Asked how many members of the House of Reps there were, Stein guessed 600

“Asked how many members of the House of Reps there were, Stein guessed 600-some before hosts corrected her.”

  • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 months ago

    Your test analogy kind of proves the point, though. Say you have a 10 question test and 8 are very easy, and the last 2 are very difficult. In general, if you’ve done your homework, you should get most of the first 8. Whether or not you get a really good grade will depend more on the last 2. I think both parties are guilty of assuming they’ll get the first 8 correct no problem, but there is a tactically sound reason to focus on the last 2.

    • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      3 months ago

      I’d argue they focus too little on the first 8 and too much on the last 2. Both would be an error in analysis of course.

      Also it runs the risk of people applying statistics to individual cases, or groups too small to be statistically relevant.

      • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 months ago

        I agree with you - and that’s why gerrymandering is a problem, because it makes the last 2 questions more valuable to study for. As for statistics, that’s for pollsters and analysts to work on.

          • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            Because a good chunk of the population doesn’t understand what it is and why it’s bad, and a serious percentage of politicians benefit from it.

            • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
              1·
              3 months ago

              Are you saying its essentially a thing Republicans don’t know about or understand? I have to assume every democrat has heard the word, and it has simple explanations too.

              I was under the impression republicans knee but defended it but it could be an ignorance thing, thats a fair point.