I occasionally get requests from Zogby to complete online surveys, and I usually participate. Got one tonight, though, that I just couldn't believe.
The survey is at:
Zogby Push Poll?
This poll started out innocuously, but as I went through the poll, it seemed more and more as though the questions were designed to create dissatisfaction with the policies of Barack Obama - while misrepresenting those very policies.
Here are a few questions that stood out:
If you knew Barack Obama supported a plan to place a 75% excise tax on the
sale of firearms - where a $500 rifle would now cost $875 with tax, would that
have made you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew about Barack Obama's support for national legislation that would overturn concealed carry handgun laws in 40 states, would that have made
you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew about Barack Obama's support for Congressional legislation that would overturn abortion restrictions, such as parental notification, gender selection abortions and requiring doctors to have local hospital certificates when performing abortions, would that have made you..?
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew Barack Obama supports repealing legislation that currently
prevents non-government organizations, which receive federal funding, from
providing abortions in other nations, such as China where coercive abortions
are performed based on the gender of the fetus, would that make you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew about Barack Obama's support for a tax plan that would raise the top tax rate on individuals to 56% when social security taxes are included, would that have made you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew about Barack Obama's support for a tax plan that would increase the percentage of people who pay no taxes from 32% to 44%, would that have made you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew about Barack Obama's support for a Congressional bill to outlaw workers' rights to a secret ballot in union elections, would that have made you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
If you knew that Democrat Congressional Leaders plan to cut defense spending by 25%, would that have made you...
More likely to vote for Obama
Less likely to vote for Obama
No difference
Not sure
The key point that concerns me about these questions is that they make assumptions and assert that the premise of each question is true - which it may or may not be.
I did respond to the survey asking them whether this poll was funded by the Republican party. I simply found it offensive, and as far as I am concerned, it shows Zogby to no longer be a legitimate unbiased polling concern, but a shill for the RNC.