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Pollsters are generally not the best and the brightest. Their methodology is questionable to say the least and the questions they ask are designed more to give news organizations something to talk about than to learn anything substantial.
During the Democratic primaries last year the most unreliable poll in a business of unreliability was the Rasmussen poll. As one example: Rasmussen had Barrack Obama ahead by 1 pt in the California primary. Their margin of error was 3 points. Obama lost to Hillary Clinton in a landslide,, losing by 13 points. Other Rasmussen polls during the Democratic primaries were just as wrong ( Ohio comes immediately to mind)
Rasmussen's recent polling on health care reform showing only 38% support the health care reform bill is not only unreliable, many of the questions that are asked are, in a word, stupid. They are either nonsensical asking questions no one has the answers to, or so slanted as to make a true assessment of public opinion impossible.
For example, Rasmussen claims on its web site that support for the Democrat health plan with the public option "has fallen to its lowest level since June". It should be noted that in June, the CBS News poll showed 72% of Americans supported the health care plan and public option with 57% willing to pay higher taxes to pay for it. CNN's poll showed 66% supported the public option.If Rasmussen showed low level support for the public option in June they were the only ones. And given their track record thats very possible.
The biggest problem with Rasmussen's polls are the sheer idiocy of the questions they ask. On health care most if is all speculative, asking people to speculate on things most of the respondents have no qualifications on which to intelligently speculate, which doesn't stop Rassmussen from asking or the respondents answering. In some cases its Rasmussen that supplies baseless speculation and then asks people their opinions.
To show the sheer corruption of Rasmussen polling consider this: Rasmussen reports that a Washington Post poll shows that 57% support the public option. But Rasmussen considers that support unreliable based on their own polling coming to this conclusion based on a specific question:
"people are strongly opposed to the public option if they think it could lead to employers dropping the insurance they provide their employees".
Why is Rasmussen polling such a sheer speculative question? What evidence do they have or what provisions in the bill can they quote that would lead someone to conclude this is a possibility? The answer is none. But that doesn't stop Rasmussen from asking people their opinions on something that right now is a fantasy.And then trying to say that support for the public option is down based on the answer.
To say that is a loaded question is understatement. And to conclude that the Washington Post poll showing 57% support of the public option is somehow soft by the results of Rasmussen's slanted question is as good a reason as any to dismiss the Rasmussen poll.
But they wont be dismissed because cable networks and lazy journalists scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for things to talk about will talk about it. Or because they think its controversial and they want controversy.
But it has no credibility. Another recent Rasmussen poll predicated their question on "based on the language in the senate health care reform bill, do you believe....."
The bill is over 2000 pages. I'm willing to bet that not one of the respondents in the Rasmussen poll read the bill. And Rasmussen never asks first, "did you read the bill"? They simply ask, "based on the language in the bill..." which means that every answer given by every respondent ( most of which was negative to the health care bill) is a lie and worthless since they didn't read the bill but answered anyway. That doesn't stop Rassmussen either.
AnotherRasmussen question asks:
If the health care reform plan passes, will the quality of health care get better, worse, or stay about the same?
Now, really. Do they know? Can they know? Is the sample of respondents fortune tellers? How worthless are the answers when they not only don't know, they know they don't know. But Rasmussen wants their opinions anyway.
The fact is, if one were to consider the experiences of countries with universal plans the answer is, it would get better. But Rasmussen doesnt want facts he wants opinion and uninformed opinion. Its utter and baseless speculation asking people who really have no clue as to what the reality would actually be to give their opinions. Its like asking if they believe there is life on other planets? Who cares what they believe? All the matters is whats true.
Rasmussen has also released a tracking poll showing an all time low in Obama's approval. Other pollsters have also shown a big drop in Obama's approval ratings and it coincides with Obama's handling on many issues. But Rasmussen still remains the most unreliable of all polls and while every other poll shows a predicatable and understandable drop in Obama's approval, the least credible is Rasmussen.
How worthless is Rasmussen's poll on healthcare? So worthless they practically admit it themselves. On their website reporting on the results they include this disclaimer:
"Next week’s Monday morning update will give an indication of whether these numbers reflect a trend of growing opposition or are merely statistical noise."
Its interesting that Rasmussen elected to release this poll knowing that it could be "merely statistical noise". On an issue as contentious as health care, one would think that a responsible pollster would, if they believed there was a possibility that their poll was not an accurate reflection would simply withold it until they had more reliable information. But not "We Want Attention" Rasmussen.
Comments
Regarding the healthcare polls "worthless" - BULLCRAP!!
If the polls showed opposite the Libs would be running around waving the polls in the air screaming "whoo hooo, we're winning!"
The Dems have a hard time even getting everyone in their own party to agree what form the healthcare bill should take and you are surprised to see a poll that shows a majority of Americans don't like healthcare reform as it stands? Your argument is poor and fails on the fundamental reality that the one group that should agree can't agree without buying off members with promises of pork for their districts thus proving there is no majority support.
Health care bill is a bunch of BS! And the politicians who don't read it should be flogged, THEN forced to resign for failure to serve their constituents as they pledged to do in their oath of office. Visit honor in office org to read more!
Rasmussen had the most accurate polls when predicting the last several presidential elections based upon independent analysis. Rasmussen polls are automated (no questioner bias). No matter what you think of the questions, if the same question is asked over a period of time to the same demographic mix, and the responses show a "trend" for declining healthcare support, then they are accurate. Rasmussen clearly states that it is only polling likely voters which is different from other polling groups. Polls for Obama show a clear and steady decline since the election and that is now being reflected in ALL major polling groups. Rasmussen was the leader in showing this trend.
