Posted by noa on January 31, 2004, at 15:53:48
In reply to To Dinah re: politics, posted by Racer on January 31, 2004, at 12:06:45
This has been an interesting thread to read. I have several rather random things to add:
1. I love the image of Racer educating the poller in the direction of the views supported by the opponents of the survey's sponsors! Stop her for a 'woman on the street survey'? They asked for it!
2. I imagine Racer would be every lawyer's nightmare in jury selection! She knows too much and has too many well-articulated opinions!
3. The issue of California funding---I just heard an interesting piece on Marketplace radio about how the inadequacy of funding to public schools in California is now leading to a new kind of class war---whether local PTAs can control the funds they raise to pay for things that should have been provided by public funding, or whether there should be some evening out of the playing field so that the schools in poorer areas and richer areas don't end up being so incredibly stratified as to look like the whole education affair is completely dependent on how much parents can pay. The deal is that the superintendent is asking that 15% of parent raised funds be redistributed. Just 15%! And the rich communities are complaining that this is robbing them of their hard-earned fundraising efforts. The crazy part of all of this is that these programs, like arts programs, or funding for materials or teacher aides, should be funded by the state--what the heck happened to universal free education anyway!!! (Racer, did you see how I was starting to get whipped up into a rant there?)
4. Have you noticed how confusing issue advertisements have become? I can't tell which side of an issue a sponsor is on? If I call my legislator and urge them to vote "yes" on a particular issue, what am I supporting? It is really hard to tell, because I think the marketing pros have done a great deal of clever work, and because the way the actual bills are developed is very complicated. Then the ads seem to be saying things like, "you don't want to hurt the poor innocent [fill in the blank victim here], now, do you? well, then, call your congressman and let him know how you feel!" Or the ads that make you feel like you are going to get creamed as a consumer if a certain bill is passed, while the ad for the opposing side says you are going to get creamed if it doesn't pass. It's kind of akin to the beauty pageant contestant being asked if she is "for world peace"! Well, if you're for world peace, vote yes on this bill. Yeah, right. I have this fear that one of these days, I'm going to vote on a referendum that looks like it supports something I support and wake up the next morning to discover I've voted to make the neo-Nazis in charge of the country or something.
I wish there were easy to read web sites with charts deconstructing the policy issues and the approaches taken by the politicians and the various proposed bills, so I could just read these to get the straight truth about the pros and cons of each, rather than have to be inundated with misleading advertising, etc. The ads make me feel turned off about it all. Hmm... maybe that is the real desired effect? Maybe it's a conspiracy between all the sides to just confuse us all into oblivion.....
poster:noa
thread:307707
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040131/msgs/307803.html