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A Representative Democracy: It’s NOT All About You

13 Monday Sep 2021

Posted by Paul Kiser in Communication, Government, Politicians, Politics, Public Relations, Representative Democracy, Republic, United States

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democracy, Democrat, Dunning Kruger Effect, politicians, representative democracy, republic, Republican

“You Represent ME, Dammit!!!!”

One of the most misunderstood and abused aspects about elected officials is that it is her or his job to represent the individual. The deeper you dig into that concept, the more absurd it becomes. Even under minimal consideration, the idea is ridiculous. How can one person represent the individual needs, wants, and hopes of every citizen?

A Representative Democracy:  Senators of the 117th Congress

Simple Explanations Fail a Representative Democracy

A representative democracy, or a republic, is a very complex idea, formed over thousands of years. It allows individuals to have a say in his or her laws, rules, and policies, but it does not mean that every individual will be satisfied with the outcome.

However, many people think that politicians are to represent only their point of view. That explanation fails to describe the actual responsibilities of an elected official.

Unfortunately, those with limited education may prefer simpler explanations of complex concepts. News media and public relations professionals often ‘dumb down’ information to a sixth-grade reading level. If they don’t, that person may not stay engaged and fail to grasp the information.

However, a simple explanation may pacify a person’s need to know, but fail to adequately inform. This gives a false feeling that one understands the full scope of the problem or idea; however, this is not the case

The Dunning-Kruger Effect on a Citizen’s Competence

Understanding the role of an elected official based on a citizen’s knowledge of a representative democracy

In 1995, a man spread lemon juice on his face and robbed two banks, believing that the lemon juice would make his face invisible to security cameras. He knew that lemon juice could be used as invisible ink on paper and he was confident it would work the same on his face. This is an example of illusory superiority studied by David Dunning and Justin Kruger. Their work led to the theory of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect indicates that a person’s confidence in understanding a concept or problem leaps upon learning a little information. Confidence typically drops significantly with more information; however, confidence then improves as the person becomes more informed.

The common misunderstanding a representative democracy is a good example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Most citizens have a simple understanding of the role of an elected official. They may believe that the role of a politician is to represent only his or her interests. This belief can result in dissatisfaction when a politician doesn’t appease their point of view. 

What IS the Role of an Elected Official in a Representative Democracy?

An elected official is to represent the best interests of all of the citizens in his/her district. Not only the ones that voted for her or him but all the citizens. It may be obvious, but not everyone holds the same values, nor has the same vision, so some may not agree with every choice a politician makes on their behalf.

But a representative democracy has further complications. If any of the citizens sought to create laws and policies that could potentially harm others, a politician should not assist them. For example, if a group of citizens sought a law to require three eyewitnesses to a rape, a politician would be wrong to represent that point of view. It would mean that almost every rape would be unprovable in court and all women would be at risk. Even if it is the view of the majority, a politician is duty-bound to act in the best interest of all citizens.

A politician’s role can be stated simply; however, it differs from common beliefs:

An elected official’s role is to serve the best interests of her or his constituency to the best of their ability, ignoring political ideologies, biases of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, or creed.

 

Why We Elect the Wrong People?: #1 Business Wants Dumb Politicians

27 Saturday Jan 2018

Posted by Paul Kiser in Aging, Business, Ethics, Generational, Government, Government Regulation, Honor, Politicians, Politics, Taxes, US History

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approval rating, Big Business, big oil, Business, campaign contributions, character assassination, Congress, disapproval rating, Donald Trump, GOP, Money, PAC's, pharmaceutical companies, pharmaceutical industry, politicians, Republican, Republicans

Business loves Republicans for a reason

Fifty-six percent of U.S. citizens don’t approve of Donald Trump’s job as President. The job disapproval rating for Congress is at 75%. Why do we hate our politicians? Why don’t we elect people who will make us proud instead of disgusted? The answer is that it is our fault, but not completely. 

Dumb Politicians Are Good For Business

Making money is easier for unethical people in business. Finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes would be great, but there is no money in curing diabetes. There is a lot of money in selling diabetic supplies and insulin. There is more money if a pharmaceutical companies work together and raise prices. It is not in the interest of the pharmaceutical industry to have a government looking over their shoulder telling them what they can and can’t do.

This is why businesses and business-related lobbying groups don’t want intelligent, caring people elected into a political office. It is not good for business. They want less intelligent, unethical, uncaring people as politicians because it makes less trouble for them. Big business puts their money behind candidates that won’t ask questions and won’t interfere when they do something unethical.

Follow the Money

In 2016, pharmaceutical companies spent almost a quarter of a billion dollars ($247,033,814) to lobby politician’s favor. They increased that by over $30 million in 2017. This is not money being spent for good government. This is money spent by the pharmaceutical industry, for the pharmaceutical industry.

Republicans feel the love from business

Energy companies give to the Republican party by default

Energy companies spent over $171 million in campaign contributions during in 2016, and 77% of the money was given to Republican candidates. There is no doubt that the energy industry knows who will support them and they make sure that their candidate has the money needed to win.  

There is a reason that Republicans won the White House and Congress. Business wants unintelligent, unethical, and uncaring politicians. Business is good when politicians are bad.

Character Assassination

It’s not enough to just spend money on the politician that business wants to win. They also spend money to destroy the character of the opposition. Business overlooks the character flaws of the candidate they want to win, but focus an intense eye on the person they don’t want to win.

A thinking, considerate, competent person running for office can expect to have business mount campaigns to expose any flaw or perceived flaw in her or his character. It effectively discourages anyone who doesn’t support big business from running for political office.

Tuesday:  #2 We Don’t Understand the Purpose of a Republic

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