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say surveys as a whole are nonsense - 22/03/2010 02:09:42 PM 574 Views
Some are a plurality, some are a majority.... - 22/03/2010 04:01:56 PM 710 Views
But most of them with a high/low don't go into enough detail - 22/03/2010 09:24:29 PM 735 Views
A question? - 23/03/2010 01:11:07 AM 659 Views
I accept that there are situations where leaders must go against popular opinion - 23/03/2010 02:53:00 AM 702 Views
on the other hand *edited stupid spelling error* - 23/03/2010 03:09:47 AM 816 Views
On a certain level I do agree with you - 23/03/2010 05:14:24 AM 616 Views
I was thinking about this after posting - 23/03/2010 12:12:17 PM 620 Views
Ahahahahahahahaha - 23/03/2010 12:57:17 PM 771 Views
why? *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:37:00 PM 323 Views
Because "populous" is not a noun in English. *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:42:16 PM 317 Views
This. - 23/03/2010 03:46:25 PM 681 Views
damn you phonetics. - 23/03/2010 03:50:33 PM 932 Views
As Emo Philips would say - 23/03/2010 04:32:52 PM 699 Views
I always laugh when I see someone say people are "retarted" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:51:46 PM 392 Views
"Get a life, morans!" *NM* - 23/03/2010 03:55:27 PM 316 Views
I think this is one of them - 23/03/2010 12:49:35 PM 1097 Views
A step in the wrong direction. - 22/03/2010 10:38:31 AM 801 Views
didn't realize it had - 22/03/2010 11:49:36 AM 639 Views
I am happy for it - 22/03/2010 11:55:10 AM 630 Views
The Bill passed? - 22/03/2010 12:27:36 PM 726 Views
I think with the saturation coverage it has been getting people are just worn out *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:27:59 PM 342 Views
hollah that. *NM* - 22/03/2010 01:58:47 PM 277 Views
Yes. - 22/03/2010 02:38:03 PM 644 Views
Re: No posts on the bill passing? - 22/03/2010 01:39:14 PM 656 Views
I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist. - 22/03/2010 01:43:07 PM 838 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 642 Views
The Bill won't get repealed. Whatever happens in November. - 23/03/2010 12:17:21 AM 651 Views
There are 18 incumbent Dem Senate seats; 41+18<67. - 29/03/2010 11:15:29 AM 646 Views
I am worried. The official reports show that it will actually erase some debt. But . . . - 22/03/2010 01:39:26 PM 758 Views
I think reform had to start now. - 22/03/2010 02:27:11 PM 828 Views
That's a good column. - 22/03/2010 02:44:56 PM 731 Views
I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:20:54 PM 656 Views
Re: I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill - 22/03/2010 03:33:31 PM 627 Views
Let's be realistic here at least.... - 22/03/2010 04:16:23 PM 645 Views
I hope your house is built on fimrer foundations then your reasoning - 22/03/2010 04:25:49 PM 653 Views
I'm not worried, there are lots of ways to pay for the bill. - 22/03/2010 05:36:39 PM 572 Views
You should worry about cost control (AKA the only real reason for healthcare reform to begin. ) - 23/03/2010 07:02:24 AM 764 Views
bingo - 24/03/2010 03:45:48 AM 785 Views
Next question: WTF do we do about it? - 24/03/2010 04:00:39 AM 659 Views
sadly probably not a damned thing... - 24/03/2010 04:20:45 AM 635 Views
I worry the day is coming when the Bastille is stormed. - 29/03/2010 11:06:31 AM 728 Views
It is a good start - 22/03/2010 03:01:08 PM 615 Views
Re: It is a good start - 22/03/2010 04:13:28 PM 618 Views
Heh - 22/03/2010 04:21:22 PM 679 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 04:32:30 PM 639 Views
Re: Heh - 22/03/2010 08:25:05 PM 694 Views
Sorry, I was out seizing the means of production. *NM* - 22/03/2010 07:43:19 PM 276 Views
You should delve the debate before getting excited. - 23/03/2010 07:22:36 AM 731 Views
I really like what GRR Martin wrote in his blog. - 23/03/2010 09:55:11 AM 747 Views
I agree with him - 23/03/2010 12:14:47 PM 661 Views
I would say it is rather weak point - 23/03/2010 01:12:43 PM 635 Views
Erm... - 23/03/2010 01:39:58 PM 738 Views
I am pleasantly surprised - 23/03/2010 04:14:52 PM 585 Views
Exceptions? - 24/03/2010 05:08:17 AM 586 Views
I haven't been following it too closely - 23/03/2010 02:10:39 PM 779 Views

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