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“Politicians seek to win elections not by offering sound public policy that will yield good results, but by appealing to 50 percent plus one of the voters. The way they appeal to that many voters is by appealing to the median voter. But the median voter often wants something very different than do people with strong opinions on either side of an issue. Removing the rose-colored glasses that have us romanticizing what politics is is the first step to understanding politicians. Politicians seek first to maximize their own happiness, because that’s what all humans do. Understanding this sweeps away the 1950s civics class vision of the political process in favor of a vision that is a lot more realistic.” — Antony Davies
Politicians seek to win elections not by offering sound public policy that will yield good results, but by appealing to 50 percent plus one of the voters. The way they appeal to that many voters is by appealing to the median voter. But the median voter often wants something very different than do people with strong opinions on either side of an issue. Removing the rose-colored glasses that have us romanticizing what politics is is the first step to understanding politicians. Politicians seek first to maximize their own happiness, because that’s what all humans do. Understanding this sweeps away the 1950s civics class vision of the political process in favor of a vision that is a lot more realistic.