General Discussion

Land Shark

(6,348 posts)

30. I don't KNOW that this is the MOST critical information

Wed Dec 28, 2011, 01:43 PM

Dec 2011

I've seen other polls on much more critical-to-know information where the American people got it right, and by very big numbers. (e.g. on the importance of government transparency, especially on vote counting). Not being able to give the correct name of the branches does NOT mean that the person doesn't know about separation of powers or checks and balances. They can know those concepts but not know that Congress is the Legislative branch and the President is in the Executive branch. What this question tests is mere vocabulary recall, when the concepts behind it are the more important thing to test or confirm.

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Only 1 in 3 American adults can name all three branches of government... [View all] ellisonz Dec 2011 OP

The humanities suffer; Math and Science are all that anyone care about REP Dec 2011 #1

yeah, but are people better in math and science ? JI7 Dec 2011 #2

More time is devoted to it in K-12 REP Dec 2011 #12

Here's the link: KatyaR Dec 2011 #27

NCLB mandated testing for Reading and Math ONLY... YvonneCa Dec 2011 #39

Math and Science may be "fetishized" fujiyama Dec 2011 #52

You wouldn't believe how many republican B Calm Dec 2011 #3

It's a good tactic... ellisonz Dec 2011 #4

I'll have to remember asking them when confronted. LiberalFighter Dec 2011 #37

Lemme see: Oak, Pine and Ash! So there, three branches rustydog Dec 2011 #46

Abc. NBC, and Fox. ChairmanAgnostic Dec 2011 #5

Legislative, the Executive and Corporate branches? nt bowens43 Dec 2011 #6

I sent out some Tweets to educate my Twitter followers :) Tx4obama Dec 2011 #7

It's posts like this that make me wish... ellisonz Dec 2011 #9

Here ya go - just highlight the image, copy it, and save it somewhere Tx4obama Dec 2011 #15

This is true. ellisonz Dec 2011 #50

a public service barbtries Dec 2011 #11

Not nearly enough, only 1,640. n/t Tx4obama Dec 2011 #13

Not bad... I could tweet the cure for cancer in my Glassunion Dec 2011 #45

i believe the ptb want it this way. barbtries Dec 2011 #8

I think you're correct! City Lights Dec 2011 #25

This message was self-deleted by its author Tesha Dec 2011 #10

Right. That tends to get forgotten. enough Dec 2011 #19

She wanted to resign to take care of her husband (he had tblue37 Dec 2011 #56

I couldn't agree more! City Lights Dec 2011 #24

Hyde on the 70's Show said the real branches of Government are Ichingcarpenter Dec 2011 #14

that sounds about right. Soylent Brice Dec 2011 #34

How about, The Military, The Corporations, and The Media? nt Ilsa Dec 2011 #43

When all they do in schools is teach how to take the standardized tests. hobbit709 Dec 2011 #16

This is a freakin sad state of our country and may explain the dumb signs at the Tea party events. Justice wanted Dec 2011 #17

Understanding How Government Works Is Disdained... KharmaTrain Dec 2011 #18

This message was self-deleted by its author HereSince1628 Dec 2011 #20

Three branches: Corporate, Military and Media Monopoly Ichingcarpenter Dec 2011 #21

What gets me is when the answer is "The White House, HOR, and Senate". HopeHoops Dec 2011 #22

Oh come on, that's easy. It's the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. n/t VWolf Dec 2011 #23

No it's not--it's Larry, Curley, and Moe. asjr Dec 2011 #26

Most people can't even name their congressional district or their representative tjwash Dec 2011 #28

Easy question SOS Dec 2011 #29

I don't KNOW that this is the MOST critical information Land Shark Dec 2011 #30

but it's such a basic thing, i don't know anyone who would understand those other things you mention JI7 Dec 2011 #32

In general, we need words to think clearly. Having words to label something tblue37 Dec 2011 #57

It's awful, isn't it. MineralMan Dec 2011 #31

i never got that, these classes were one area where you can show current examples JI7 Dec 2011 #33

Correct ellisonz Dec 2011 #51

Rick Perry can name two of them. DavidDvorkin Dec 2011 #35

Damn tawadi Dec 2011 #49

:) DavidDvorkin Dec 2011 #59

Wall Street, Big Oil and the NRA. Glassunion Dec 2011 #36

I believe you are the winner Control-Z Dec 2011 #41

The dumbing down of America - for real. CakeGrrl Dec 2011 #38

So are you sayng 1 in 3 American adults are not teabaggers? William769 Dec 2011 #40

This is pathetic The Genealogist Dec 2011 #42

It's tertiary in that there's no test for it. ellisonz Dec 2011 #53

I did The Genealogist Dec 2011 #61

HAHAHAHA!!!! Cali_Democrat Dec 2011 #44

It's really not funny. ellisonz Dec 2011 #54

Their ignorance is forgivable. I, myself, thought the three branches were ... T S Justly Dec 2011 #47

The Republican presidential candidates speak as though they can tblue37 Dec 2011 #48

+1000 ellisonz Dec 2011 #55

I thought there were no longer 3 branches: just the crazy US House of Representatives frazzled Dec 2011 #58

and yet how many can name all the football teams within every division! It's amazing book_worm Dec 2011 #60

Cheney thinks there are four. He was the 4th. NOT JOKING. WinkyDink Dec 2011 #62

This is exactly what we are up against NNN0LHI Dec 2011 #63

2 in 3 Americans can't find their ass with both hands. nt Javaman Dec 2011 #64

So? They can name all three of the eldest Kardashian sisters. Arugula Latte Dec 2011 #65