The tendency of Alaskans to reserve judgement and allow the hearing of even the most extremist bizarre ideas was exploited by the oil industry. 

The propaganda campaign was carefully designed to appeal to folks who hesitate to judge others as dishonest while also allowing others to do the heavy mental lifting of analysis. 

Open mindedness is an admirable quality but makes one vulnerable to manipulation. If all high school graduates in Alaska were required to pass a test on how oil resource ownership and taxation (math) works we wouldn't have this problem. 

But instead Dunleavy wants to make sure kids don't know how to use a condom and Pete Kelly wants to shame women in bar bathrooms across the state.