Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Ain't This America And You Thought Push Polling Was Only Politics

I turns out, those push polls do work. Using hidden information in a well crafted push poll, subjects can be made to change their minds, do a screeching 180 from their morality, and turn into shameless supporters of issues they'd never have dreamed they'd support prior to taking the poll. How a question is asked, or a poll is presented, can affect the poll subject in ways never imagined by Average John/Jane Smith (or whatever they use on that motel reservation...but I digress.)
That quote above is taken from one authors view of this procedure, which if you think about it, means that morality is not to tightly fixed, even in those that might think their morality is secure and grounded. Perhaps this study will go a long way to assisting us in understanding why people that ordinarily would never vote against their own self interest, will chuck it all to appear to side with issues they would otherwise shun.

In 2004, right before the election, I tried to put myself into a mindset where I would support a candidate for president I had railed against in months preceding the election silly season. I tried, really. It took Herculean effort, and I only lasted about 3 hours, but managed to get through a party without embarrassing my family, which for reasons unknown to this day, includes a set of friends of family that veritably worshiped a certain Republican office holder.

By the end of the evening, and with the help of mild recreational chemicals in the form of a glass of wine, I managed to civilly discuss tax policy, education efforts, overseas manufacturing and health care. I never uttered a word that was actually honest, and yet, by saying "umm" and "hmm", and "well..." a lot, I ended up feeling I'd run a marathon, and yet no one was the wiser.

And the family friends are, this year, voting for Obama because Romney scares the bejeebers out of them. No survey was involved.

But, if this technique works, along with hacking the voting machines, we might just have somethings to worry about on election day, unless of course the polling services show an 8 point lead for Obama. Sheesh.

If you want to see what real distorted questions are check this out.



Why Ralph Reed is not in jail is beyond me. He is a criminal, just like his pal Abramoff.

Ralph Reed Survey

Great catch!

Ralph Reed is truly a blot on America. He is a willing and active participant in Holocaustianity, which is the new religion that compares every tin pot tyrant to Hitler, and gets money because of the comparison. He managed to take millions from both sides of issues, is a close pal of Grover Norquist, and Jack Abramoff. How he escaped prosecution for those various and intertwined deals is a mystery to me.

The article you linked is good. Thanks.

Thanks!

In a previous life I worked for a company (that shall remain nameless) that did research into consumer behavior. The statistics behind it can get more arcane than most folks imagine.
Anyway, I saw, with these eyes that the earth shall one day devour, how you can get the answer your 'client' wants to hear by skewing the questions.
And it can be subtle, not the case with Ralph Reed.
Example:
I could ask:
Which do you prefer, A or B?
This would be as close to a fair answer as you might get.
However if I ask
Do you prefer A to B?
I am subliminally forcing you to prefer A.
And of course, surveys are loaded with skewed questions whose only purpose is to please some 'client'.

You would not believe the dB levels during 'discussions' of surveys regarding trademark identification and confusingly similar marks. The sound level is only slightly lower when it comes to hashing out jury questions during trial. All that's needed is some lawyer showing up wearing gang togs, or flashing gang signs, and the picture would be disastrously complete.

the fundamental problem with polling is designing a set of questions which are unbiased ... tougher than it sounds

if we are to believe the right wing, every pollster is in the tank for Pres Obama ... extending this a bit further we have to include some ring leader which somehow convinced the pollsters to band together and present the president as the foregone winner

so my question is if that is true and all these pollsters have been in business for many years, would that not suggest that they have been in the tank for every president which has been elected for the last 50 years???

what is this ... the outer limits ... twilight zone ... or lunatic fringe

'
· · · YES.

All of the above.