Friday, June 22, 2012

1767 Poll-ish People

So. Saw the results of an interesting poll recently. Actually, it was one poll taken two ways. Seems pollsters reached folks by phone. But one end of the poll was conducted using landlines and one end was conducted using cellphones.
Quick note if you're younger; landlines are those phones that plug into the wall---other than to a charger.
The results were fascinating. Turns out that among those reached by landline, Mitt Romney beats President Obama by 3 percentage points. But among those polled by cellphone, Obama leads by 57% to 34%---23 points.
One might be led to conclude that since cellphones are the most common form of phone with the young, Obama has the election wrapped. Unfortunately for him, young people don't often make it to the actual polls---the ones where you vote. Voting is still problematic for young phone folks.
At least until there's an app for that.
But the poll also has other problems. Namely, isn't it illegal to solicit on cellphones? And aren't polls a form of unasked for solicitation? One that burns your valuable minutes and ends up costing you money? So doesn't the poll also measure results from people who are oblivious to burning their minutes?
And not those p-o-'d you're wasting their hard-earned cash.
I don't know about you, but if I get a poll request on any phone I turn it down. I'm way too busy. So I'm guessing polls never really measure either frugal people, or people who have more productive things to do than answer polls.
Which is worrisome. Because results of polls influence other people down the line. That means all our national trends are determined not by ordinary folks, but by folks who take polls.
America, ya gotta love it.

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