US officials flunk test of Amerian history, economics, civics

[Lord Mog]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US elected officials scored abysmally on a test measuring their civic knowledge, with an average grade of just 44 percent, the group that organized the exam said Thursday.

Ordinary citizens did not fare much better, scoring just 49 percent correct on the 33 exam questions compiled by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI).

"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.

"How can political leaders make informed decisions if they don't understand the American experience?" he added.

The exam questions covered American history, the workings of the US government and economics.

Among the questions asked of some 2,500 people who were randomly selected to take the test, including "self-identified elected officials," was one which asked respondents to "name two countries that were our enemies during World War II."

Sixty-nine percent of respondents correctly identified Germany and Japan. Among the incorrect answers were Britain, China, Russia, Canada, Mexico and Spain.

Forty percent of respondents, meanwhile, incorrectly believed that the US president has the power to declare war, while 54 percent correctly answered that that power rests with Congress.

Asked about the electoral college, 20 percent of elected officials incorrectly said it was established to "supervise the first televised presidential debates."

In fact, the system of choosing the US president via an indirect electoral college vote dates back some 220 years, to the US Constitution.

The question that received the fewest correct responses, just 16 percent, tested respondents' basic understanding of economic principles, asking why "free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government's centralized planning?"

Activities that dull Americans' civic knowledge include talking on the phone and watching movies or television -- even news shows and documentaries, ISI said.

Meanwhile, civic knowledge is enhanced by discussing public affairs, taking part in civic activities and reading about current events and history, the group said.

Link.

Your thoughts?

[Noah]

Unsurprising.

Based on the impression I've received the course of my own sentience, I choose to view anything remotely related to Government cynically, and prefer to take a observational stance when it comes to politics rather than try to sift through the filth so I can form a real opinion.

[Cloud13]

It doesn't surprise me at all, with the education system we have.

You can also take the quiz yourself.

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org...rces/quiz.aspx

You answered 26 out of 33 correctly — 78.79 %

Average score for this quiz during November: 77.7%
Average score: 77.7%

Answers to Your Missed Questions:
(Spoiler in case you haven't taken the quiz yet)
SPOILERQuestion #8 - C. appoint additional Supreme Court justices who shared his views
Question #11 - A. their arguments helped lead to the adoption of the Bill of Rights
Question #14 - B. stressed the sinfulness of all humanity
Question #19 - B. teaching evolution in the schools
Question #29 - B. a resident can benefit from it without directly paying for it
Question #30 - C. decreasing taxes and increasing spending
Question #31 - A. an increase in a nation’s productivity

And all those were basically my second choices.

[Gaika]

I'm canadian.
I'm not even bothering.

They dont teach us much here either =(

[Espada1]

Compare to the education system in Asian, the U.S doesn't have a chance against foreigners.
Asians>American in Knowledge.
Well or that they might had forgotten everything they learn in school.

[Gaika]

Compare to the education system in Asian, the U.S doesn't have a chance against foreigners.
Asians>American in Knowledge.
Well or that they might had forgotten everything they learn in school.

Russian education> ALL

[Espada1]

Russian education> ALL

sike!

You wish

[Richard0]

I'm canadian.
I'm not even bothering.

They dont teach us much here either =(

I'm Canadian and I got 54.55 % lol.

[Squeak2]

You answered 23 out of 33 correctly — 69.70 %

Average score for this quiz during November: 77.6%
Average score: 77.6%

You can take the quiz as often as you like, however, your score will only count once toward the monthly average.

If you have any comments or questions about the quiz, please email americancivicliteracy@isi.org.

You can consult the following table to see how citizens and elected officials scored on each question.

Where to from here?

Answers to Your Missed Questions:

**Cheaters!**

Not bad, considering I haven't taken any history, economic, nor government courses and I'm only a sophomore in highschool. Our government fails. =|

[ncyphe]

I got 23 out of 33 as well.

The problems lied with several questions that I was thought, I just didn't remember quite as well over the years (I'm 22). For instance, Theodore Rosevelt initiated both the Square Deal and the New Deal, both only a couple years apart.

And on the subject of government:
Oh, and that one person who said Obama will make politicians smarter. Heh, yeah right. These are Congressman who where tested. Congress can impeach the president, do you think he's gonna try to mess with Congress. Besides, he has no control over Congress except for the ability to Veto.

As I have stated before, all of these proposals that the presidents make when taking office are not guaranteed to happen. He has to propose it to Congress, then Congress decided if they want to try to make it a bill. All these people blaming Bush for all the problems, it's your own Congress men that you voted for who were the problems. Learn your government.

By the way, it has already been proven that Obama is going to raise taxes. His taxes on, so called, dirty energy will be passed on directly to you, not to mention but one of his first official acts will be to resend the tax cuts Bush made. Obama is gonna ruin our economy.

The truth is our government is corrupt, while anyone believes it or note. Special interest groups make it their interest to support politicians, and politicians feel that need to support them. Congress controls their own salaries and only meet for a few weeks each of the year, and even so they barely show up. One year they even gave themselves a hefty pay raise during an economy crisis. The Supreme Court is party aligned, even though the constitutions says they cannot be, and most presidents lie just to get an easy salary for the next 4 years, hell, the president doesn't even hold that much power, he's just a figure head.

If you think you know the U.S. Government, I beg you to re-look into what you think you know.

oops, went a little too far off subject.

[Mr. First Name Basis]

You answered 23 out of 33 correctly — 69.70 %

Alot of questions i missed were topics covered in US history which i take next semester so i probably would have scored in 90s with US history.

[Ronin]

As I have stated before, all of these proposals that the presidents make when taking office are not guaranteed to happen. He has to propose it to Congress, then Congress decided if they want to try to make it a bill.

It's not going to happen, because?

Who else proposes to the congress?
There are options but they are antique.

Now what do you have in the worst case?

A) Proposal
Vote
C) Veto option
D) Vote
E) No bill
F) Proposal of a new bill with no practical alterations
G) Continue at B

Besides that there is a public mandate to the president by the people.
That should be technically enough to ensure proceedings, without the elimination of opposition initiative, that the US practice established.
(Not saying that it is bad, just a common characteristic of an established 2-party system, that creates a blockage against non establishment political groups.)

There will be a seatcount and a public impact study on the general opinion and a survey etc.
If something works out in these terms, it will make it into a bill, if it doesn't it's nothing that had something to do with who gets elected...

The only one that has the power and moral obligation to shoot down faulty legislation per se is the President, by not initiating it. Everything else is a popularity contest, or brief what the voters want happens.

The Supreme Court is party aligned, even though the constitutions says they cannot be

The judges are, not the office.
The way it is makes perfect sense; they are protected from intervention, not prohibited opinion.

@Test:
You answered 22 out of 33 correctly — 66.67 %
How is Sputnik not a telecommunications system? Well that's bullshit.
Rofl...

Where they questioned vocally?
Because you can't count out that they might just have reading issues...