R
rdean
Guest
The Washington Monthly
Despite efforts by the Obama political team and its surrogates to link Rush Limbaugh to the Republican Party, just 11% of GOP voters say the conservative radio commentator is the party's leader.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republican voters disagree and 8% are undecided in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
This certainly makes it sound as if the vast majority of rank-and-file Republicans don't see the right-wing blowhard as the head of the GOP. But take a look at how Rasmussen asked the question in the poll:
"Agree or Disagree: 'Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican Party -- he says jump and they say how high.'"
This poisons the well a bit, doesn't it?
Example of a loaded question:
Some public health groups are urging the FDA to set mandatory standards for how much salt is allowed in food. Should the government set limits on how much salt Americans can eat?
33% Yes
55% No
12% Not sure
See, "from the dangers to too much salt" to "Should the government.....".
We call that a loaded question.
Pollster.com - Political Surveys and Election Polls, Trends, Charts and Analysis
Rasmussen polling occupies an odd place in the political culture. In the conservative world, it is the gold standard. If you go to a conservative set on basically any random day, you'll see somebody touting a Rasmussen poll.
Rasmussen's role in the public debate is problematic for several reasons. It's not altogether clear what causes him to consistently project results so much at odds with those of the rest of the polling community. But if there is something problematic about his methods, he has little incentive to correct it, because Rasmussen's business model increasingly relies upon maintaining the loyalty of staunch Republicans.
The Rasmussen Problem | The New Republic
That's what Republicans do. They twist and turn until they get the "facts" to match up with their strange view of reality.
They think they won the house because Americans agree with sending jobs to China and ending unemployment benefits and Social Security and Medicare and removing the minimum wage.
They don't understand that Americans are angry at the Democrats for not fixing Republican mess fast enough. The next election will be more of the same.
Despite efforts by the Obama political team and its surrogates to link Rush Limbaugh to the Republican Party, just 11% of GOP voters say the conservative radio commentator is the party's leader.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republican voters disagree and 8% are undecided in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
This certainly makes it sound as if the vast majority of rank-and-file Republicans don't see the right-wing blowhard as the head of the GOP. But take a look at how Rasmussen asked the question in the poll:
"Agree or Disagree: 'Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican Party -- he says jump and they say how high.'"
This poisons the well a bit, doesn't it?
Example of a loaded question:
Some public health groups are urging the FDA to set mandatory standards for how much salt is allowed in food. Should the government set limits on how much salt Americans can eat?
33% Yes
55% No
12% Not sure
See, "from the dangers to too much salt" to "Should the government.....".
We call that a loaded question.
Pollster.com - Political Surveys and Election Polls, Trends, Charts and Analysis
Rasmussen polling occupies an odd place in the political culture. In the conservative world, it is the gold standard. If you go to a conservative set on basically any random day, you'll see somebody touting a Rasmussen poll.
Rasmussen's role in the public debate is problematic for several reasons. It's not altogether clear what causes him to consistently project results so much at odds with those of the rest of the polling community. But if there is something problematic about his methods, he has little incentive to correct it, because Rasmussen's business model increasingly relies upon maintaining the loyalty of staunch Republicans.
The Rasmussen Problem | The New Republic
That's what Republicans do. They twist and turn until they get the "facts" to match up with their strange view of reality.
They think they won the house because Americans agree with sending jobs to China and ending unemployment benefits and Social Security and Medicare and removing the minimum wage.
They don't understand that Americans are angry at the Democrats for not fixing Republican mess fast enough. The next election will be more of the same.
