People in Washington think regular Americans are dumb as shit - Polidicks

[URL]http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/18/americans-dont-care-for-washington-new-research-suggests-the-feeling-is-mutual/[/URL] [URL]http://releases.jhu.edu/2014/09/15/when-rulers-cant-understand-the-ruled/[/URL] [quote] It's accepted wisdom that Americans don't hold Washington in high regard. Now, [URL="http://releases.jhu.edu/2014/09/15/when-rulers-cant-understand-the-ruled/"]new research[/URL] from political scientists at John Hopkins University shows that the feeling is mutual. Approval ratings of Congress [URL="http://www.gallup.com/poll/175676/congress-approval-sits-two-months-elections.aspx"]hover near record lows[/URL], and the other branches of federal government aren't [URL="http://www.gallup.com/poll/175790/americans-trust-executive-legislative-branches-down.aspx"]looking too hot either[/URL]. When asked about the most vexing problem facing the country at the moment, Americans are most likely to say [URL="http://www.gallup.com/poll/175721/fewer-americans-say-terrorism-top-problem.aspx"]the government itself[/URL]. Official Washington is increasingly seen as out of touch with the rest of the country. But is it really? That's what researchersJennifer Bachner and Benjamin Ginsberg wanted to find out. They surveyed upwards of 850 Federal employees, Hill staffers, contractors, consultants, lobbyists and think tankers. While we know plenty about our elected lawmakers, we know much less about this group of Beltwayinsiders, who you can think of as the "policymaking community." As a group they play an active and direct role in crafting legislation and setting the tone of national policy debates, but as unelected officials they're largely insulated from the ire of voters. Bachner and Ginsberg found that compared to the average American, the group "is more likely to be white. They are more educated. Their salaries are higher, they vote more and have more faith in the fairness of elections. They are probably Democrat and liberal." This in itself is not necessarily surprising - DC is a large metropolitan area, and as a rule the nation's metros tend to be wealthier, better-educated and more liberal than the rest of the country. But these policymakers also pay more attention to politics, they're more likely to vote, and they have considerably more confidence in the fairness of the political process; 62 percent of congressional staffers, 55 percent of federal workers and 49 percent of other Washington policymakers believe that election votes are often counted fairly. By contrast, just a third of the general public says the same. Similarly, only 30 percent of Americans say that government and politics can be understood by people like them; 73 percent of policymakers say the same, as do 100 percent of Hill and White House staffers. When asked how much they thought the average American knew about a variety of policy debates, like raising taxes on the rich, warrantless wiretapping, and government's role in healthcare, policymakers most frequently said "very little." Policymakers aren't wholly unjustified in these assumptions - a [URL="http://www.pewresearch.org/2010/11/18/public-knows-basic-facts-about-politics-economics-but-struggles-with-specifics/"]2010 Pew survey[/URL], for instance, found that the public knew basic facts about politics and economics, but was murky on the specifics. But a certain degree of responsibility for informing the public on these issues [URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/10/study-politicians-can-change-hearts-and-minds-simply-by-stating-their-views/"]falls to these very policymakers[/URL]. If the public is uninformed or misinformed, that's at least partly an indictment of Washington's own efforts to educate its constituents. [/quote] [IMG]http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/09/Screen-Shot-2014-09-18-at-10.17.56-AM.png[/IMG] Another good infographic from the study: [URL]http://releases.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Government12.jpg[/URL] To be fair, it must be extremely frustrating to bust your ass in a congressional office trying to solve people's problems, only to go home to a town hall meeting and listen to dumb rednecks spout 30-year-old "Gub'ment IS the problem!" talking points. But, earned or not, the disdain toward "ordinary" (aka less white, less educated, poorer) Americans is worrying. It's a lot easier to tune us out when they think we're all just an ignorant rabble. Which we kind of are: [url]www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1425462[/url]

i can see why when a good chunk can't even list a single branch of government. I hear shit all the time down here that blame the president/Affordable Healthcare Act for literally anything. Like connecting net neutrality to AHA, not even joking.

Honestly polls like this ought to only take into account registered voters. I'm sure a great deal of Americans don't know many political policies, but they don't really matter if they don't nor want to vote. Now ask these guys what they think of these questions in regards to voting Americans, the ones who actually make a difference to the country, and see what happens.

People around here are mostly government employees and government contractors, or have family and friends in that line of work, so it's not hard to see why they think they're better informed about government politics.

[QUOTE=Xystus234;46018987]People around here are mostly government employees and government contractors so it's not hard to see why they think they're better informed about government politics.[/QUOTE] And "around here" is where exactly...?

i love the bottom one about requiring a court order for wire-tapping suspected terrorists, its not that we aren't aware the FISA court exists, actually we weren't allowed to know it existed. its very existence was top secret until edward snowden's leaks. also its pretty much been shown in the fallout to be just a rubber stamp for unsolicited and limitless government wiretapping and spying

So I guess this means we're all just idiots then huh?

