Ignorance And Apathy
Townhall,
by
Cal Thomas
Original Article
Posted By: ladydawgfan,
4/29/2022 4:25:33 AM
There's an old joke about a fictitious poll taker who asked people what they thought about ignorance and apathy when it comes to politics and elections. One respondent said, "I don't know, and I don't care."
I thought of that joke after seeing a recent YouGov poll. It shows a vast gap between what people believe to be true and what is verifiably true.
Here are a few examples. According to the poll, transgender individuals make up just 1 percent of the U.S. population, yet people believe the estimated proportion is 21 percent. Only about 1 percent of U.S. households earn more than $500,000 a year,
Way at the end of his Op-Ed, Mr Thomas says (I paraphrase) he’s open to suggestion for ensuring voters know something about Civics before casting a ballot. The correct answer is 4-fold Constitutional Amendment requiring: first, 18 years of citizenship before registering to vote. Those born here continue to be eligible on their 18th birthday; those naturalized wait until the 18th anniversary of their legally attaining citizenship. Second, institute a national voter registration with a physical photo/biometric identification card. Implement an expiration period of 4 years, and a renewal process requiring the voter to pass the exact same Citizenship Exam (in person, in English, with only reasonable accommodations, just as candidates for naturalization do here every day) for initial issue and for renewal. Third, require ballots be cast in person. No drop boxes, no mail-in option. Overseas diplomats, military, and sponsored dependents would have a local facility available. Ex-pats would have to travel to an Embassy. States would have authority over early voting, but it would have to be in person. Likewise, actual Election Day would have to be in person, no exceptions. And finally, enforce federal law to ensure election tampering is punished. Circumventing any of the above must be a felony, strictly enforced with the full weight of the US Government behind it, including mandatory minimum penalties commensurate with the seditious act such tampering constitutes. I do not assume Cal will see these comments, but I’ll keep sounding this alarm for as long as I have a voice. Feel free to borrow it for whatever other forums you may have as well. Constitutional Amendments are complicated, by design, but less complicated than tyranny.
8 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
jeffkinnh 4/29/2022 5:46:12 AM (No. 1141364)
It would help if most Republicans weren't so wimpy and mealy-mouthed. Directly and forcefully calling out distortions and lies would be a start.
Unfortunately, with the Leftist media so eager to lie and many Americans still trusting them, it creates great confusion about issues. Americans who WANT to know the truth don't know where to turn. Further, many Americans are too lazy/distracted to parse through news sources to understand issues. Finally, I would suggest that around 40% of the electorate, 20% liberal/20% Conservative, are ideologues, too wedded to their views to consider reality, no matter how hard it slaps them in the face.
None of this means that we shouldn't TRY to push the truth into the public domain, just that the effect of doing so is uncertain and unpredictable. It can be VERY frustrating.
5 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
franq 4/29/2022 6:01:50 AM (No. 1141369)
An honest election is probably a vain hope, since not even the Supreme Joke sees any standing in it.
8 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Rinktum 4/29/2022 6:30:11 AM (No. 1141377)
One thing I would suggest that would level the informational playing field is Civics, Economics, and American History be required courses in order to graduate. They would have to be a straight up factual courses taught by knowledgeable and unbiased teachers. Some of my best teachers taught these subjects which were required in order for a student to graduate. Kids know nothing these days. The man on the street interviews are an embarrassment. I am ashamed for our country. We must fight for the truth and that means educating our children when they are young. Parents have an obligation to their children and if their schools do not require these subjects, insist upon it. Education is the key.
12 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
F15 Gork 4/29/2022 6:40:22 AM (No. 1141384)
I’m afraid it’s almost too late to turn this ship around before hitting the iceberg. Like many things, when government took over the student loan program you knew where that was headed. Eventual Loan forgiveness and free college were just around the corner. Personnel responsibility is pretty much dead nowadays. It’s been replaced by daddy government providing free money and cradle to grave care.....as long as you vote the right way. This is all going to end badly. Very badly.
11 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
rushie 4/29/2022 8:02:17 AM (No. 1141412)
What people believe prevails over the truth. Sophocles
7 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Clinger 4/29/2022 8:28:30 AM (No. 1141429)
Let's start with a certain set of 535 people who will remain nameless and see if they can define what a "right" is as defined in the American constitutional context and then if they pass the first test question go on do describe the difference between negative and positive rights.
My favorite is the rich don't pay their fair share of taxes perception. There are numerous "man on the street" examples where people demonstrate that the don't think rich pay any income tax and suggest that they should pay much more but still when asked to pick a number they choose less that the current 40% that the top 1% actually pay. John Stossel did this to Al Sharpton asking him what the 1% pay and what he thinks they should pay and I thing AL started at believing they pay 10% then rethought and said less than 5%. His target that they should pay was 15% and when Stossel told him it was 35% (which it was at the time) Sharpton quickly changed the subject. So here we have a high profile highly influential icon of the left spouting off with no clue and clearly no interest in knowing acquiring one.
It's not that one thing or two in the core beliefs of the voters supporting leftist candidates is the product of manipulation, its that everything that they believe with religious zeal is based on lies. Their self image as superior enlightened ones is all built on lies.
But thank goodness we have a new ministry of truth to fix all that.
3 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
bpl40 4/29/2022 8:51:01 AM (No. 1141449)
According to the Head of Psychiatry at john Hopkins there are only 76000 individuals in the Us who claim to be transgender. According to the good doctor at least half of them, if their feet are held to the fire will admit that they are pretending for other reasons (Lia Thomas, Richard, Levin anyone?) . The remaining 36,000 (out of 330 million) are almost ALL psychiatry cases and require treatment. Politically based accusations of 'transphobia (whatever that is) are the REAL hatemongering problem.
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Goose 4/29/2022 9:03:25 AM (No. 1141468)
Well, I dont know and I dont care. /S/
4 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Axeman 4/29/2022 9:51:20 AM (No. 1141514)
The LoFo effect. It is there. It is not going to change quickly. The Demzis have learned how to use it effectively. The GOPes are jealous and trying to catch up. The LoFo effect COULD be used for the betterment of the nation but for now it is being used for the betterment of the tyrannical class.
5 people like this.
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And Dementia Joe thinks we need a Ministry of Truth??? Leftists are EVIL!!