[Alexander Rubin]

Please choose the first option. Vote now, save yourself tomorrow.

[Enterprise]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?

35.53 % - Yes. It's a much better place today.

28.94 % - Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.

27.84 % - No! It's worse than before.

7.69 % - Uncertain.

[ConservativeStatement]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?
39.15 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.
20.43 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.
34.26 %
No! It's worse than before.
6.17 %
Uncertain.

[LilDarlin]

How in the world can I tell?

If I watch/listen to MSM (or Sadam), it's lots and lots worse.

If I pay attention to returning GI's, it's much better.

If I pay attention to GIs currently stationed there, it's much, much, much better.

Guess how I voted.

[bmwcyle]

39.08 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.
16.23 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.
40.20 %
No! It's worse than before.
4.49 %
Uncertain.

[mmmRamen]

exactly how many Iraqis are included in this poll?

[The_Victor]

Bump

POLL

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?

37.45 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.

15.33 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.

40.12 %
No! It's worse than before.

7.10 %
Uncertain.

[sabatino28]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?
37.67 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.
15.52 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.
37.76 %
No! It's worse than before.
9.05 %
Uncertain.

[jenbuff]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?

38.63 % Yes. It's a much better place today.

15.63 % Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.

36.99 % No! It's worse than before.

8.76 % Uncertain.

[conservativewasp]

It appears to let you vote repeatedly if you leave the site.

[conservativewasp]

DUmmies are hammering it now. Oh well.

[MattMa]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?

46.66 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.

14.42 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.

32.00 %
No! It's worse than before.

[aquila48]

done - yes at 46%

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping Alexander.

Ping to action Canadian FReepers, and FRiends!

[fanfan]

46.08 - Yes, so far...

[auntyfemenist]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?
45.77 %
Yes. It's a much better place today.
15.36 %
Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.
31.54 %
No! It's worse than before.
7.33 %
Uncertain.

[scott0347]

FReeped

49.35 % Yes. It's a much better place today.

17.62 % Slightly better. But the number of casualties is an unacceptable price.

25.94 % No! It's worse than before.

7.09 % Uncertain.

[timsbella]

Excellent call to Freep! Done!

[george76]

Do you believe the Iraqis are better off today than they were before the war began?

54.64 % Yes. It's a much better place today.

19.00 % Slightly better.

18.50 % No!

7.86 % Uncertain.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

No poll that allows self-selected respondents has any real validity. They only show the opinions of those who chose to respond. Internet polls at left-leaning sites will usually show a left-wing tilt. Vice-versa at right-leaning sites.

Only polls using random selection of respondents have any chance of being actually representative of the population at large. (Even with random selection, there are many, many ways that polls can be skewed.)

Sometimes media outlets will include a disclaimer to the effect that: "this is not a scientific poll". We are meant to read this dismissively -- i.e. "scientific" is a code word for "anal retentive". We are lead to think: "Who needs a poll collected by a bunch of clueless nerds wearing white lab coats."

Unfortunately, no matter how unrepresentative, skewed, biased, or otherwise misleading poll results are; they are widely quoted, and can have a profound effect on public opinion (the bandwagon effect). Media outlets know this -- and use these "unscientific" polls as instruments of propaganda. You will usually find a biased article, column or editorial in the same location as the poll -- just to help ensure that the poll numbers come out right.

Polls are a cheap way for media outlets to "generate news". They write a biased article, poll their readers, write another article about the poll, print selected letters to the editor, then write another article about reactions to the poll -- ad nauseam.

Election campaigns are transformed into horse races -- so much coverage is devoted to poll results that there is little space left for covering actual policy issues.

Freeping polls in left-leaning media is probably necessary to reduce the propaganda value of the polls. However, it is at best a defensive strategy. The whole concept of such polling needs to be discredited. Freepers should take every opportunity to point out the inherent weaknesses of self-selected polls.

Where poll results are favourable (say, after Freeping) -- don't crow about the numbers. Tell your liberal friends something like: "MSM polls are always biased and misleading. Even though this poll purports to show strong support for my side of (whatever debate), I am not going to cite the numbers (of course you just did -- but what the hey), because none of these polls is worth anything. I hope you remember this the next time a poll is skewed toward your side." Next time your liberal friend quotes some bogus poll; you can take the high ground, and remind him that poll results are meaningless. Then challenge him to a debate on actual facts, and issues.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

No poll that allows self-selected respondents has any real validity. They only show the opinions of those who chose to respond. Internet polls at left-leaning sites will usually show a left-wing tilt. Vice-versa at right-leaning sites.

Only polls using random selection of respondents have any chance of being actually representative of the population at large. (Even with random selection, there are many, many ways that polls can be skewed.)

Sometimes media outlets will include a disclaimer to the effect that: "this is not a scientific poll". We are meant to read this dismissively -- i.e. "scientific" is a code word for "anal retentive". We are lead to think: "Who needs a poll collected by a bunch of clueless nerds wearing white lab coats."

Unfortunately, no matter how unrepresentative, skewed, biased, or otherwise misleading poll results are; they are widely quoted, and can have a profound effect on public opinion (the bandwagon effect). Media outlets know this -- and use these "unscientific" polls as instruments of propaganda. You will usually find a biased article, column or editorial in the same location as the poll -- just to help ensure that the poll numbers come out right.

Polls are a cheap way for media outlets to "generate news". They write a biased article, poll their readers, write another article about the poll, print selected letters to the editor, then write another article about reactions to the poll -- ad nauseam.

Election campaigns are transformed into horse races -- so much coverage is devoted to poll results that there is little space left for covering actual policy issues.

Freeping polls in left-leaning media is probably necessary to reduce the propaganda value of the polls. However, it is at best a defensive strategy. The whole concept of such polling needs to be discredited. Freepers should take every opportunity to point out the inherent weaknesses of self-selected polls.

Where poll results are favourable (say, after Freeping) -- don't crow about the numbers. Tell your liberal friends something like: "MSM polls are always biased and misleading. Even though this poll purports to show strong support for my side of (whatever debate), I am not going to cite the numbers (of course you just did -- but what the hey), because none of these polls is worth anything. I hope you remember this the next time a poll is skewed toward your side." Next time your liberal friend quotes some bogus poll; you can take the high ground, and remind him that poll results are meaningless. Then challenge him to a debate on actual facts, and issues.