The nation's economy has little chance of a recovery. That is, according to a recent FOX News article published last week. Citing numerous statistics, FOX News paints a dire picture for the United States, concluding that "the worst is yet to come." This information is enough to make even a seasoned economist frantically retract into the fetal position.
But wait - these cited statistics are not economic data prepared by a qualified expert. Rather, they are simply opinion polls - not expert opinion, but merely the guesses of randomly selected Americans. Nevertheless, FOX News cited the numbers as if they came from the thesis of a Nobel economist.
Surely, opinion polls serve a valuable function in our democracy. Any civics class teaches that Americans play a role in our government. However, I believe that our ability as American citizens to make competent policy decisions is frequently overestimated.
Already, I can feel the sharp gasps of readers. Why would someone ever say that in the United States? Many say that due to liberty and free speech, the opinions of its citizens should be held in the highest esteem. Let me assure you, the last thing I want to do is infringe on any sacred liberties. Still, when the United States is consulted with a problem, American citizens hardly have the perfect track record. Let's examine our past performance, shall we?
Flashback to March 2003. President George W. Bush is just about to make the infamous decision to invade Iraq and depose Saddam Hussein. If we were to believe the Democrats in Congress, we would assume that the American public would have been against this ill-advised use of force. The opposite is true. A whopping 60 percent of Americans believed that the Iraqi government had been involved in 9/11, according to a Knowledge Networks Poll.
Some may remain sympathetic to the American citizen. Granted, this was before any official publications or investigations had been issued. Perhaps with proper data, the public would right their wrongs. Hardly. When the 9/11 Commission report was published a year later, unequivocally stating Iraq had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks, 50 percent of Americans remained convinced of Iraqi ties.
Though it may seem surprising, as citizens, we are shockingly unaware of current events, public policy and even the workings of our own government. A Zogby poll in 2006 revealed that only two out of every five Americans knew we have three branches of government and could name them. Recently, a group of political scientists issued a study into America's lack of historical knowledge. One of the most amazing details: fewer than 49 percent of us knew our own country has dropped the only atomic bombs during wartime.
This data highlights the average American's lack of political prowess. Fortunately, we don't need to make the detailed policy decisions. What's slightly more disturbing is when political commentators and politicians themselves form these detailed policy decisions solely based on public opinion.
Both parties are guilty. Remember last summer? "Drill baby, drill!" was the public's cry. Republican senators constantly reminded us that some 70 percent of the country wanted to drill of shore. Just look at gas prices now. Good thing we decided to drill -- oh, wait. On the other side of the aisle, the Democrats are just as culpable. While they constantly repeat that American citizens want to be out of Iraq, they fail to admit that the public had a role in bringing us in.
When it comes to the current crisis, I agree that this economic turmoil affects everyone. In no way do I believe that we should simply be quiet and resort to complete apathy. Rather, the media and politicians need to recognize that opinion polls for what they are - opinions.
Joe Wenner is a freshman in the School of International Service and a moderate columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
