An American Intelligence Test: How Do You Think You Would Do?

A lot of fuss and fluster about the Health Care Reform bill today. Protesters rallying to decry the Government takeover of the health care system.

Now surely you regard yourself as an intelligent person. After all on average half of us are smarter than the other half. But do you think your intelligence is being applied to the Health Care debate and the issue? Well then how about a test? It will be a strange test, but one that many of you might have probably had a version of before. This test will have to be self-graded. So you can decide that you passed regardless of the validity of your judgment. Of course, isn’t willfully deluding yourself a significant measure of your actual intelligence? It’s not a long test, I only had a few minutes to put it together; but I hope it is an illuminating one. Oh, and if you wonder whether I think I would rate myself in the intelligence arena, I have to rate myself as only average. Therefore I would conclude that well more than half of you should be more intelligent than me. The unusual aspect of the test; the question is simple but there is a context that goes along with it. Your answer is to be considered in the context of (and I do like it when I can do this) the context. So pencils up, it’s test time!

Question 1: Do you trust politicians?
Here’s the help on this one, consider what this questions is actually asking you. You have to consider the politicians to be a member of your own preferred party (if you have one). So if you’re a die-hard Democrat/Republican then your answer is about do you trust Democratic/Republican politicians. If you’re not affiliated then pick the politicians of the party you last voted for; and if you voted for more than one party’s candidates then answer about how those individuals would pan out in your mind. The trust question should really boil down to this: Do you truly, absolutely, swear-to-god believe that they would not lie to you; and will always put your interest ahead of their own?

Question 2: Do you believe that the politicians that you have voted for are smarter than you?
This one really is simple, do you really think they are smarter than you? Now you do have to remember and consider all of the things that we all see on television or the internet, hear on radio, read in newspapers and magazines, and discussed with our friends and associates about innumerable politicians. If you need some help, go look up on the internet all the politicians that have been charged with a wide range of intelligent decisions that they have made.

Question 3: Do you believe the Government regulates and influences the insurance and medical industries?
The Government here would include the Federal, State and local governmental groups. It includes the regulatory agencies that well regulate insurance companies and medical companies, and requirements on both that must abide by to operate as businesses. It even includes agencies that you probably don’t think about being connected to insurance companies like the IRS and the FDA. Oh, and don’t forget the politicians themselves. You know those folks who take very large pots of money from insurance and medical companies.

Question 4: Do you believe the insurance and medical industries influence and manipulate the Government?
Read the last two sentences in the context from Question 3.
Also consider, do you believe that the insurance and medical industries place helping you above their profits?

Question 5: Do you believe that any and all Government controlled, provided and paid medical programs should be prohibited, and that the Government should have absolutely no involvement in directing and making any insurance and medical decisions?
In this area you think that the free-market, public sector, corporate sponsored medical and insurance businesses are going to be the safest way for you to protect your health care.

Test Over. You can put your mental pencils down.

Well how did you do?

If it’s of any interest, here’s how I did.

Question 1: No Question 2: No Question 3: Yes Question 4: Yes Question 5: No

Of course, I don’t think I am as smart as most of you; so my answers are only indicative of my own intelligence.