Political Polling Pushes Duopoly Narrative

I don't ever answer my phone for calls from an unknown number, so I never participate in political polls. But today, they decided to get creative and sent a text message inviting me to give my opinions via a text survey. This seemed like a fun enough distraction, so I said ok.

Here is the part that floored me the most:

political poll via text.jpg

Hahaha... I decided that text polls are actually best. You can type in any answer you want! They pushed the binary "choices" thing, and I just said no to that. There was a very long pause after this exchange. I thought they'd dropped me. Then I finally got the next question, about the Senate race in AZ. heh.

They also had silly "choices" like if I identify my gender as 1. Male or 2. Female. I decided not to protest that one, although it bugged me. Then we got into my "choices" for a political identity. 1. Liberal, 2. Moderate, 3. Conservative. I said stubbornly "none of those labels applies to me." Then they came back again with the which way do you "lean" push: 1. liberal or 2, conservative. Oy! I again said neither. LOL.

I have not taken a political poll in many years. It really struck me, how much they are pushing people into making false choices, and then using that data to drive simplistic, false narratives about what 'the people' of this country want, believe, and support.

I doubt it does any good whatsoever to talk back to a text survey. But it did feel pretty good to do it anyway.

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Bollox Ref's picture

the time of the Emperor Justinian.

You were either Blue or Green. The others didn't count.

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11 users have voted.

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

ggersh's picture

tptb.....GFY

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14 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

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15 users have voted.
CS in AZ's picture

@Mickt

Thanks for sharing that clip. Funny and on point. Smile

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9 users have voted.

@CS in AZ and The Thick Of It/In the Loop(which I describe(with possibly questionable accuracy)as "Yes Minister as written by David Mamet) is the most accurate descriptor of how government works.

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8 users have voted.

They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway
They say that life's a game and then they take the board away
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
And leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret-- A. Moore

CS in AZ's picture

@Johnny Q

I’d never heard of either the TV series or the movie. Both look good. I really enjoy (most) British humor.

I also just learned

A feature film spin-off, In the Loop, was released in the UK on 17 April 2009. A pilot for a U.S. remake of the show was not successful, but Iannucci was subsequently invited to create Veep for HBO, a programme with a very similar tone and political issues, with the involvement of some The Thick of It writers and production members.

I had not even thought to check out this series on HBO, but I think it’s worth a look based on this info.

Wow, I never cease to be amazed at the depth and breadth of knowledge here. I learn new things from y’all every day!

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6 users have voted.
RantingRooster's picture

@Mickt Yes Minister, Good Neighbors, Are you being Served, Faulty Towers, Benny Hill and especially Monty Pythons. I grew up watching all of them!

[video:https://youtu.be/vZ9myHhpS9s]

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C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

Granma's picture

There might have been a live person texting you and either busily reporting your answer or questioning whether to proceed with the surveyor both. Good for you!!

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10 users have voted.
CS in AZ's picture

@Granma

I assumed at first it had to be automated. But after the very long pauses (of several minutes) before the next question, it made me think either I'd managed to crash the poll software, or there might actually be a real person, who was waiting for instructions on how to proceed. If so, good! Make them think about it, at least. Smile

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11 users have voted.
Shahryar's picture

One is the kind that is interested in the full scope and then reports it.

The other is only interested in how they can use the info.

That is, Pew or Gallup will include options and then present the findings. The DNC will not include options because, for them, those options are not important.

I've chosen those organizations at random. They could be various others as well.

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9 users have voted.

cancelling their land lines.

The recent SURGE for Biden is an obvious manipulation, just as the results of all the primary polls were. In fact, I don't really believe Biden won the primaries at all.

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8 users have voted.

"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

RantingRooster's picture

polling, because the framing of the questions is absurd and obviously spiked to lean one designed one way or another, to deliver a pre-defined echo chamber result. All the demographic data, is none of their damn business.

Drinks

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2 users have voted.

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote