Why is the electorate (the people who vote) in this country so underinformed?

Question

Since some of you lost it because I didn't frame it as a question and didn't use spell-check. Sorry, so busy, can't take time out to spell-check. :-)

Answer 1

There is no test to be taken on our charter of government (the Constitution) unless you are a resident alien seeking citizenship. There is no penalty for not voting, except for being dropped from the voters' rolls which can be rectified by just re-registering. There is no social stigma attached to those who don't even know the name of their local Member of Congress. Those who will be voting concentrate their focus on the Presidential election, even though they don't vote for President. They only vote for electors pledged to the election of a particular candidate as President. And only 24 of the States have faithful elector laws with penalties for those electors holding certificates of ascertainment issued by the Governor to vote for the preference the people of that state indicated.

Since the Spring of 1933 they have been conditioned to think of the President as some sort of Federal Wizard King. So, neither the media or they pay the slightest attention to the 435 Members of the House of Representatives or the 30+ Senators who are standing for re-election.

It is a wonder that the Republic endures!

Answer 2

A poor education system and loads of mainstream media propaganda.

Answer 3

Why well  instead of libraries they use the internet which while it has information is not always complete.

This brings to mind things on securityin which politicians promise to keep people safe from people like hackers in which it is said can get into personal phonesthrough the internet The puzzle is if phones are not computer phones or connected to the internet how people can have remote access  to them.  Also if your phone is a landline how is this possible.  

Answer 4

It is an innate nature of people to know what is right-wrong- or we can live with it

If everything was framed this way life would be to easy.

Enter the politicians

to get elected they need more votes than the other guy and to get them they figure out which groups they can appeal to to max out.

-The easiest way to do this is parse your message so the supporters can tell what they said and the opponents can tell you what they really meant  remembering that people generally hear what they want to hear.

-So when its all over nobody really knows what the h**l happened and after a few times of this the voter catches on and realizes they've been lied to/screwed again

-If there were real forums where pols had to answer direct questions there would be fewer candidates.

-tha way it is now the 'front' men or mouths convey the interpretations to a usually media which is the only place the electorate will get the info they need to make an informed decision.

-Eventually even the most ardent and patriots voter gives up and just goes with the flow.

-Easy answer--There is no place to get the info that they crave to make an informed vote.

-The voters who vote strict party or bias don't count in this discussion.

Answer 5

Because for the most part people don't care and want to be left alone to live their own lives. Think of every protest ever in the history of America, what are people fighting for if not the freedom to live their lives?

Answer 6

The politicians want it that way. All either party has to do is rally their base and distract and confuse all others.