Why are the polls so different?
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
4 responses
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
23 Oct 08
ParaTed,
How right you are! These people who run these polls are just as biased as the MSM and they can actually make them say what they WANT them to say. All it takes is a little manipulation of the demographics and you have a 14% lead for Obama instead of 2%, within the margin of error! They are trying to portray the election as over and all we are waiting for is the "fat lady" to sing! There are going to be a great deal of surprised people on election night at just how close this election will be!
3 people like this
@greysfreak (1384)
• United States
23 Oct 08
I agree with you 100%! These polls are just another tool used to brainwash people who can't make a decision without the media's input. I am stubborn myself, I and strong minded, I decide who I will vote for, and honestly--that is partially what has guided me to go online and do my own research, and that lead me to doing the opposite of what the media wants me to do.
Anyway, you are right about the great surprise coming on election night, and it being a close election! Actually, I was talking to my dad, and he is convinced that it is gonna turn out the opposite of what everyone thinks, and that it won't be all that close--OR it will turn out the way people think, but it will be VERY close. I am very nervous, I admit it--but that's my nature, I just don't believe these polls, and I wish that people would wake up and realize that they are being controlled by these polls.
As someone else said, those 18-25 year olds usually don't make it out to vote, which I find accurate, the last election I was in college, so I remember hearing about that. So that will significantly change the view.
Besides, I see some of these polls that say stuff like 500 or 1000 people polled.. sorry, but that doesn't tell me anything! They are definitely manipulating the polls, and I don't think it should be allowed. Though I suppose it makes for the better news story, which equals better ratings.
@clrumfelt (5597)
• Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee
23 Oct 08
Polls give them something to take up sound bites on the news, nothing more. I have ceased to trust the polls this election or let my moods be dictated by them. They have been wrong so many times in the recent past it is obvious to me most of them are only publicized by various groups to try and sway people's votes. There is blatent dishonesty in the polling process and to get a certain result all the pollsters have to do is limit their demographics when they take one, making the results they publicize completely inaccurate.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
23 Oct 08
True, they do seem to be a tool of the whole "create the news instead of reporting it" BS.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Oct 08
I was thinking the same thing. These polls have been drastically different throughout the election. You also have to consider the fact that most people 18-25 don't vote while people over 60 vote over 70% of the time. Most polls don't take this into consideration.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
23 Oct 08
True, there is also the fact that each polling outfit uses a different formula and method for their conclusions.
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
23 Oct 08
The only poll now with that tiny difference is one in which 44% of respondents identified themselves as evangelical Christians (who are largely, which is a HUGELY greater proportion to the actual percentage of voters in that category.
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/the_apgfk_poll_evangelical_sur.php
Look at the internals, or if you're too lazy to, find a source that does. It's not that hard. Fivethirtyeight is a great source for that, going more in-depth into polls than any other place I've seen.
www.fivethirtyeight.com
1 person likes this
