Polls and whatnot
My paying job has overwhelmed me lately, so I have had to skip making comments here.
The recent maneuvering around the GRT had one interesting tidbit. Cited as evidence of the unpopularity of the GRT locally was an "Ask Illinois" poll. Yes, the same "Ask Illinois" that conducted the notorious push poll during the school board election. The Whig reported the poll as solid social science:
"Durham was referring to a poll conducted April 16 by Ask Illinois. It showed the gross receipts tax is opposed by 76.27 percent of 906 respondents in the 93rd House District — Adams, Brown, Schuyler, Scott, Cass, and parts of Pike and Hancock counties. Only 12.36 percent support the tax and another 11.37 percent offered no opinion.
"That 6-to-1 opposition of the tax among Western Illinois residents with an opinion on the issue is greater than in any other House district."
I think the GRT's a bad idea, too, but these data are highly suspect. To give you an idea of how "scientific" the Ask Illinois polls are, here's the one-question "poll" they used on Chicago-area residents during the recent controversy over a big-box retail ordinance in that city:
"Members of the Chicago City Council want to stop new retail stores from opening in the city because the union bosses don't want the competition. These new stores would create thousands of new jobs in underdeveloped neighborhoods. Here's our question: do you want to see retail development and thousands of new jobs in Chicago's underdeveloped neighborhoods? If you want to see the jobs, press 1, if you think the council should stop the jobs press 2 if you're not sure press 3."
If you want to be considered a scientific polling firm, you don't do bullshit push polls like that one.
The recent maneuvering around the GRT had one interesting tidbit. Cited as evidence of the unpopularity of the GRT locally was an "Ask Illinois" poll. Yes, the same "Ask Illinois" that conducted the notorious push poll during the school board election. The Whig reported the poll as solid social science:
"Durham was referring to a poll conducted April 16 by Ask Illinois. It showed the gross receipts tax is opposed by 76.27 percent of 906 respondents in the 93rd House District — Adams, Brown, Schuyler, Scott, Cass, and parts of Pike and Hancock counties. Only 12.36 percent support the tax and another 11.37 percent offered no opinion.
"That 6-to-1 opposition of the tax among Western Illinois residents with an opinion on the issue is greater than in any other House district."
I think the GRT's a bad idea, too, but these data are highly suspect. To give you an idea of how "scientific" the Ask Illinois polls are, here's the one-question "poll" they used on Chicago-area residents during the recent controversy over a big-box retail ordinance in that city:
"Members of the Chicago City Council want to stop new retail stores from opening in the city because the union bosses don't want the competition. These new stores would create thousands of new jobs in underdeveloped neighborhoods. Here's our question: do you want to see retail development and thousands of new jobs in Chicago's underdeveloped neighborhoods? If you want to see the jobs, press 1, if you think the council should stop the jobs press 2 if you're not sure press 3."
If you want to be considered a scientific polling firm, you don't do bullshit push polls like that one.
posted by Allthenewsthatfits at 4:43 AM
4 Comments:
How about 100% of the Illinois House opposing GRT? Is that scientific enough for you?
No shit, ATNTFOB, you dumb monkeyfucker.
A nonpartisan poll using unbiased language came up with a figure of 45.5 in favor or no opinion, 54.5 percent opposed in western and northwestern Illinois. The language of the question was this: “The Illinois legislature recently considered legislation that would create a new Gross Receipts Tax on Illinois businesses. This new tax would raise seven point six billion dollars in new revenues from Illinois businesses to fund an increase in school funding and health care. Do you support or oppose legislation to create a Gross Receipts Tax in Illinois?”
The 55 percent opposition seems a much more realistic figure than the 76 claimed in the Ask Illinois poll, especially since Ask Illinois has such a dubious track record.
And thank you to 5:18 for your insightful comments. You have a great future in talk radio someday.
By the way, the statewide numbers in this poll were 43 percent in favor, 43 percent opposed, and 14 percent no opinion. I still think the GRT is a bad idea and am glad to see it dead, however.
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