“With 300 million available candidates, many of whom are not nincompoops, why does America keep electing nincompoops to political office?”
The whole argument breaks down rapidly if you believe this point is false because an overwhelming majority of people are, in fact, nincompoops. Even more so if you believe anti-nincompoopish behavior is exceedingly likely to bear a high social cost (including being ‘unelectable’).
“With 300 million available candidates, many of whom are not nincompoops, why does America keep electing nincompoops to political office?”
The whole argument breaks down rapidly if you believe this point is false because an overwhelming majority of people are, in fact, nincompoops. Even more so if you believe anti-nincompoopish behavior is exceedingly likely to bear a high social cost (including being ‘unelectable’).
Yeah, keep in mind that 46% of Americans are Creationists.
A creationist can still learn enough economics to vote against people who want to susidize winners, for example.
Actual political influence probably requires understanding the broad implications of that simple fact for political discussion.