Polls are just a bunch of crap

[porcupinetree]

Bush has lost his momentum, Americans' support for the Iraq war is dwindling, and opposition to Bush policies is hardening. That's according to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll being covered as if it were a real news story.

Like callers to talk radio claiming to be Republicans angry with Republicans, liberals love to pretend public opinion is always in the process of shifting in their direction. They can't win elections — Democrats have gotten a majority vote in a national election only two times since FDR was president (Lyndon Johnson in '64 and Jimmy Carter in '76). But they're always experiencing an upswing in the polls.

Clinton could never get a majority of Americans to vote for him but, according to the polls, as soon as the public found out about his sex romps with Monica, his support shot up to above 80 percent. Bush did get a majority of the country to vote for him less than two years ago. Now we're told 70 percent of Americans hate the man.

Indeed, according to the polls, the public's feeling about the war in Iraq began three years ago with fear, skepticism and dread — and steadily went downhill.

If these poll results were accurate, support for the war should be about negative 3,000 percent by now. The public would have stormed the White House, seized the president and flogged him to death.

Here's a sample of New York Times headlines on stories discussing poll numbers since before the Iraq war began in March 2003:

— Poll Finds Most in U.S. Support Delaying a War (2/14/03)

— Opinions Begin to Shift as Public Weighs Costs of War (3/26/03)

— World's View of U.S. Sours After Iraq War, Poll Finds (6/4/03)

— Study Finds Europeans Distrustful of U.S. Global Leadership (9/4/03)

— Despite Polls, Pataki Backs Bush on Iraq All the Way (10/3/03)

— Poll Finds Hostility Hardening Toward U.S. Policies (3/17/04)

— Support for War Is Down Sharply, Poll Concludes (4/29/04)

— Rising Casualties, One Falling Poll (5/2/04)

— Polls Show Bush's Job-Approval Ratings Sinking (5/14/04)

— Bush's Rating Falls to Its Lowest Point, New Survey Finds (6/29/04)

And then — despite the fact that every single man, woman and child in America opposed the war in Iraq and despised George Bush — a few months later, Bush won re-election against well-respected war hero John Kerry.

Immediately after the election, public opinion polls showed Americans turning once again against the war and against George Bush, according to the Times:

— Americans Show Clear Concerns on Bush Agenda (11/23/04)

— Public Voicing Doubts on Iraq and the Economy, Poll Finds (1/20/05)

— Bad Iraq War News Worries Some in GOP on '06 Vote (8/18/05)

— Support for Bush Continues to Drop as More Question His Leadership Skills, Poll Shows (9/15/05)

— Iraq's Costs Worry Americans, Poll Indicates (9/17/05)

— Most Americans Find Cindy Sheehan Attractive, Interesting (2/8/06). OK, I made that one up. The rest were made up by the Times.

The media are constantly telling Americans what they believe: You are dissatisfied ... You are getting more dissatisfied ... You are slowly becoming utterly dissatisfied ... Your dissatisfaction is now reaching a fever pitch!

News coverage of public opinion polls is barely justifiable in an election year. When there's no horse race, these cooked-up polls are nothing more than the mainstream media's long, monotonous brainwashing of the public.

At least the old subliminal ads for popcorn in movie theaters operated by stealth. Today's mainstream media engage in open conditioning of the public in a fantastical scheme to shift public opinion.

Noticeably, there's always an odd disconnect between what the polls say and what people actually do.

Despite the fact that — according to the polls — the "American people" are fed up with the war Iraq, only a few hundred anti-war protesters showed up in New York City last weekend. The naked cowboy in Times Square gets a bigger crowd than that.

Despite the fact that polls show the public is ready to throw in the towel on Iraq, members of the House of Representatives, or "the people's house," recently voted 403-3 against withdrawing the troops.

Despite the fact that 70 percent of the public thinks Bush is doing a lousy job, when they had a chance to put someone else in the White House a mere 15 months ago, they decided to keep him.

There is, however, one poll taken by millions of Americans every day, year in, year out. Based on plummeting viewers, circulation numbers and ad rates, we can say with some certainty, the American people are beginning to loathe the liberal media.

Ann Coulter

[Snoopis]

That's why I call it Pollaganda.

[Purge]

Man Coulter, one of the biggest Kool-Aid-guzzling right-wingers this country has ever seen, coming to the aid of Bush. Whodda thunk it.

Like Bush's huffy, puffy press conference several days ago, this is little more than a last-ditch effort by the sycophantic Right to bail water from the sinking ship that is support for the Iraq war. The walls are finally closing in on the Administration, and they're using the liberal media as a scapegoat. George Bush is a failure, folks--get over it.

[Patrick Swaze]

Originally Posted by porcupinetree

Bush has lost his momentum, Americans' support for the Iraq war is dwindling, and opposition to Bush policies is hardening. That's according to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll being covered as if it were a real news story.

