Times…..they are a’changin’.

Or maybe not.

It’s impossible for us, the Mister and me, to go through an election cycle without thinking about the Gallup Poll and its founder, George Gallup.  Dr. Gallup was both mentor and friend to the Mister.  I got to tag along and enjoy the benefits.

Dr. Gallup founded his polling company based on a very simple mission:  If democracy is about the will of the people, somebody should go out and find out what that will is.  He added: “If leaders are wrong about the will of the people, the more they lead, the worse they make it.“

In a lecture at the University of Kansas, Dr. Gallup once said:

“We see very little change on those issues which are usually cited as ones on which liberals and conservatives diverge. These issues would include abortion, death penalty, the equal rights amendment, gun control, and a balanced federal budget.“

“…over the last half-century one party has been pretty much in control of our government, both in terms of the Senate, the House and the White House in many years, of course and also at the state level, too.”

He continued, almost as an aside: “One of the real threats to America’s future place in the world is a citizenry which elects to be entertained and not informed.”

Timely observations indeed.   Especially given the fact that Dr. Gallup’s words were spoken over forty years ago.