From: "Deranged Mutant" <WlkngOwl@unix.asb.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 01:41:43 +0800
To: "E. ALLEN SMITH" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU>
Subject: Re: More evidence that democracy is bunk
Message-ID: <199608021417.KAA27112@unix.asb.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On  1 Aug 96 at 15:34, E. ALLEN SMITH wrote:

> 	And some people think democracies secure civil liberties...
> 	-Allen

And some people think polls are an accurate representation of 
anything.  Chances are it's really a poll of people with telephones 
who just finished watching news reports about increased threats of 
terrorism.  Depends on the exact questions that were asked of them, 
too...

[..]
> >   As an antidote, 80 percent believe the federal government should have
> >   more power to investigate terrorists, but just 52 percent believe
> >   wiretaps should be expanded.

Note that 'more power to investigate terrorists' is vague.  Very 
vague, especially if the actual question was "should the federal 
government be given a greater ability to investigate terrorists?" 
(which is not the same as 'more power'... greater ability could be 
more funds or manpower, for instance.)

Often time pollsters will introduce the question with a short 
paragraph or statistics explaining the situation... often these will 
cue someone in to be more likely to answer a certain way.  If the 
pollster says "with the increase in terrorist activisties in the 
United States and new communications technologies, should the federal 
government..." a respondant will be more likely to agree that the 
gov't should have more power.

> >   Three out of five said they still favor giving the government more
> >   power even if that meant groups unrelated to terrorism were
> >   investigated, too.

That's vague too. What was the question: "...even if it meant a 
charity that was exploited by a terrorist group was investigated" or 
a "political group which a suspected terrorist belonged too" etc.?

> >   Even if it cost more, nearly nine out of 10 people surveyed want
> >   more security checkpoints, guards and metal detectors -- and
> >   they'd be willing to wait longer in lines -- at public events.

If they were asked if they minded random searches of their bags and 
belongings or required to carry photo-ID wherever they went, to be 
presented on demand, would they still be willing?

Rob

 
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