Related: http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2007/08/so-you-think-yo.html
Excerpt: > Our system for choosing presidents doesn't work very well. Voters are > woefully uninformed on the most basic of issues and many end up voting on > whim <http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/08/30/040830crat_atlarge>. I > don't think restricting the franchise is a good solution, however. A better > idea is to create procedures that encourage voters to become better > informed. Our current institutions for providing information are lousy. > Debates, for example, are boring, the politicians don't answer the questions > and most importantly *the voters don't know what a good answer is*. > > [...] > > Thus what we need is a way of conveying information to uninformed, > unsophisticated voters in a way that is entertaining yet produces > information about politicians that is correlated with real skills. > > I suggest a game show, *So You Think You Can Be President?* SYTYCBP would > have at least three segments. > > *Coase <http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Coase.html> it Out*: > Presidential candidates have 12 hours to get a bitterly divorcing couple to > divide their assets in a mutually agreeable manner. (Bonus points are > awarded if the candidate convinces the couple to stay together.) > > *Game Theory*: Candidates compete in a game of > Diplomacy<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomacy_game>. > I would also include several ringers - say Robin Hanson, Bryan Caplan and > Salma Hayek. Why these three? Robin is cold, calculating and merciless - > make a logical mistake and he will make you pay. Bryan is crafty and > experienced. And Salma? I couldn't refuse her anything but presidents > should be made of stronger stuff so we need a test. > > *Spot the Fraud*: Presidential candidates are provided with an economic > scenario (mortgage defaults are up, hedge funds are crashing, liquidity is > tight). Three experts propose plans. The candidate must choose one of the > plans. After the candidate chooses, the true identities of the "experts" > are revealed. One is a trucker, another a scuba diver instructor and the > last a distinguished economist. Which did the candidate choose? > > Entertaining? Check. Correlated with important skills for governing? > Check. Can the voters tell who the winner is? Check. > -- Amit Varma http://www.indiauncut.com
