The conversation about future drug policy continues:
Well, sure, actual legislators who have paid staff ought to be hiring smart, educated, creative staff who are well-versed (or can become so) in the issues to advise them. But does that actually happen? Especially if the hiring boss is a flaming idiot who does not believe in science? Of course not. They hire yes-men and political operatives who are there solely to get the re-elected, and/or stick to the ideology, rather than examine the actual facts. And I still argue, you want a representative who has some native intelligence himself, in order to correctly put both their own staff’s opinions and the public’s into proper perspective. I don’t think the challenge of voting on those issues you mentioned is particularly daunting for someone well- and broadly- educated and well-read.
It’s true, no one can be an expert on everything. And the Venturas of the world are useful, indeed. In your example, he at least realized his lack and was willing to get expert input. All too often, that’s not the case. The expert input comes from the people who contribute most to the re-election campaign.
It’s still my position that we are in a mess because we are governed and “led” by people who are mostly imbeciles, who couldn’t otherwise succeed on their own except by taking advantage of other people (i.e. they seem to have one big skill — the one to schmooze and lie convincingly).
I agree that there are too many folks led by their ideologies, rather than by experts; but then, the whole ‘expert’ game itself is a conundrum that has not yet been solved.
The term limits idea continues to be attractive; the arguments against it presume an active, acute citizenry who can perceive incompetent representatives and refuse to elect them on repeat opportunity. However, it can be difficult to perceive that, between working for a living and a plethora of irrelevant information conveniently hiding important information. And, then again, sometimes the electorate simply shares the same superstitions as do their representatives.
