The textbook’s authors presented three different characterizations of the U.S. citizenry. One is that U.S. citizens are apolitical, apathetic, self-interested, uninformed, lazy beings. The second is that most Americans are politically aware, at least enough to get by and promote their own best interests; your text called these folks “the rational electorate” and compared them to those who watch a football game and know enough to tell who is winning, even though they don’t understand all the rules.