Rant.....

[Triggerfish]

What's with the support for the president dropping because of the war? I personally do not like Bush and did not agree with his reasons for invading Iraq however....... Once you threaten a nation with force you better use it if they don't back down, otherwise in the future other nations will consider the threats as just words and that the U.S. will not use force even if the administration in power is serious. If you do not back down from the threats then in the future the nation that the U.S. threatens with force may back down without actual combat.

As for the war in Iraq......when the war first started Bush had fairly large percentage of approval. Now his approval is in the 40% range? We invaded a country and are now in the process of changing their way of life and government, did they think it was going to be virtually blood free and take a very short period of time? Leaving now would be a disaster. We'd end up leaving a country ripe for recruitment of terrorism, or another Islamic state like Iran, or possibly a break up of the nation with the Kurds trying to make their own country. This in turn would increase independence movements in neighboring countries with large Kurdish population such as the U.S. ally Turkey.

 

[Larry Gude]

We've covered this material...

...before.

If a poll says the President has a 40% approval rating, what does that mean?

Does it mean 60% of the people disapprove (yes) AND that they all wish John Kerry was ruinning things (no)?

Does it mean 59% want better results BUT have zero interest in John Kerry running things and 1% want better results and think Kery is the solution?

How about 30%/30%? Pick a number.

When a news organization presents you with a poll and does not give it any critical analysis about the poll, they're trying to sell you, not tell you, something. Hell the story could be that given the problems in Iraq, 40% approval is fantastic for the President.

One further thing; the 'polls' don't have one freaking clue as to how W, or any President is 'handling' a given issue; the poll makers are not sitting in on meetings where arguments and decisions are made and problems analyzed; the polls are more accurately asking how one feels about the results.

 

[vraiblonde]

I'm a Zogby poller and his weekly surveys are pretty vague. He'll ask if you approve or disapprove of the President's job performance, with 5 possible answers ranging from "Strongly Disapprove" to "Strongly Approve".

I think the only time I've ever "Strongly Approved" was the week that Bush shocked and awed Baghdad. Other than that, I either think he's half a wuss and needs to really flex his muscles with the terrorists and quit taking the DUers into consideration, or I think he's a complete wuss who kisses Vicente Fox's ass.

Another question is "Do you approve or disapprove of the way the President is handling the War on Terror?" to which I typically answer either "Disapprove" or "Somewhat Approve".

But Zogby never wants to explore WHY you answered the way you did. If he'd follow up with questions like, "Do you think the President is being too aggressive or too passive with terrorists/Muslims/illegal immigrants?" it would paint a clearer picture of what people think of Bush's performance.

 

[Triggerfish]

I don't think I was clear enough on what I was ranting about. I don't care what the polls are stating but it's the fair weather supporters. The people who supported the president when the war started but no longer support him because the war is taking too long and costly. We'll be lucky to be out of there before the next presidential election.

 

[Triggerfish]

Polls are like statistics.....people often want to twist them in the way that supports their views.

 

[vraiblonde]

Polls are like statistics.....people often want to twist them in the way that supports their views.

That's true. Did you see my post about the Zogby poll? It all depends on what questions are asked.

 

[Triggerfish]

That's true. Did you see my post about the Zogby poll? It all depends on what questions are asked.

:nods:

It's a headache sometimes trying to figure out what the numbers are actually saying.