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US Officials Flunk Test On Civic Knowledge 334

A test on civic knowledge given to elected officials proved that they are slightly less knowledgeable than the uninformed people who voted them into office. Elected officials scored a 44 percent while ordinary citizens managed an amazing 49 percent on the 33 questions compiled by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. "It is disturbing enough that the general public failed ISI's civic literacy test, but when you consider the even more dismal scores of elected officials, you have to be concerned," said Josiah Bunting, chairman of the National Civic Literacy Board at ISI. The three branches of government aren't the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria?

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US Officials Flunk Test On Civic Knowledge

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  • by kramulous ( 977841 ) * on Friday November 21, 2008 @05:45PM (#25851525)

    Seems to be a pretty strange one to get wrong. Don't Americans have a 'budget night' where the government lays out of the table how taxpayer money will be spent for the next financial period?

  • by mrchaotica ( 681592 ) * on Friday November 21, 2008 @05:52PM (#25851627)

    That doesn't mean he doesn't understand the Constitution; it means he can't count. ; )

  • by MustBeOriginal ( 1412933 ) on Friday November 21, 2008 @05:57PM (#25851693)
    What's the best way to become an elected official:
    1. FUD Campaign.
    2. Diebold VOTE-RIGHT(tm) automatic voting machine.
    3. Be married to indiscreet high office holder and then publicly declare you still love him.
    4. Legally change name to "None of the Above"
  • by gregbot9000 ( 1293772 ) <mckinleg@csusb.edu> on Friday November 21, 2008 @06:33PM (#25852207) Journal
    You see where the politicians choked is on economics and markets.

    See when asked what a free market was the politicians kept looking for the box that said "where you get things for free from helping a business expand their market"

    Or when asked why free markets secure more prosperity then government central planing they kept looking for "Because you are free to go work for a business in the market after you help it through central planing"

    Or why a levee is a public good they were looking for "cause whats good for my contractor buddy with a no bid contract is good for the public"
  • by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 21, 2008 @09:39PM (#25854291)

    Congratulations to my toque wearing brethren of the frozen north.

    I scored 93%, one question I read the correct answer incorrectly (I wonder what factor this has in academics) and another my libertarian nature took over.

    I'm curious as to how my stats are factored considering I'm from a rural area, make less than 24k a year, and have a measly hs education.

    It does look like the scores are going up a bit tho, ty slashdot.

    Overall, I'm not shocked that elected officials would fail this test. Have you seen what they do to us?

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