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46018993]And "around here" is where exactly...?[/QUOTE] Northern Virginia. I live down the street from the Metro. Everyone works for the government or a company that works with the government around here.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46018890]Honestly polls like this ought to only take into account registered voters. I'm sure a great deal of Americans don't know many political policies, but they don't really matter if they don't nor want to vote. Now ask these guys what they think of these questions in regards to voting Americans, the ones who actually make a difference to the country, and see what happens.[/QUOTE] Well they will complain about this shit anyway. And congressmen represent everyone, not just those who vote.

well yeah thanks to our fucked up budgets, schools get fuck all and thus, here we are.

From what Ive seen i'm not suprised, its like the worst you have to offer get all the screen time.

[QUOTE=Sableye;46019032]i love the bottom one about requiring a court order for wire-tapping suspected terrorists, its not that we aren't aware the FISA court exists, actually we weren't allowed to know it existed. its very existence was top secret until edward snowden's leaks. also its pretty much been shown in the fallout to be just a rubber stamp for unsolicited and limitless government wiretapping and spying[/QUOTE] It was gossip around here since 2006.

I think a lot of people who are into politics would agree that a great deal of Americans (possibly even most of them) are misinformed or uninformed about politics. It's hard for people not to be misinformed with stuff like Fox News is so popular.

God damn it. I thought this meant Washington [b]state[/b]. I came in here to verify it's true. Is it really so difficult for journals and news articles to put "DC" after "Washington" when they mean the District of Columbia, and not the state? It's two whole letters that saves a whole lot of confusion for people who live in Washington state.

well this happens, misinformation happens so much here in the states to the point where i just want to not believe shit because how would i know its fact or just a straight fabrication. Now i am nowhere a expert in politics myself but i have somewhat of an idea on how its ran.

Honestly, its kinda true.

Later that night, every house in DC was covered with wet toilet paper.

i live in the NCR and i can confirm this theory

[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;46019574]God damn it. I thought this meant Washington [b]state[/b]. I came in here to verify it's true. Is it really so difficult for journals and news articles to put "DC" after "Washington" when they mean the District of Columbia, and not the state? It's two whole letters that saves a whole lot of confusion for people who live in Washington state.[/QUOTE] Honestly, if they just said the District of Columbia in the first place, it would clear a lot of things up.

wish it was referred to as D.C. instead of washington because i get my hopes up and then they come crashing down [editline]18th September 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Gmod4ever;46019574]God damn it. I thought this meant Washington [b]state[/b]. [B]I came in here to verify it's true.[/B] Is it really so difficult for journals and news articles to put "DC" after "Washington" when they mean the District of Columbia, and not the state? It's two whole letters that saves a whole lot of confusion for people who live in Washington state.[/QUOTE] also verifying it, we're the best state with the best people

[QUOTE=assassin_Raptor;46019606]Honestly, its kinda true.[/QUOTE] I assure you that people know more than "very little" about most of those subjects.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46018890]Honestly polls like this ought to only take into account registered voters. I'm sure a great deal of Americans don't know many political policies, but they don't really matter if they don't nor want to vote. Now ask these guys what they think of these questions in regards to voting Americans, the ones who actually make a difference to the country, and see what happens.[/QUOTE] Dude. We have people that won't vote for someone that isn't a christian. You think they give a shit about political policies? People were planning on voting for that scumbag piece of shit Rick Perry just because he praaaaised da lawd.

[QUOTE=Del91;46019967]Honestly, if they just said the District of Columbia in the first place, it would clear a lot of things up.[/QUOTE] as someone who lives in "D.C." we call it Washington because no offense but Washington, D.C. > Washington State dat government tho

I live in the least important city in North America. :C [editline]19th September 2014[/editline] In the least important state even.

[QUOTE=Del91;46020533]I live in the least important city in North America. :C [editline]19th September 2014[/editline] In the least important state even.[/QUOTE] Beaver, Washington?

Vancouver, not BC, Washington, not DC

[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;46019574]God damn it. I thought this meant Washington [b]state[/b]. I came in here to verify it's true. Is it really so difficult for journals and news articles to put "DC" after "Washington" when they mean the District of Columbia, and not the state? It's two whole letters that saves a whole lot of confusion for people who live in Washington state.[/QUOTE] You do not feel my pain when I talk to people (esp Americans) and say that Im half Georgian, they instantly assume I am from state Georgia, not the country in Caucasus :/

[QUOTE=Dark RaveN;46020714]You do not feel my pain when I talk to people (esp Americans) and say that Im half Georgian, they instantly assume I am from state Georgia, not the country in Caucasus :/[/QUOTE] "crazy accent they got down there"

It's OK, we think the same about you as well.

[QUOTE=Del91;46020702]Vancouver, not BC, Washington, not DC[/QUOTE] Come on up to Kelso and tell me how insignificant Vancouver is ;)