James N. Druckman's article examines the implications of framing effects on citizen competence. Social scientists have documented framing effects in various contexts, including surveys, experiments, and political campaigns. These effects suggest that citizens' preferences can be influenced by how issues are framed, such as whether a Ku Klux Klan rally is framed as a free speech or public safety issue. Some scholars view this as evidence of citizen incompetence, arguing that citizens base their decisions on arbitrary information and are manipulated by elites. However, Druckman argues that while there may be isolated cases of incompetence, the overall evidence suggests that citizens use frames in a competent and well-reasoned manner. The article discusses the different ways scholars have used the concepts of framing and framing effects, the criteria for evaluating citizen competence, and the evidence for and against the idea that framing effects violate these criteria. Druckman concludes that while framing effects can sometimes lead to incompetence, they do not necessarily indicate a lack of citizen competence.James N. Druckman's article examines the implications of framing effects on citizen competence. Social scientists have documented framing effects in various contexts, including surveys, experiments, and political campaigns. These effects suggest that citizens' preferences can be influenced by how issues are framed, such as whether a Ku Klux Klan rally is framed as a free speech or public safety issue. Some scholars view this as evidence of citizen incompetence, arguing that citizens base their decisions on arbitrary information and are manipulated by elites. However, Druckman argues that while there may be isolated cases of incompetence, the overall evidence suggests that citizens use frames in a competent and well-reasoned manner. The article discusses the different ways scholars have used the concepts of framing and framing effects, the criteria for evaluating citizen competence, and the evidence for and against the idea that framing effects violate these criteria. Druckman concludes that while framing effects can sometimes lead to incompetence, they do not necessarily indicate a lack of citizen competence.