What Do Political Scientists Want?

Largely, the assigned readings for this week addressed the role and impact of misinformation in the current political system in the United States. Furthermore, they highlighted the differences between citizens that are uniformed and misinformed. As Kuklinski, et al. highlight, it is important to note the distinction between the uniformed and the misinformed and the ways in which these citizens affect the political system and efficacy of democracy. It was very interesting to read the ways in which citizens and voters received their political information. Similarly, it was very intriguing to learn about the factors that lead to the dissemination of incorrect and/or biased information to the public. Not surprisingly, it seems that the two biggest culprits are the media and political elites.

As Kuklinski, et al. begin to discuss how elites play a major role in the spread of information (and incorrect and biased information) to the citizenry, I started to question what exactly is the role of the politician and those running for office. Are politicians focused on democracy? Do they really have the best interests of the masses or their constituencies at heart? Or are politicians simply focused on getting re- elected? Are they primarily focused on promoting their own agenda? Are they driven by personal power or a feeling of greater responsibility to the American population? Kuklinski, et al. argue that “politicians want their preferred policies to prevail” and they pick, choose, and relay “facts…to dramatize their own cause” (791). Furthermore, Jerit and Barabas explain that “adherents of elite democracy fault citizens for their lack of political knowledge without recognizing that elites may be the source of ignorance or misinformation in some cases.” In large part, our political system focuses too much on the individual politician, not the policies. Perhaps it is not so much the politicians’ fault as it is the system that the politicians have been forced to work in and have grown accustomed (instant information era via technology like the internet and TV). In part, I believe the media and the citizenry, as a whole, have allowed for the celebrity and power of politicians to spiral out of control.

Putting the blame game over the causes of misinformation aside, I am also curious about what exactly political scientists and scholars want from the American citizenry. We have read a wide array of articles describing good and bad citizens and how they affect democracy. As everyone can recall, many articles (such as the ones for this week) focus on the role and impact of information. However, it seems that political scholars are never content. They would rather have uniformed citizens than misinformed citizens, yet uniformed citizens still detract from the efficacy of democracy and the current political process. Similarly, I am afraid that political scientists are falling off the path of freedom. Although I am taking it to an extreme, I felt that Nyhan was practically advocating a mild form of censorship. He wanted to create negative publicity and outcomes for political elites that misrepresent facts or present incorrect information. Still further, he wants society to pressure the media about what (elite supplied) information they relay to the public. Is it wrong for politicians to intentionally mislead the public- Yes! Do politicians unintentionally mislead the public (through their own ignorance and partisan agendas) - Yes, quite often! Does this mean we can punish them for these statements- Absolutely not, in a free America!