A Poll of US Opinion

[rushmc 18]

Many polls have been created and referenced on this site. Here is another found on (but not done by)Drudge

POLL: AMERICANS 'WANT TO WIN IN IRAQ'
Tue Feb 20 2007 16:21:32 ET

In the wake of the U.S. House of Representatives passing a resolution that amounts to a vote of no confidence in the Bush administration's policies in Iraq, a new national survey by Alexandria, VA-based Public Opinion Strategies (POS) shows the American people may have some different ideas from their elected leaders on this issue.

The survey was conducted nationwide February 5-7 among a bi-partisan, cross-section of 800 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. The survey was commissioned by The Moriah Group, a Chattanooga-based strategic communications and public affairs firm.

The survey shows Americans want to win in Iraq, and that they understand Iraq is the central point in the war against terrorism and they can support a U.S. strategy aimed at achieving victory, said Neil Newhouse, a partner in POS. The idea of pulling back from Iraq is not where the majority of Americans are.


By a 53 percent - 46 percent margin, respondents surveyed said that Democrats are going too far, too fast in pressing the President to withdraw troops from Iraq.


By identical 57 percent - 41 percent margins, voters agreed with these statements: I support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security and the Iraqi war is a key part of the global war on terrorism.


Also, by a 56 percent - 43 percent margin, voters agreed that even if they have concerns about his war policies, Americans should stand behind the President in Iraq because we are at war.


While the survey shows voters believe (60 percent- 34 percent) that Iraq will never become a stable democracy, they still disagree that victory in Iraq (creating a young, but stable democracy and reducing the threat of terrorism at home) is no longer possible. Fifty-three percent say it's still possible, while 43 percent disagree.


By a wide 74 percent - 25 percent margin, voters disagree with the notion that "I don't really care what happens in Iraq after the U.S. leaves, I just want the troops brought home."

When asked which statement best describes their position on the Iraq War, voters are evenly divided (50 percent - 49 percent) between positions of "doing whatever it takes to restore order until the Iraqis can govern and provide security to their country," and positions that call for immediate withdrawal or a strict timetable.


27 percent said "the Iraq war is the front line in the battle against terrorism and our troops should stay there and do whatever it takes to restore order until the Iraqis can govern and provide security to their country."


23 percent said "while I don't agree that the U.S. should be in the war, our troops should stay there and do whatever it takes to restore order until the Iraqis can govern and provide security to their country."


32 percent said "whether Iraq is stable or not, the U.S. should set and hold to a strict timetable for withdrawing troops."


17 percent said "the U.S. should immediately withdraw its troops from Iraq."

The survey also found that voters thought it would hurt American prestige more to pull out of Iraq immediately (59 percent) than it would to stay there for the long term (35 percent). Public Opinion Strategies "scored the best win-loss record among the major polling and media firms in the 2004 election" and was named Pollster of the Year in 2002.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[SpeedRacer 1]

My Dad was talking to his old friends from rural Pennsylvania. I think it was in 2004, maybe a little over a year after the invasion.

Generally, these guys vote Republican.

And they generally thought that yes, Saddam Hussein had to be removed from power.

But they also believed it was time to bring the troops home (now that Saddam had been removed from power) and not hang around there trying to build a stable democracy, because as they put it; "whatever we try to achieve there, the Arabs will just fuck it all up."

Speed Racer
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[jakee 1,257]

Interesting, now for some other questions from the same poll,

"Are things in the country in general going on the right or wrong track?"

Right: 28%
Wrong: 64%

"Do you approve or dissaprove of the job GWB is doing?"

Approve: 39%
Dissaprove: 60% (47% strong dissaproval)

Just thought you might be interested in those too.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[rushmc 18]

the answer to those questions do not surprise me when one considers the media coverage but, it is what it is.

anything to say about the questions in the posting or do you dare go there?

Edited to ask:
as I thought about your post more, were those the total questions? I guess I am wondering about the context.

Right direction compared to what

the economy
the war
the idiot way the people in washington are acting?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 1,635]

Quote

Many polls have been created and referenced on this site. Here is another found on (but not done by)Drudge

POLL: AMERICANS 'WANT TO WIN IN IRAQ'
Tue Feb 20 2007 16:21:32 ET

.

Yes, and I want to win the lottery too. WANTING something and having a realistic expectation are quite different.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Many polls have been created and referenced on this site. Here is another found on (but not done by)Drudge

POLL: AMERICANS 'WANT TO WIN IN IRAQ'
Tue Feb 20 2007 16:21:32 ET

.

Yes, and I want to win the lottery too. WANTING something and having a realistic expectation are quite different.

priceless? worthless? hmmm

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[jakee 1,257]

Quote

as I thought about your post more, were those the total questions? I guess I am wondering about the context.

Very slightly paraphrased, but only to make it easier to type. It took me 30 seconds on google to find the published questions and poll results, though of course I can't guarantee that those were the questions that were actually asked

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anything to say about the questions in the posting or do you dare go there?

Three points really, 1) it was a poll of 800 people. I simply do not believe such a small sample can give an accuracy of +/- 3.5% 2) without knowing how closely those polled follow events in Iraq we can't know how much the survey reflects informed or uninformed opinions and 3) I believe you made the point just yesterday that you were glad we had a leader who did not sway to public opinion. Have you now decided public opinion is in fact important?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[rushmc 18]

Three points really, 1) it was a poll of 800 people. I simply do not believe such a small sample can give an accuracy of +/- 3.5% 2) without knowing how closely those polled follow events in Iraq we can't know how much the survey reflects informed or uninformed opinions and 3) I believe you made the point just yesterday that you were glad we had a leader who did not sway to public opinion. Have you now decided public opinion is in fact important?

[jakee 1,257]

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As for the last point. I posted that as a response mainly. We would all like to think everyone would agree with us yes?

Yeah I didn't mean that as a dig at you, just pointing it out

Polls are Ok-ish for very general questions but I think as they get more specific or focus on particular points of policy their usefulness rapidly diminishes - both for getting answers that accurately reflect the opinions of the nation and also for getting informed answers that actually mean a damn.

I also agree with you that the gov't should not neccesarily bow to public opinion in setting policy. Gov'ts must be willing to make unpopular decisions 'cos sometimes they need to be made.

I'll probably disagree with you on pretty much every example of which decisions do need to be made though

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[SpeedRacer 1]

hey , no one responded to my post because it wasn't 100% one way or the other.

Speed Racer
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[Royd 0]

Quote

Three points really, 1) it was a poll of 800 people. I simply do not believe such a small sample can give an accuracy of +/- 3.5% 2) without knowing how closely those polled follow events in Iraq we can't know how much the survey reflects informed or uninformed opinions and 3) I believe you made the point just yesterday that you were glad we had a leader who did not sway to public opinion. Have you now decided public opinion is in fact important?

Hmmm. The press comes out with a new poll everyday.
I'm sure they are loaded to get the results that are desired; there's not much" presenting the whole truth" anymore.

People tend to believe the drivel.

[masterrig 1]

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hey , no one responded to my post because it wasn't 100% one way or the other.

________________________________

Your response may not have been 100%, one way or the other but, listen to your dad!


Chuck

[NCclimber 0]

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In the wake of the U.S. House of Representatives passing a resolution that amounts to a vote of no confidence in the Bush administration's policies in Iraq, a new national survey by Alexandria, VA-based Public Opinion Strategies (POS) shows the American people may have some different ideas from their elected leaders on this issue.

Another POS poll.