An Informed Citizenry

[Byron Bagnell <bhbagnell@earthlink.net>]

It seems to me that the reason that the monied few have so 
much power over the unmonied many is more due to the 
possession of knowledge, motivation and time than it is to 
the power of money. 

As several of the Forum participants have pointed out the 
many are rather easily influenced by such things as 
advertisements, lawn signs and even the order of 
placement of the names on a ballot. That seems to be a 
strong indication of some combination of ignorance, 
insouciance or lack of interest on the part of many voters. 
That fact combined with a bit of demagogy on the part of the 
candidates sets the voters up to be duped.  

We can all make an effort at fairness via campaign finance 
reform, but if the citizenry won't make the effort to know what 
the issues are and to at least have a working understanding 
of them shouldn't they be held responsable for some of their 
own troubles?

Can't an informed and interested citizenry largely overcome 
the power of money?