Unified Displeasure? How so?

[DeadWhiteGoose]

I live in the Sacramento area and all you ever hear are people discussing how poorly run our statewide government is and how our politicians aren't doing their jobs. They keep creating more laws and limiting our freedoms while they can't even budget a check book. But one thing I do notice is an overwhelmingly high agreement level on the fact that things are being ran the wrong way and something needs to change. That said, all I can ask is that if the larger portion of the population is upset with how things are going, then how can they still be going? I was under the impression that this was a peoples democracy, and the majority wins. While it's not even nearly just the gun control laws that people are upset about, at least there are groups like the NRA trying to give us back our freedom. Sounds like its time for a change.

[pointedstick]

• Systemic incentives for busybodies, narcissists, and utopians to run for office
• Ideological commonality among majority of the electorate
• Low voter turnout
• Gerrymandering
• Procedural quirks

[mej16489]

I live in the Sacramento area and all you ever hear are people discussing how poorly run our statewide government is and how our politicians aren't doing their jobs. They keep creating more laws and limiting our freedoms while they can't even budget a check book. But one thing I do notice is an overwhelmingly high agreement level on the fact that things are being ran the wrong way and something needs to change. That said, all I can ask is that if the larger portion of the population is upset with how things are going, then how can they still be going? I was under the impression that this was a peoples democracy, and the majority wins. While it's not even nearly just the gun control laws that people are upset about, at least there are groups like the NRA trying to give us back our freedom. Sounds like its time for a change.

Because an overwhelming majority of the voting populace think, "The guy I vote for is fine, it's the 'other' guys that are the problem."

I'll admit - I'm sorta guilty of this - my state reps are fine its the state senators I want out!

[PsychGuy274]

Because people are idiots.

[Wherryj]

I live in the Sacramento area and all you ever hear are people discussing how poorly run our statewide government is and how our politicians aren't doing their jobs. They keep creating more laws and limiting our freedoms while they can't even budget a check book. But one thing I do notice is an overwhelmingly high agreement level on the fact that things are being ran the wrong way and something needs to change. That said, all I can ask is that if the larger portion of the population is upset with how things are going, then how can they still be going? I was under the impression that this was a peoples democracy, and the majority wins. While it's not even nearly just the gun control laws that people are upset about, at least there are groups like the NRA trying to give us back our freedom. Sounds like its time for a change.

Wait until the next statewide election. You'll hear all of the people talking about how they are going to vote the incumbent back into office...for some inexplicable reason.

[Wherryj]

Because an overwhelming majority of the voting populace think, "The guy I vote for is fine, it's the 'other' guys that are the problem."

I'll admit - I'm sorta guilty of this - my state reps are fine its the state senators I want out!

I can honestly say that I want ALL of my state's "representatives" thrown out immediately. None of them represent a single one of my principles. The problem is that most of the OTHER people in my district/state, etc. keep voting the losers back into office.

[oni.dori]

For the record, the United States is a republic, NOT a democracy. There is a big diffrerence.

[oni.dori]

Wait until the next statewide election. You'll hear all of the people talking about how they are going to vote the incumbent back into office...for some inexplicable reason.

Because change and difference is psychologically frightening to most individuals. If they did not educate themselves on the alternate candidate, they worry too much that they are making a "bad" choice, so they just go with the one they are familiar with (whether or not they know that candidate is a horrible choice or not). Good, bad, or indifferent, familiarity is comforting.

I would like to point out though, the last election was VERY close (just shy of a 50/50 split), a MASSIVE difference from what it was in the past election, and definitely far different than it has been here for a LONG time. I would even wager, that it would be even more different the next election. It IS gettting better in CA, albiet slowly, but it IS happening; Nation-wide even. As other states gain, even DEMAND their freedoms back and gain ground doing it, that sentiment is slowly seeping back in to CA.

[Wherryj]

Because change and difference is psychologically frightening to most individuals. If they did not educate themselves on the alternate candidate, they worry too much that they are making a "bad" choice, so they just go with the one they are familiar with (whether or not they know that candidate is a horrible choice or not). Good, bad, or indifferent, familiarity is comforting.

I would like to point out though, the last election was VERY close (just shy of a 50/50 split), a MASSIVE difference from what it was in the past election, and definitely far different than it has been here for a LONG time. I would even wager, that it would be even more different the next election. It IS gettting better in CA, albiet slowly, but it IS happening; Nation-wide even. As other states gain, even DEMAND their freedoms back and gain ground doing it, that sentiment is slowly seeping back in to CA.

These people just need to learn what the rest of us know from long-suffering experience: That it is nearly impossible for ANYONE to do ANY WORSE than the current bunch of politicians that are currently in office.

There's nothing scary about taking a chance when the alternative is more of the same insanity. Einstein is right.

[FastFinger]

Also the people you hear, almost be definition, are the ones who are upset. The vast majority of other aren't that upset, mostly because they're not that informed. Sheeple.

[Patrick Aherne]

Democracy, pure democracy, is the tyranny of the masses. We used to be a representative republic. Do some research on how Athens turned out. People are stupid; people in large, agitated groups are stupid, overly emotional and extremely dangerous.

[Ubermcoupe]

Because people are idiots.

And because some/most of them don't actually care

[yellowfin]

Look up "rational ignorance". Lots of articles on it on Volokh Conspiracy.

[dustoff31]

That said, all I can ask is that if the larger portion of the population is upset with how things are going, then how can they still be going?

And then I have to ask, if the larger portion of the electorate is as upset as they say they are, how do the same people keep getting elected and re-elected? Clearly, the majority isn't that upset.

[Fjold]

It's because stupid people are allowed to vote. That's the thing with the Constitution, you have to take the bad with the good.