… It seems quite possible that “Obamacare” will continue to be unpopular even as the provisions of the ACA gain in use and acceptance. So it is with the Common Core, which many on the right will continue to associate with Obama’s perceived socialist agenda at least until he leaves office (and despite the fact that it was first developed before he was even an Illinois state legislator). …
Why do these myths live on even when we have so many readily-available tools for debunking them? As the work of Brendan Nyhan shows, just because the truth is out there doesn’t mean people will seek it or accept it. Our own social networks—the people whom we trust and speak with most—tend to reinforce myths rather that undermine them, in large part because we tend to seek out friends who think and feel as we do. CONT.
Seth Masket (U. of Denver), Pacific Standard