There's a story in the L.A. Times that puts some numbers on what I think is a part of the general unawareness about government that afflicts people. The part that the story addresses is "where" money comes from and "where" it is spent by the states. Maybe you will find some answers or corrections to what you thought were the responses.
"Ignorance bites California in the wallet - A new poll shows that the people want control of the state budget, but most don't know where the money comes from or where it goes. " By Cathleen Decker, January 31, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-week31-2010jan31,0,418529,full.story
Some of what I want to do with a lot of the things that I post on the blog are the revelations that will bring some accuracy to notions that politicians are doing "the right thing" for us, maybe assumed by many as something that happens automatically by being sworn in to office or just by the fact of winning the election. That's usually something that might make you feel good and put some anxieties about the mysteries of the political world to rest, but that's not the case and many times the problem begins with those very same electied officials.
And these problems are magnified when they get together with their colleagues to make changes in the law that are misguided, unnecessary or just outright deceptive, and usually something that's done to get them votes or campaign contributions (money). And sometimes it very clearly action taken as a responsed to campaign "donations" already coughed up by special interests (including unions here, too).
Reading the story will give some examples of misconceptions about the source and destination of money for State government. This is but one part of what the public is not generally aware of and what could change things for the better as we try to increase the size of an "informed" public. I am just one of many trying to do this
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