Like callers to talk radio claiming to be Republicans angry with Republicans, liberals love to pretend public opinion is always in the process of shifting in their direction. They can't win elections — Democrats have gotten a majority vote in a national election only two times since FDR was president (Lyndon Johnson in '64 and Jimmy Carter in '76). But they're always experiencing an upswing in the polls.

Clinton could never get a majority of Americans to vote for him but, according to the polls, as soon as the public found out about his sex romps with Monica, his support shot up to above 80 percent. Bush did get a majority of the country to vote for him less than two years ago. Now we're told 70 percent of Americans hate the man.

Indeed, according to the polls, the public's feeling about the war in Iraq began three years ago with fear, skepticism and dread — and steadily went downhill.

If these poll results were accurate, support for the war should be about negative 3,000 percent by now. The public would have stormed the White House, seized the president and flogged him to death.

Here's a sample of New York Times headlines on stories discussing poll numbers since before the Iraq war began in March 2003:

— Poll Finds Most in U.S. Support Delaying a War (2/14/03)

— Opinions Begin to Shift as Public Weighs Costs of War (3/26/03)

— World's View of U.S. Sours After Iraq War, Poll Finds (6/4/03)

— Study Finds Europeans Distrustful of U.S. Global Leadership (9/4/03)

— Despite Polls, Pataki Backs Bush on Iraq All the Way (10/3/03)

— Poll Finds Hostility Hardening Toward U.S. Policies (3/17/04)

— Support for War Is Down Sharply, Poll Concludes (4/29/04)

— Rising Casualties, One Falling Poll (5/2/04)

— Polls Show Bush's Job-Approval Ratings Sinking (5/14/04)

— Bush's Rating Falls to Its Lowest Point, New Survey Finds (6/29/04)

And then — despite the fact that every single man, woman and child in America opposed the war in Iraq and despised George Bush — a few months later, Bush won re-election against well-respected war hero John Kerry.

Immediately after the election, public opinion polls showed Americans turning once again against the war and against George Bush, according to the Times:

— Americans Show Clear Concerns on Bush Agenda (11/23/04)

— Public Voicing Doubts on Iraq and the Economy, Poll Finds (1/20/05)

— Bad Iraq War News Worries Some in GOP on '06 Vote (8/18/05)

— Support for Bush Continues to Drop as More Question His Leadership Skills, Poll Shows (9/15/05)

— Iraq's Costs Worry Americans, Poll Indicates (9/17/05)

— Most Americans Find Cindy Sheehan Attractive, Interesting (2/8/06). OK, I made that one up. The rest were made up by the Times.

The media are constantly telling Americans what they believe: You are dissatisfied ... You are getting more dissatisfied ... You are slowly becoming utterly dissatisfied ... Your dissatisfaction is now reaching a fever pitch!

News coverage of public opinion polls is barely justifiable in an election year. When there's no horse race, these cooked-up polls are nothing more than the mainstream media's long, monotonous brainwashing of the public.

At least the old subliminal ads for popcorn in movie theaters operated by stealth. Today's mainstream media engage in open conditioning of the public in a fantastical scheme to shift public opinion.

Noticeably, there's always an odd disconnect between what the polls say and what people actually do.

Despite the fact that — according to the polls — the "American people" are fed up with the war Iraq, only a few hundred anti-war protesters showed up in New York City last weekend. The naked cowboy in Times Square gets a bigger crowd than that.

Despite the fact that polls show the public is ready to throw in the towel on Iraq, members of the House of Representatives, or "the people's house," recently voted 403-3 against withdrawing the troops.

Despite the fact that 70 percent of the public thinks Bush is doing a lousy job, when they had a chance to put someone else in the White House a mere 15 months ago, they decided to keep him.

There is, however, one poll taken by millions of Americans every day, year in, year out. Based on plummeting viewers, circulation numbers and ad rates, we can say with some certainty, the American people are beginning to loathe the liberal media.

Ann Coulter

You forgot the election polls posted by CNN where Al Gore was winning the Presidential elections, then the one where John Kerry won the elections...

Yeah, in France!

[RockyIV]

Originally Posted by porcupinetree

Bush has lost his momentum, Americans' support for the Iraq war is dwindling, and opposition to Bush policies is hardening. That's according to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll being covered as if it were a real news story.

Unless you agree with the poll results right? Go sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.

[Revolver45]

Originally Posted by Purge

Man Coulter, one of the biggest Kool-Aid-guzzling right-wingers this country has ever seen, coming to the aid of Bush. Whodda thunk it.

Like Bush's huffy, puffy press conference several days ago, this is little more than a last-ditch effort by the sycophantic Right to bail water from the sinking ship that is support for the Iraq war. The walls are finally closing in on the Administration, and they're using the liberal media as a scapegoat. George Bush is a failure, folks--get over it.

