Polling for hysteria

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Nov 12, 2002 | by Douglas Burton

LEE RODGERS, KSFO, SAN FRANCISCO

One of the surest ways to recognize a poll as being designed to manipulate public opinion is when it poses a question to a general public that, even on briefest consideration, is not prepared to give a rational answer.

The latest ABC News poll on so-called "ballistic fingerprinting" of firearms is an example. The idea got overwhelming support, despite the fact that responsible law-enforcement agencies--including those in California, quickly shushed by a liberal state government--have said it's a useless tool.

A parallel to this example of polling people with no knowledge of the subject under review would be to ask the average person whether instruments on a 2.5-mach jet fighter should be analog or digital. First, there's a serious question as to how many people would know either the definition or difference; then there's the question of how many would have the slightest idea of the requirements of a jet-fighter pilot.

Dumb questions get dumb answers.