Since the epic 1987 struggle over the ideologically outspoken Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, a troubling unwritten rule has evolved against candor in the confirmation process.
A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that conservatives with greater exposure to political information are more likely to be wrong. Republicans who consider themselves well-informed about President Barack Obama's health care plan are more likely to accept myths about "death panels" than their uninformed counterparts, according to a 2010 study at the University of Michigan.
With applicants outnumbering job openings by a brutal five to one margin nationwide, many so-called "overqualified" workers, spurred on by economic necessity, are re-evaluating their aspirations and settling for jobs that are "beneath" them.