Maybe it’s just that the NBC 10 Wingmen segment is sitting me face to face with one on a weekly basis, but it has seemed like a certain refrain has become more common in the responses of Rhode Island progressives to conservative ideas:  “The people of Rhode Island disagree with you.”

By way of evidence, they cite the makeup of the state’s legislative and executive branches, 90% and 100% Democrat, respectively.  Throw in the federal delegation for another 100% blue block (not to be confused with Blu Blockers).

There are two obvious problems with this bit of non-argument. First, it confuses ideology and principle with partisanship. The majority in Rhode Island disagrees with conservatives on some things and agrees with us on others, yet somehow, that mixture doesn’t translate into a mixed-party State House.  Rather, there are progressive Democrats, and there are conservative Democrats.

Second, it treats popularity as an argument.  Even if every Rhode Islander disagreed with a person’s policy suggestions, that doesn’t mean that those suggestions are wrong or are not the wisest thing that the state could do, in a particular instance.

A third problem emerges with a poll that Bryant University’s Hassenfeld Institute released, this week, finding that 82% of Rhode Islanders would grade their legislators negatively for effectiveness.  It should be noted, of course, that “effectiveness” doesn’t necessarily mean a difference of opinions.  After all, RI progressives still manage to keep a straight face when calling the legislators “conservative.”

Still, the results suggest it’s mistaken to equate the output of the legislature, or even the elections, with the views of the population.  In that respect, the poll results only reinforce what could be inferred from the low turnout for elections.

The emerging question — which is beginning to cross the threshold from private conversations to public speculation — is whether we’re living under a legitimate representative democracy.  It sure does seem as if the public is tuned out and hopeless, sensing that nothing can be changed through civic processes.

That’s a dangerous place to be, if so, and reaffirming the rule of law and promise of democracy should be the very highest priority.