Are Young People Really This Ignorant...

[rogue06]

Well I got 20/20 no problem like most here.

Considering your woefully abysmal understanding of everything about the U.S. that you regularly and consistently display, color me skeptical unless you used Google to help or took multiple "make-up" tests/redos until you finally got that score

[Roy]

The test is here:
https://my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view

I got 20/20

very easy.

18/20

[Roy]

17/20

The questions I failed on were (I'm not giving any numbers as I assume the questions are different each time you take the test), "What happened at the Constitutional Convention?", "We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?" and "Where is the Statue of Liberty?".

I got those too.

[Mountain Man]

I think that passing a citizenship test should be a requirement for high school graduation.

[seer]

I think that passing a citizenship test should be a requirement for high school graduation.

How about when you first register to vote?

[Sparko]

Well I got 20/20 no problem like most here.

If you conservatives stopped sabotaging the nation's textbooks and education system, young people in your country would probably do much better.

any sabotaging would be by the liberal school boards and teachers. Schools are overwhelmingly liberal.

Everyone gets a trophy and no kid left behind mentality, so kids are patted on the head for wrong but "creative" answers, and shoved on up the line to the next grade.

[carpedm9587]

You mean partisan like you?

No - because I am not partisan. I do not make decisions on the basis of party, but rather on the basis of merit. I do not accept/reject information on the basis of party or ideology, but rather on the basis of it's merits.

Besides most are partisan because they have thought through to their position.

Then you do not understand the meaning of "partisan." Someone who has thought through their position on its merits is not "partisan." Someone who consistently and reliably selects information to affirm their party affiliation and or ideology is partisan and/or acting out of a pre-existing bias.

You can't think though that uniformed, ignorant voters are good for democracy.

I actually think that partisan voters are worse for democracy. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. A skewed clock can remain wrong for a very very long time. Sheer probability will suggest that uninformed voters that are truly voting randomly will tend to cancel each other out. But the partisan voter will tip the scales in favor of a party/ideology without consideration for the short and/or long term impacts.

[carpedm9587]

I'm not sure what carpe means by 'selective', but it's probably an important qualifier in his eyes.

It is.

And/or perhaps he considers himself to be a principled voter, not a partisan voter.

Assuming I understand what you mean by principled, I do.

[Sparko]

No - because I am not partisan. I do not make decisions on the basis of party, but rather on the basis of merit. I do not accept/reject information on the basis of party or ideology, but rather on the basis of it's merits.

I usually do vote based on my principals and values and will decide on the best person to vote on independent of their party.

BUT, the way the democrats have acted since Trump has been elected, and especially in the Kavanaugh hearings, I am going to vote a straight republican ticket at the upcoming election. I don't care who the heck is running, just as long as they are not democrat. Completely partisan. Thank you Democrats.

[seer]

No - because I am not partisan. I do not make decisions on the basis of party, but rather on the basis of merit. I do not accept/reject information on the basis of party or ideology, but rather on the basis of it's merits.

And I vote for those who best line up with my views, those are conservatives. Which means most likely they are Republicans. So am I partisan?

Then you do not understand the meaning of "partisan." Someone who has thought through their position on its merits is not "partisan." Someone who consistently and reliably selects information to affirm their party affiliation and or ideology is partisan and/or acting out of a pre-existing bias.

I think it is a thin line here.

I actually think that partisan voters are worse for democracy. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. A skewed clock can remain wrong for a very very long time. Sheer probability will suggest that uninformed voters that are truly voting randomly will tend to cancel each other out. But the partisan voter will tip the scales in favor of a party/ideology without consideration for the short and/or long term impacts.

OK...

[carpedm9587]

I usually do vote based on my principals and values and will decide on the best person to vote on independent of their party.

BUT, the way the democrats have acted since Trump has been elected, and especially in the Kavanaugh hearings, I am going to vote a straight republican ticket at the upcoming election. I don't care who the heck is running, just as long as they are not democrat. Completely partisan. Thank you Democrats.

My point exactly... and (IMO) a mistake. You are letting the choices of others compromise your integrity as a voter.

[carpedm9587]

And I vote for those who best line up with my views, those are conservatives. Which means most likely they are Republicans. So am I partisan?

I have no idea if you are partisan. You are the one best positioned to judge that. My impression, here, is that most people are selectively accepting and interpreting data to align with their pre-existing viewpoints. But that is a perception. Only the individual knows the reality.

I think it is a thin line here.

And I disagree. Someone who votes their values after impartial research and the best effort to understand the issues is not partisan, even if they end up only voting for Republicans (or Democrats) election after election. The question is a) are they informed and b) are they making every effort to avoid filtering data to make it say what they want it to say.

My radar on this has to do with willingness to say "I don't know" coupled with "willingness to criticize those I normally align with" and "willingness to praise those I normally disagree with. When I encounter someone who always has an answer - KNOWS the truth (even when they cannot possibly know it), always (or almost always) affirms "their party" and always (or almost always) criticizes the opposing party - my "partisan radar" starts to ring.

OK...

[seer]

I have no idea if you are partisan. You are the one best positioned to judge that. My impression, here, is that most people are selectively accepting and interpreting data to align with their pre-existing viewpoints. But that is a perception. Only the individual knows the reality.

It is not so much that we are interpreting data that aligns, but looking for those who conform to our pre-existing viewpoints or worldview.

And I disagree. Someone who votes their values after impartial research and the best effort to understand the issues is not partisan, even if they end up only voting for Republicans (or Democrats) election after election. The question is a) are they informed and b) are they making every effort to avoid filtering data to make it say what they want it to say.

Yet on many of these questions we do not have enough facts or insight to understand the issue(s), so at times we take a shot in the dark and vote for the person who best lines up with our general ideology.

My radar on this has to do with willingness to say "I don't know" coupled with "willingness to criticize those I normally align with" and "willingness to praise those I normally disagree with. When I encounter someone who always has an answer - KNOWS the truth (even when they cannot possibly know it), always (or almost always) affirms "their party" and always (or almost always) criticizes the opposing party - my "partisan radar" starts to ring.

I don't know anyone who claims to always know the truth, in the case when we/I don't know I'm going to vote, at that point, on ideological lines.

[Sparko]

My point exactly... and (IMO) a mistake. You are letting the choices of others compromise your integrity as a voter.

Yep. Sure am. At this point I won't lift a finger or do anything to help the Democrats. They have single-handedly ruined this country and turned it from a civil country into a raving madhouse of psychotic rioters and ranting senators calling for violence.

The best thing we can do it keep them out of power by any legal means available.

[One Bad Pig]

Yep. Sure am. At this point I won't lift a finger or do anything to help the Democrats. They have single-handedly ruined this country and turned it from a civil country into a raving madhouse of psychotic rioters and ranting senators calling for violence.

The best thing we can do it keep them out of power by any legal means available.

You've just described voting on principle; regardless of potential short-term individual merits, you're voting in consideration of long-term effects.