I've been hearing this for the past 2.5 years and I'm still waiting for it to happen. Seriously I think it was in late 2003 when I first saw the headline "wheels coming off Bush Administration" or something to that affect, here we are, entering mid-2006 and the wheels are still in motion and theyre gonna keep turning right on through to '08. And considering the candidates that the dems have lined up for that election - Feingold, Hillary and apparently Kerry wants to run again, it's looking like the Republicans might just pit for some new tires and keep right on rolling. How's that sound?

[tunaman]

Talk about swimming in De Nile.

[The Experiment]

- Bush's privatized Social Security plan tanked.
- We're not any closer to bringing stability to Iraq
- Bush has been sluggish in response to domestic emergencies.
- The GOP as a whole is distancing themselves from the Administration.
- Higher spending than ever before but somehow social benefits keep getting cut.
- We haven't been safer since the second term.
- Several Bush cronies and Legislature lapdogs (DeLay) are being busted for corruption.

So explain to me how the wheels are in motion.

[Krunk Fu]

Public Opinion Polls are bull****. I read about a study about a poll with the Patriotic Act.. One talked about how it would stop terrorism and mentioned US pride and the majority of people voted FOR. They did the same poll but it talked about invasion of privacy and majority voted AGAINST. Most people in the US are too gullable, hell I wonder how many Americans buy into that "mind reading" bull**** like Miss Cleo.

[shimmeh]

Originally Posted by akaye47

Public Opinion Polls are bull****. I read about a study about a poll with the Patriotic Act.. One talked about how it would stop terrorism and mentioned US pride and the majority of people voted FOR. They did the same poll but it talked about invasion of privacy and majority voted AGAINST. Most people in the US are too gullable

I got an idea, lets poll 1,000 people with carefully phrased questions to get the results we want, then we'll say it represents 300 MILLION peoples opinion.

[Snoopis]

Originally Posted by The Experiment

- We're not any closer to bringing stability to Iraq

Yeah, it's not like the Iraqi military and police are better trained, or the government is taking shape or something.

- Higher spending than ever before but somehow social benefits keep getting cut.

Spending is definitely too high, but would only be higher if he had lost the election. The only place spending would be less would be in Iraq, which would be infinitely worse than it is now.

- Several Bush cronies and Legislature lapdogs (DeLay) are being busted for corruption.

Delay just got a a whole slew of that crap thrown out of court, and the prosecution was told not to come back unless they had something other than a fishing expedition.

[hohandy]

Originally Posted by Snoopis

Delay just got a a whole slew of that crap thrown out of court, and the prosecution was told not to come back unless they had something other than a fishing expedition.

Not exactly. Delay is still facing trial for felony money laundering charges and an appeals court is currently hearing arguments to re-instate the other felony charges that were dropped. Nice try though.

I'd be interested in your source for the bit about the "fishing expedition" - was it Limbaugh or Hannity? Oh wait... probably O'Reilly...

[tunaman]

Originally Posted by shimmeh

I got an idea, lets poll 1,000 people with carefully phrased questions to get the results we want, then we'll say it represents 300 MILLION peoples opinion.

That's what your precious government does with their so called independent studies, which always manage to support their agenda at the time.

[AlphaMaleness]

Originally Posted by Snoopis

That's why I call it Pollaganda.

ahahah thats pretty wity

[The Experiment]

The polls are extremely accurate. Unlike the Bush administration, a lot of pollsters will disclose how they get their information and how its weighted. I can understand your skepticism. In the Bush-era political world, trust nobody in or relating to the government. Its sad how bad it is but its understandable.

Yeah, it's not like the Iraqi military and police are better trained, or the government is taking shape or something.

Has it? Most people who get trained don't report. Innocent civilians are still getting killed in high numbers, almost unchanged from past years. Our brave men and women fighting in this war are still getting killed. Explain to me how Iraq is getting better in any capacity. The hard numbers don't lie. I suppose you could dream that Iraq is fixing itself and the 2300+ soldiers who died didn't really die but its time to stop wearing the Bush goggles. Iraq is in a state of peril with no light at the end of the tunnel. The only light I guess is when Bush finally walks out of the White House.

Spending is definitely too high, but would only be higher if he had lost the election. The only place spending would be less would be in Iraq, which would be infinitely worse than it is now.

There are documented reports of half a million dollars just sitting in an unlocked locker. There is no actual proof spending would be higher. I didn't realize George W. Bush kept spending at bay. Oh, thats right, he doesn't. Bush has the tendency to toss billions upon billions of dollars with no actual outcome. FEMA is a shining example of this. Trailers aren't being used, billions of dollars spent, and the situation handling was piss poor at best. Much like Iraq.

Delay just got a a whole slew of that crap thrown out of court, and the prosecution was told not to come back unless they had something other than a fishing expedition.

Fishing expedition sounds like another neocon buzzword. Haven't you all noticed that neocons are unable to argue? All they can do is toss around buzzwords and catch phrases. I dare you to find a neocon who hasn't...at least since Bush stepped (note: stole) into office.