tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post8259853618396328267..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: The Real Reason Public Opinion Doesn't WorkJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-27878909369818128972013-04-20T18:01:04.131-05:002013-04-20T18:01:04.131-05:00This blog post turned out to be correct. Ask the ...This blog post turned out to be correct. Ask the senators and members of congress of both parties who were bombarded with far more emails and calls from the pro gun side than the gun banning side of things, despite whatever poll was claimed. <br /><br />The wording of the question in the poll is also very important. I am not especially a fan of Breitbart, but I do like how it captures the wording of multiple polls on banning so called "assault weapons"<br /><br />http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/02/01/Poll-Young-Americans-Against-Banning-So-Called-Assault-Rifles<br /><br />CNN mentions a fully automatic rifle (the AK47) in their poll when discussing banning semi-automatic rifles, yet the Rupe and Gallup polls do not and there is a net swing of 32 points! From being 25% in favor, to 7% opposed by both Rupe and Gallup poll results all based upon just a few different words in the question.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-92100151545346480762013-04-09T20:12:19.105-05:002013-04-09T20:12:19.105-05:00Gun Control. Gun - object. Control - Action. Where...Gun Control. Gun - object. Control - Action. Where in this so called debate is the presumption of responsibility? I was born in 1960 and traveled around the world as an army brat. I've been around 'firearms,NOT guns most of my life, own several, and not once fired on or harmed anyone with a firearm. The real debate here is about fear. You fear what you don't know. You fear responsibility for your actions and those of the ones you may know or even love. You fear firearms, but would willingly allow someone with a tool (yes, a not firearm) that has the potential energy to cause you insufferable pain and even death all the time. I mean by that a hammer, a pipe wrench, even a pen. So, let's be real about this. It's NOT the tool you want to rail against, it's the rush of power over others you want. It's just not going to happen, unless you are already gone from here. Focus your energy on helping the sick, the downtrodden, bring relief to their angste as well as your own, and then you will be freed. Demanding that someone do something to relieve you of your suffering only allows someone else to exact some form of punishment upon you in return. Take responsibility for yourself, set the example. Don't punish others over your own fears. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-37797355678484903142013-04-09T13:23:46.998-05:002013-04-09T13:23:46.998-05:00The majority of the American people does not suppo...The majority of the American people does not support universal background checks which basically open the door for gun registration and confiscation.<br />Universal background checks shall be used for dual citizenship politicians infiltrated in our power structures and see for who they are really working.<br />All traitors to the US Constitution (the law of the land) shall be tried for treason! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-84740196916914384722013-03-30T20:52:20.017-05:002013-03-30T20:52:20.017-05:00Same sex marriage will enhance marriage. It is al...Same sex marriage will enhance marriage. It is also among the most conservative issues in the LGBT rights platform. This post merely shows your utter confusion. Caphilldcnenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-17269844337756947282013-03-29T09:51:23.109-05:002013-03-29T09:51:23.109-05:00I've noticed that readers of this blog (and ev...I've noticed that readers of this blog (and even the author) tend to <i>actually believe</i> that Democrats are markedly more steadfast and principled than Republicans, so it's good to point to clear counter-examples. I don't care about gay marriage; the whole point of marriage was to set a standard for raising children and that standard has already been destroyed by liberalism. So why care what happens to what's left of the institution?backyardfoundrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-50474208661388354642013-03-29T09:01:03.391-05:002013-03-29T09:01:03.391-05:00Psychologists--Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, i...Psychologists--Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, in particular--have found that people's responses to a question, regardless of topic, can shift depending on whether the question is framed as a gain or a loss. A loss is more motivating than a gain of equivalent value.Scott Monjenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-17182040324011573382013-03-28T20:59:56.410-05:002013-03-28T20:59:56.410-05:00Also, lots of Americans have changed their minds. ...Also, lots of Americans have changed their minds. Without that, maybe Reid et al would be mouthing what you want to hear. <br /><br />When you want to stop time, stomp on a wrist watch. That's the closest you're going to get.ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-51376486759189398332013-03-28T20:56:13.075-05:002013-03-28T20:56:13.075-05:00And George Wallace said "segregation forever....And George Wallace said "segregation forever." Many promises from politicians are for show. I suspect you know this. ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-61687933353442449782013-03-28T17:17:55.812-05:002013-03-28T17:17:55.812-05:00A couple of points:
(1) Yes, wording does very of...A couple of points:<br /><br />(1) Yes, wording does very often make a difference as to how people respond to polling questions. (My favorite example has to be the poll on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-6198284-503544.html" rel="nofollow">DADT repeal</a> in which 17% more respondents favored allowing "gay men & lesbians" to serve than those who favored allowing "homosexuals" to serve.) That said, it is pretty undeniable that there has been a dramatic recent shift in public opinion toward favoring same-sex marriage.<br /><br />(2) What I would say in partial support to your point is that public opinion polls usually don't tell us much about intensity of opinion. As I've explained before, I suspect that the vast majority of Americans aren't particularly passionate about SSM one way or the other. That's one reason I think public opinion has shifted so quickly: there are a lot of people who found the idea of SSM weird at first, but as they got used to the idea they became more open to accepting it. I doubt there were very many rabid homophobes who transformed overnight into ardent defenders of SSM. Of course this is all speculation on my part, based on my experiences discussing the issue with other people for the past several years, but the point is that the current polls are too general to refute or confirm my theory.Kylopodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06932528611103718373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-86583888052089704912013-03-28T15:42:47.999-05:002013-03-28T15:42:47.999-05:00I am in wholehearted agreement with this, with one...I am in wholehearted agreement with this, with one caveat:<br /><br />"'Public opinion' is barely real; most of the time, on most issues, change the wording of the question and you'll get entirely different answers."<br /><br />There are issues where this is true, and there are times when people claim it's true without noticing that the two wordings are actually asking different things. It's not true of most things. But it doesn't matter. There are plenty of things where polling is consistent, yet has no impact, for precisely the reason you say - answering something in a poll is not demanding action.David Kaibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00242081942930386460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-88137501880137360542013-03-28T14:25:49.501-05:002013-03-28T14:25:49.501-05:00Long time reader, first time poster (do people sti...Long time reader, first time poster (do people still say that?).<br /><br />This is a great post. The contrast between the ongoing success of the equality movement with the yet-again fizzle of the gun control is ... stark.<br /><br />Sorry if this is a point you've made before, but one obvious explanation for the difference: it's a lot easier to stir to action *against* a limitation (ie, being blocked from marriage) than *for* a limitation (ie, stricter checks on guns).<br /><br />Does that mean our political system is naturally biased towards a long-term relaxation of rules and limitations? Should libertarians be quietly biding their time and rejoicing?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-32851487595343397892013-03-28T13:07:41.472-05:002013-03-28T13:07:41.472-05:00What an inspiring post! I mean that unironically.
...What an inspiring post! I mean that unironically.<br /><br />There's probably a pretty good "Plain Book about Politics" up your sleeve, if you tried to put your posts into a coherent, general-interest framework. Maybe in 2014?Jacob H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02781850720023072132noreply@blogger.com