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Well, you can't count on people in general to make the right choice. I remember the phrase, "a person is smart, but people are dumb." That phrase has never rung more true than with public elections. I think it is funny how Republicans look back to President Reagan as a truly great President, and the Democrats look back at President Kennedy. When you compare the individual achievements of these two presidents, you realize what matters most to each of the groups. To the Republicans, they want someone who does what they say they will do. To the Democrats, they want someone who looks good (hence the failure of John Kerry.) But anyway, getting back to my point. Why do people as a collective make poor choices? The simple excitement of being accepted, (if only for a moment.) If you notice, in groups, there is always someone that is so likable, you'd follow him to the ends of the earth. These individuals are the decision-makers. They aren't not usually the leader, they are not the do-er, these individual are the fires that motivate the whole. Unfortunately, they aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, and thus we have the "dumb group".