Or "confirmation bias" - http://en.wikipedia....Confirmation_bias

We're tribal animals. We generally hang out with people "like us". We read and hear things from people "like us".

We, as animals, don't like change. Change is scary. Complicated explanations are scary. We like simple stories.

Thinking is necessary to combat those biases and urges. We need leaders and an a public information system (newspapers, TV, etc.) that help move us animals along.

I was talking with a guy I work with a couple of days ago. Brilliant in his field, but has wacky ideas. He said he is independent, hates both parties, but finally decided based on one issue.

That issue?

The four Americans killed in Benghazi, Libya. That was the President's fault. He should lose because of that.

I challenged him on it for a while, but had to let it go...

There are a lot of people out there who latch on things like that because it clicks with them.

Grr....

27% of the electorate voted for Alan Keyes over Obama when he ran for Senate in IL. That "27%" number will probably not go away in our lifetime - they'll vote R no matter what. After that, there's only another 20-21% of slightly-less-crazy voters that you need to convince to get to 48%. With enough lies and slick packaging, it's not that hard.

But it will get harder every year from now on. Demographics is destiny.

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.