Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Politics of Perceptions
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/15/disaster.poll.ap/
I am not a big fan of polls. They are easily manipulated, often allow little room for clarifying by those polled, and are often viewed as the story itself rather than the incentive for analysis. Look at the poll above and how it only breaks down who the people are who voted, but offers no explanation as to why people voted the way they did.
One thing I do enjoy is trying to explain the conservative point of view especially to those opposed to it who try to define it. In this poll, Democrats were less confident than Republicans that their families, local emergency agencies and Washington were ready for a disaster. Again, no analysis, just the facts. Well, I submit to you that Republicans and Democrats actually believe that Washington will perform equally well; it is just that their expectations are different.
You see, if you are a conservative, you don't believe that the Federal Government has the responsibility or even the ability to react to a disaster. Oh sure, there is probably some agency of bureaucrats in the capital city who have regulations and procedures, but there isn't any hard assets available to do anything. Conservatives believe that if any government agency is going to provide that, it will come down to local and state levels, and maybe the National Guard.
If you are Democrat, you expect that the Federal Government will show up somehow, relocate you, write a check, and rebuild your life. But, as I have indicated and Katrina has shown, this isn't really within the realms of possibilities because the Federal Government isn't really a body of assets. It owns very little except the power to regulate and spend money. Conservatives get this point, liberals might, but they don't wish it so.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/15/disaster.poll.ap/
I am not a big fan of polls. They are easily manipulated, often allow little room for clarifying by those polled, and are often viewed as the story itself rather than the incentive for analysis. Look at the poll above and how it only breaks down who the people are who voted, but offers no explanation as to why people voted the way they did.
One thing I do enjoy is trying to explain the conservative point of view especially to those opposed to it who try to define it. In this poll, Democrats were less confident than Republicans that their families, local emergency agencies and Washington were ready for a disaster. Again, no analysis, just the facts. Well, I submit to you that Republicans and Democrats actually believe that Washington will perform equally well; it is just that their expectations are different.
You see, if you are a conservative, you don't believe that the Federal Government has the responsibility or even the ability to react to a disaster. Oh sure, there is probably some agency of bureaucrats in the capital city who have regulations and procedures, but there isn't any hard assets available to do anything. Conservatives believe that if any government agency is going to provide that, it will come down to local and state levels, and maybe the National Guard.
If you are Democrat, you expect that the Federal Government will show up somehow, relocate you, write a check, and rebuild your life. But, as I have indicated and Katrina has shown, this isn't really within the realms of possibilities because the Federal Government isn't really a body of assets. It owns very little except the power to regulate and spend money. Conservatives get this point, liberals might, but they don't wish it so.
Labels: ideology, Politics, polls
