When it comes to specific issues, most Americans don't want government to be smaller. According to a recent Center for American Progress study, most of us want government to work better.
But as we'll see this week, too many don't believe government can work, even when it already does.
More below the fold....
First our usual thanks to last week's guest lecturers. Last Tuesday, Professor of Neuroholdemology Caractacus issued a H.R. 4223 Call to Action in support of the Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Act. Last Wednesday, Professor of Jobdefiliberantology J Brunner Fan discussed an upcoming state race in Why Is the Secretary of State of Ohio Important? Both were excellent discussions.
This Tuesday, Professor Caractacus continues his Things We Learned This Week series by exploring thoughts on the new school year. On Wednesday, puzzled debuts at the Morning Feature lectern with a discussion of Elliot Wave theory, voter mood, and incumbency. As always, Chef will be here with coffee and bagels and the Professor of Astrology Janitor will be there with cleaners and buffers.
Note: We have a guest lecture opening next Wednesday, August 25th, and an open schedule starting Wednesday, September 8th. We have writers to step up on the BPI Campus soapbox this week for Furthermore!, but we have openings next Monday and Wednesday. We also have openings for Midday Matinee, our daily people-watching series. If you would like to guest host Morning Feature, or contribute at BPI, please volunteer in the Tuna Can, below.
Also: Please share your stories of offline political activism in Things We Did This Week.
Thus we return to the resident faculty's plans to discuss a Center for American Progress study published last month, titled What Americans Want. The study is worth reading in full, and we'll review it in detail Thursday through Saturday. Its two key points are:
- While a majority of Americans say "government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and business," the answer changes when they are asked about specific issues. On issues like renewable energy, public schools, college affordability, poverty, and even health care, a majority say government should do more ... if government will do it well. And that's the catch, because....
- When asked "When the government in Washington decides to solve a problem, how much confidence do you have that the problem will be solved," only 33% answered "a lot" or "some." Another 35% answered "just a little," while 31% answered "none." Not surprisingly, Democrats had more confidence in government than Republicans. As for Fred - our archetype for median voters - only 26% expressed "a lot" or "some" confidence in government; 40% answered "just a little," while 34% expressed "none."
The second is bad news for progressives, but is this a case of ineffective governing or ineffective messaging? As we'll see, the answer is some of both. We rely on media messaging unless we have personal experience with a specific agency. Most Americans give Social Security and Medicare low marks, but the seniors who use them give those agencies higher marks. The highest marks went to the FBI, military, and homeland security, which may say more about which agencies have the best P.R. than which are most efficient and effective.
At BPI we state a progressive Democratic platform in three sentences: (1) People matter more than profits; (2) The earth is our home, not our trash can; and, (3) We need good government for #1 and #2. Polling shows Fred agrees with #1 and #2, but to build a progressive movement we must win his confidence on #3.
That means government must work well, and Fred must believe it can.
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Happy Monday!
Crossposted from Blogistan Polytechnic Institute (BPICampus.com)