‘Half-educated’ Americans could mean trouble for democracy

I enjoy playing the daily Crypto-Quote in The Gazette. The quotation on May 29 was “America is the best half-educated country in the world.” I don’t know of writer Nicholas M. Butler, but it sounded pretty condescending - until I read of a recent survey in an online nonprofit journal.

The survey finds that Americans are “horribly misinformed over the state of the economy,” and that among those surveyed, “a majority say we’re in a recession; we’re not. Most say unemployment is at a record high; it’s actually near a 50-year low. A majority say inflation is rising; it’s decreasing. Most say the stock market is down; it’s up … The same poll showed a majority of Americans believe President Biden is at fault.” He’s not. Butler seems to be correct.

What’s going on here? How could voters be so wrong? Clearly most folks who were surveyed don’t inform themselves on the facts. Are they just half-educated, or are they drowning in lies, alternative facts, or no facts? Who puts these lies in their heads? It’s very true that our news sources today are highly fractured. Some social media are pure propaganda. “Breaking News” on TV isn’t covering the economy, just the Trump soap opera. Our newspapers are being read less and less. And don’t forget, the Russian propaganda machine is out there, too!

Americans are uninformed, and hence vulnerable to lies and manipulation. That’s no way to keep a democracy healthy. We could be in big trouble in November.

James Conger

Iowa City