Polls, Smolls

Polls are pretty worthless things. While many in politics live and die by them, the really do not accomplish much. The same people that might point to the results of a poll showing lower support for the Iraq war might pretend this ABC poll showing a minority of people actually blame Bush for the response problems with Katrina. This basically means that people have their opinions and if a poll agrees with it, they tout it. If not, they ignore it. So I do not tout this ABC poll, merely refer to it. I am sure if the media keeps chiseling away they can change those numbers in a week or two.

Others actually are under the delusion that if a majority of people agree with something it must be so. I think there have been obvious moments in history that prove that the majority can often be wrong. In those times it takes a leader to do the right thing whether others agree. The leader must lead and hope that history vindicates him. The concensus leader who makes decisions based on the ever changing winds of opinion cannot be trusted to do the right thing.

Polls are also influenced by false information. False information by the way, can be believed by the person distributing it. I am sure many in the media actually believe the false statements they make. They also as I mentioned earlier, follow a poll with reporting designed to change the results in a future poll.

Finally, contrary to the lazy media's current trends polls are not news. Instead of doing the difficult task of investigating, today's mediocre media will simply commission a poll and create a story based on it. The good news is that I think so many polls of this and that are making the public immune to any influence they may have once had. So I say "Polls, Smolls"