I have more faith in the basic humanity of people, than I do in the knowledge and wisdom of people. A lot of people are rationally ignorant about important political issues.
Also many issues just are not dealt well with by politics even if the voters and the leaders are both where well informed geniuses, and saints on Earth. (Although you might argue if they where that then maybe they would realize their incapacity to deal with the issue.)
And of course most voters, and certainly most politicians are quite far from being either informed geniuses or saints. Politicians care most about being elected, and increasing their own power. Voters are often ignorant, and/or self interested, supporting special interests above the general interest. Usually not to the extent of something like votes to tax people with different eye colors more, but often enough to bias them to think that support of their special interest, or harm to some group they dislike, is not just supporting their own prejudices, but is actually somehow in the general interest.
As for fairness, that's a pretty hard thing to nail down. Considering taxes (since you where talking about them) "fair" could mean no taxes (since they are forcible extortion of wealth), or low taxes, or the same amount of taxes on each person (each person pays the same), or the same percentage, or a little more from the rich since they can afford to pay more, or full blown "from each according to their ability" (no matter how large the negative consequences of such a policy) |
