art - throw ing ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁may ▁tip ▁the ▁playing ▁field ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁polit icians ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁actually ▁represent ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁ ▁This ▁does ▁not ▁mean ▁that ▁vot ers ▁make ▁poor ▁and ▁bi ased ▁dec isions : ▁rather ▁that ▁in ▁carrying ▁out ▁their ▁every day ▁respons ib ilities ▁( like ▁working ▁and ▁taking ▁care ▁of ▁a ▁family ), ▁many ▁people ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁the ▁time ▁to ▁dev ote ▁to ▁research ing ▁every ▁aspect ▁of ▁a ▁candidate ' s ▁policies . ▁So ▁many ▁people ▁find ▁themselves ▁making ▁rational ▁dec isions ▁meaning ▁they ▁let ▁others ▁who ▁are ▁more ▁vers ed ▁in ▁the ▁subject ▁do ▁the ▁research ▁and ▁they ▁form ▁their ▁opinion ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁evidence ▁provided . ▁They ▁are ▁being ▁r ation ally ▁ignor ant ▁not ▁because ▁they ▁don ' t ▁care ▁but ▁because ▁they ▁simply ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Because ▁the ▁cost / ben ef it ▁ratio ▁increases ▁with ▁increasing ▁costs ▁or ▁decre asing ▁the ▁benefit , ▁the ▁same ▁effect ▁can ▁occur ▁when ▁polit icians ▁protect ▁their ▁policy ▁dec isions ▁from ▁the ▁prefer ences ▁of ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁To ▁the ▁degree ▁that ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁perce ives ▁their ▁individual ▁votes ▁to ▁count ▁for ▁less , ▁they ▁will ▁have ▁less ▁in cent ive ▁to ▁spend ▁any ▁time ▁actually ▁learning ▁any ▁details ▁about ▁the ▁candidate ( s ). ▁ ▁A ▁more ▁nu anced ▁example ▁occurs ▁when ▁a ▁vot er ▁ident ifies ▁with ▁a ▁particular ▁political ▁party , ▁a kin ▁to ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁a