[Quixote]

This is a terrific test, and it shows results in a number of ways. It surely indicates that the majority of Americans don't know what's going on. It's astonishing that so many people got fewer than half right. The results say that 80% of the (voting) public doesn't have a clue, and that's pretty scary.

There are no tricks here – just a simple test to see if you are current on this information. This is quite a good quiz, and the results are somewhat shocking. Test your knowledge with the challenge of 12 questions, then be ready to shudder when you see how others did. If you get fewer than half correct, please cancel your voter registration!

The News IQ Quiz | Pew Research Center

[mgjim]

I can still vote.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Quixote

This is a terrific test, and it shows results in a number of ways. It surely indicates that the majority of Americans don't know what's going on. It's astonishing that so many people got fewer than half right. The results say that 80% of the (voting) public doesn't have a clue, and that's pretty scary.

There are no tricks here – just a simple test to see if you are current on this information. This is quite a good quiz, and the results are somewhat shocking. Test your knowledge with the challenge of 12 questions, then be ready to shudder when you see how others did. If you get fewer than half correct, please cancel your voter registration!

The News IQ Quiz | Pew Research Center

Nice to see you posting again

I took your quiz and scared well. I think it is more of a general knowledge test, and it should have been easy for the majority of educated people and therein lies the problem in today's world. From observing my own grandchildren, their knowledge of technology is far beyond me, but their general knowledge of our world in general is lacking when compared to people of our generation. This could be attributed to not reading a newspaper - I get much of my world news from the internet, but there is nothing as good as opening a really good newspaper and seeing the events and photos laid out before you. Personally, I find knowledge much easier to retain when it is presented in paper form. Perhaps one's eye moves too fast when on the computer.

[onslowe]

11 out of 12. It's very disheartening to see the nationwide results, even though it's a sample only of the population. I still get upset remembering the old Jay Leno stunt where he asked random passersby basic and elementary current events questions. The results were often abysmal…yet they can vote just like me.

Real encouraging, and proof of what the politically correct ultra liberal agenda driven school courses over the past forty years have given us.

[Taltarzac725]

10 out of 12. Not very good.

[mgjim]

Originally Posted by onslowe

11 out of 12. It's very disheartening to see the nationwide results, even though it's a sample only of the population. I still get upset remembering the old Jay Leno stunt where he asked random passersby basic and elementary current events questions. The results were often abysmal…yet they can vote just like me.

Real encouraging, and proof of what the politically correct ultra liberal agenda driven school courses over the past forty years have given us.

12 out of 12, although I admit that I had to guess on two of the questions.

This is less about education and more about being informed. My sixth-grade-educated dad taught me to be informed about local, national and world events. My elementary-school-teacher mom reinforced it. My wife and I passed that along to our children. Even though my sons were educated in "politically correct ultra liberal agenda driven school[s]" they are both very well informed individuals and voters.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by mgjim

12 out of 12, although I admit that I had to guess on two of the questions.

This is less about education and more about being informed. My sixth-grade-educated dad taught me to be informed about local, national and world events. My elementary-school-teacher mom reinforced it. My wife and I passed that along to our children. Even though my sons were educated in "politically correct ultra liberal agenda driven school[s]" they are both very well informed individuals and voters.

I am usually extremely good at multiple choice. I forgot to throw in common sense with one of the two I missed.

[redwitch]

Missed the graph question. What I found extremely disheartening was how low women in general scored. Makes me wonder why Steinman, et al., bothered to advocate for women's rights. Seems like we should be more aware today. But, if people can't be bothered to know, guess they really do get what they deserve.

[DeanFL]

Oh OH, I'm gonna be deported.

actually 12 for 12, I do try to maintain a decent grasp of current events etc.

Does that mean I could throw my hat in the ring for a '16 nomination? Nah, I'll stick to The Villages...

[mgjim]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

Oh OH, I'm gonna be deported.

actually 12 for 12, I do try to maintain a decent grasp of current events etc.

Does that mean I could throw my hat in the ring for a '16 nomination? Nah, I'll stick to The Villages...

You've got my vote!

[Quixote]

Maybe it's me; I just don't know. I have never been of the thinking that everything around me must be forced into a political context. I don't think it was "political correctness" that's resulted in geography--and even worse, civics (our duties and responsibilities as a citizen!)--are no longer taught as distinct subjects in countless schools. For that matter, in many school districts, subjects like music and art have been eliminated. I believe fiscal considerations are what bring about these cutbacks.

Where I come from, school budgets had to be voted on, but out of ignorance too many people thought they were voting on the whole school budget, whereas in reality so much is mandated and thus not subject to the vote that only a small percentage is actually decided by vote. One year the "school lunch ladies" focused on these fiscal issues and, as a group, set out to get the school budget defeated.

Here was their campaign: "Sports? Let the parents pay for them." "Textbooks? We don't need 'em. We've got plenty of old ones they can use." "Field trips? Worthless! They can learn in the classroom." "Why should we pay school taxes? We don't have kids in school anymore." And on and on.

The school board, through the superintendent, made it clear from the outset that they would not play games with the budget, that if it were defeated, they would automatically move to an austerity budget, which at that time would save the average residence about $22/year in property taxes.

The school lunch ladies' campaign was successful, the budget was defeated, and the district adopted an austerity budget. What these women, in their ignorance, had failed to consider was that under an austerity budget, there would be no school lunch program--and overnight they were all out of work!

There was a lesson in there; in my thinking, there were actually several lessons in there (none having to do with "political correctness," IMHO)....

[MikeV]

I got 12 out of 12 by sheer luck I think so I guess I will vote in the coming elections.

[cologal]

12 for 12 but the I had to think about the Senate makeup question

[outlaw]

I got 13 out of 12. I guess I'll vote twice in the upcoming election.

[CFrance]

I'm afraid to take it. Our two kids know more about this than I do. And they're better analysts. They went to very good schools that required all of those subjects--music, the arts, civics, geography, plus a full academic range and sports. We lived in places we didn't want to live in, dictated by the rating of the school districts and the quality of the teachers. We paid property taxes through the nose. You do what you have to.

My husband was a political science major. All three of them are very good at sorting through the rhetoric and cutting through the political BS.