Why is Politicalworld so out of touch with the general electorate?

[Cruimh]

.

[TotalMayhem]

After 9 months at PW.org you should be well able to answer this question yourself.

[C. Flower]

Because people here are very well informed ?

In general, PW polls run pretty close to reputable national polls.

Do you have the wording of the Newstalk poll by any chance ?

[Dr. FIVE]

I think our views on the wider public are well documented at this stage



Not many here aided FG to near majority either

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Well that answers one question I've been wondering about Cruimh ... the exact same question was asked on another forum today with the exact same spelling mistake ('intented' instead of intended).

I didn't think the Cruimh here was the same as the Cruimh over there and at least I've settled that in my mind.

To answer the question though there are still a lot of people in Ireland who are not even remotely informed politically whether by choice or because they read one paper and watch RTE only I don't know.

There are people out there who will decide to vote for someone because they like their hair more than another candidate. Just ask Donie Cassidy.

[d.vader]

This is not intented as another discussion on the rights and wrongs of the upcoming referendum on the fiscal treaty. We have enough of those.

I'm curious as to why the Politicalworld.org poll on the referendum is way off the general mood. Newstalk announced the results of their recent poll today:

(1) newstalk poll
This shows of the 1,000 people polled.
46% YES,
25% NO
29% don't know
http://www.newstalk.ie/2012/featured...st-government/

(2) PW poll
The Politicalworld.org poll has from 91 voters
14% YES
76% NO
4% don't know
4% saying they won't vote
http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?t=11225



Why such a large discrepancy?

Because of groupthink

[Kev Bar]

I think our views on the wider public are well documented at this stage



Not many here aided FG to near majority either

That pesky public!

[morticia]

Frankly in this case, I'm with the gen public. Given the choice between a slow reduction in funds and the possibility of QE (yes) and immediate balancing of the budget and massive austerity (no), I know which I consider to be less damaging to my children's welfare.

Most people of my age with children appear to be sharing my viewpoint.... pragmatism comes before high minded idealism when you have responsibilities. The age profile of this site is possibly younger than the average and there are far more people on here who would belong to the hard left than I would see in daily life.

I'm not saying pragmatism is necessarily correct, but it is the way middle aged parents and pensioners will vote.

Sorry, but there you have it.

[Spectabilis]

This is not intented as another discussion on the rights and wrongs of the upcoming referendum on the fiscal treaty. We have enough of those.

I'm curious as to why the Politicalworld.org poll on the referendum is way off the general mood. Newstalk announced the results of their recent poll today:

(1) newstalk poll
This shows of the 1,000 people polled.
46% YES,
25% NO
29% don't know
http://www.newstalk.ie/2012/featured...st-government/

(2) PW poll
The Politicalworld.org poll has from 91 voters
14% YES
76% NO
4% don't know
4% saying they won't vote
http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?t=11225



Why such a large discrepancy?

Self-selecting groups?
Invalid samples?
Different questions asked?
All of the above?

[C. Flower]

Self-selecting groups?
Invalid samples?
Different questions asked?
All of the above?

Very high percentage of don't knows in the population at large, very high percentage of know-alls on forumz ?

I gather from the Captain that this OP has been posted in other "out of touch" locations.

[eamo]

The age profile of this site is possibly younger than the average .

WELL DAMIT!! SOME OF US are doing our best to rectify that.

AND...... some of us have simply REFUSED to "grow up".

[fluffybiscuits]

Very high percentage of don't knows in the population at large, very high percentage of know-alls on forumz ?

I gather from the Captain that this OP has been posted in other "out of touch" locations.

The twilight zone of the web?

Frankly in this case, I'm with the gen public. Given the choice between a slow reduction in funds and the possibility of QE (yes) and immediate balancing of the budget and massive austerity (no), I know which I consider to be less damaging to my children's welfare.

Most people of my age with children appear to be sharing my viewpoint.... pragmatism comes before high minded idealism when you have responsibilities. The age profile of this site is possibly younger than the average and there are far more people on here who would belong to the hard left than I would see in daily life.

I'm not saying pragmatism is necessarily correct, but it is the way middle aged parents and pensioners will vote.

Sorry, but there you have it.

I thought that the average age profile here was a lot more mature than the other politics websites out there?

@Original poster....meh...

[smiles]

Frankly in this case, I'm with the gen public. Given the choice between a slow reduction in funds and the possibility of QE (yes) and immediate balancing of the budget and massive austerity (no), I know which I consider to be less damaging to my children's welfare.

Most people of my age with children appear to be sharing my viewpoint.... pragmatism comes before high minded idealism when you have responsibilities. The age profile of this site is possibly younger than the average and there are far more people on here who would belong to the hard left than I would see in daily life.

I'm not saying pragmatism is necessarily correct, but it is the way middle aged parents and pensioners will vote.

Sorry, but there you have it.

As a parent I will be voting no... I understand the risks, but this charade has to end sometime, either in our generation or theirs.. Kicking the can down the road is a slow and painful death and we have no right to enslave the next generation. Also i believe alternatives will not present themselves while we are still sitting with our hands outatretched to europe they won't arise until they are forced to.. Sink or swim time.
I think it is too early to take any polls seriously..

[Justin Casey]

Very high percentage of know-alls on forumz ?

Deadly!

[Sidewinder]

Well personally, and really I no longer care if this comes across as arrogant, but I really don't care and never really did about "being in step with popular opinion".

I only cared about being honest, to my self most of all but also to others. A small side consequence of this has been the happy coincidence of being right on most calls. But IMO being right is merely a consequence of being ruthlessly honest - with yourself and others.

I'd rather be honest and wrong than dishonest and right. But over the last 20 years this hasn't been an issue, I've found being strictly honest leads inevitably to being right anyway.