Rasmussen had the most accurate polls when predicting the last several presidential elections based upon independent analysis. Rasmussen polls are automated (no questioner bias). No matter what you think of the questions, if the same question is asked over a period of time to the same demographic mix, and the responses show a "trend" for declining healthcare support, then they are accurate. Rasmussen clearly states that it is only polling likely voters which is different from other polling groups. Polls for Obama show a clear and steady decline since the election and that is now being reflected in ALL major polling groups. Rasmussen was the leader in showing this trend.
Interesting that they based the credibility on whether or not anyone read it--for the average American that is irrelevant--the bottom line is most Americans DO NOT SUPPORT a government take over of health care. While we want REFORM--Government take over is NOT the answer--we don't have to read 2,000 pages to know that something is fundamentally wrong and unconstitutional. We left the tryanny of England and fought a revolutionary war to prevent such oppression. What's amazing to me is that there are actually 38% that are actually in favor of such lunacy.
"Rasmussen had the most accurate polls when predicting the last several presidential elections"
Rasmussen was continually wrong and wrong way past the margin of error during the Presidential primaries. Obama's lead was do large during the actual Presidential campaign it would have been impossible to get that wrong.
CPWUSAF says.."the bottom line is most Americans DO NOT SUPPORT a government take over of health care"
This is wishful thinking on your part. Every poll shows the opposite is true and you cannot produce one that supports your beliefs. The CBS poll showed 72% supported a government run option with 57% willing to pay higher taxes to get it. "A government takeover of health care" is just an empty Republican talking point since if it ever came to that it would only be because people deserted the insurance companies. Which just might happen if they dont get their act together.
But the words of a second rate hack writter are to be considered before those of the general populace at large.
Must be sad to have to turn your own opinion based on the polls right? If the polls are showing Obama with high approval then and only then should they be valid, but once the people begin to open their eyes to the 1.4 TRILLION dollar mess, and rising daily mind you, well then, just refute the poll as misinformation.
I keep reading things like "the government takeover of healthcare". Isn't it a "government insurance option?" I have not read that the government will be hiring their own doctors and you'll then be required to go see a govenment doctor. Someone explain what "government take over of healthcare" means.
I keep reading things like "the government takeover of healthcare". Isn't it a "government insurance option?" I have not read that the government will be hiring their own doctors and you'll then be required to go see a govenment doctor. Someone explain what "government take over of healthcare" means.
I keep reading things like "the government takeover of healthcare". Isn't it a "government insurance option?" I have not read that the government will be hiring their own doctors and you'll then be required to go see a govenment doctor. Someone explain what "government take over of healthcare" means.
I keep reading things like "the government takeover of healthcare". Isn't it a "government insurance option?" I have not read that the government will be hiring their own doctors and you'll then be required to go see a govenment doctor. Someone explain what "government take over of healthcare" means.
Typical of low grade arguments.
A claim is put forth...
===================
The fact is, if one were to consider the experiences of countries with universal plans the answer is, it would get better.
==================
With zero, none, nada support and we all are supposed to swallow it.
Which countries?..Canada?..England?...is that why they want to come to America when they are sick?
"...it would get better."...according to what definition of "better"...? the writers (unstated criteria); tha Gov't?...???
GIVE ME A BREAK!
THE WHOLE ARTICLE REEKS OF VENOM, NOT LOGIC.
The polls ask different questions.
Rasmussen addresses the Kaiser differences
rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/november_2009/when_pundits_compare_apples_to_oranges_one_look_at_health_care_polling
I just looked at the CBS poll. It shows only 40% approve of the current health bill. This guy is nuts. See the CBS site yourself.
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/24/eveningnews/main5765448
It is all in the wording. Most citizens approve of public option and regulation, but hard core Repubs refuse to accept Obama-care and a majority don't want government provided health care. If you ask the question honestly and without the hyped-up rhetoric only the sociopathic right wingers are against a public option.
It's all about the unions. SOBama sold our car companies out to the unions-----after his make-me-puke campaign speeches said constantly "I cannot and will not let the auto companies go bankrupt". Well, not only did this non-citizen LIAR "not let the auto companies go bankrupt", he forced them into bankruptcy and SOLD THEM OUT TO THE UNIONS. This is exactly what this non-citizen PIG potUS is doing with health care. He's selling it out to the unions. All healthcare personnel, including doctors, will be forced to join the UNIONS. This PIG potUS said it best in his self-aggrandizing disgusting lovefest "The Audacity of a DOPE" "I owe those unions. I don't mind being indebted to the unions....when they call, I answer". This PIG potUS has sold this country out lock stock and barrel to the highest bidder--whether the bidder be a terrorist Muslim, or a UNION BOSS. Didn't you wonder why all those union thugs showed up at the anti-Obamacare town-hall meetings?
Rassmussen polls are about as worthless as the man behind them.
Scott
Rassmussen is a conservative religious anti gay pollster whose polls are designed to make conservatives and their causes look good and liberals l. In 2003-2004 -Rassmussan was a Republican campaign consultant. He received $95,500 from the Republican National Committee and another $45,500 from the George W. Bush campaign.
You are an idiot Rubin. I presume all the polls you support are bought and paid for by the democratic taxation party. There are no polls that indicate a majority of American support this health care reform bill and Rasmussen results are not far off from others. The only thing that muddies the water is when the question is asked "Do you support some form of health care reform". Then you will hera a yes from the people. Do we need this now? NO, Do we need IS spefific bill? HELL NO!!
I bet your eating your blog now moron. I bet you like Massachusetts don't you, it's over Libtards the silent majority is awake! Oh by the way, you can call us the tea party.
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