Could Democrats Be Lying to Pollsters, Too?

 

Much has been said about whether polls are reliable or not. Some people believe that voters are lying to pollsters because they don’t want to admit to anyone—not even a pollster—that they plan to vote for Trump. Whether that is true or not is impossible to determine, but the uncertainty dampens one’s enthusiasm for poll results.

Even if you don’t believe in polls, however, it must be a bit disconcerting even for the most ardent Trump supporter to see how Biden seems to be far ahead. But what if the Democrats are lying to pollsters, too?

Think about it: there are many independents and relatively sane Democrats who will say they are voting for Biden, because the Democrats demand their allegiance. Yet they are learning that Biden has difficulty putting two sentences together; he spent over 40 years in government and had a mixed, if not mediocre track record; he is trying to be a moderate and a progressive at the same time; he proposes new programs that are “hashed-over Trump” ideas or proposals that are too vague to be substantive. So, they may pick Biden when they answer pollsters, but will they push the button for him in the voting booth?

As much as they dislike Biden, however, why in the world would they vote for Trump?

Here are just a few reasons:

  1. In spite of all the negative propaganda, some of Trump’s successes have leaked out; some Democrats may have benefited from the improved economy before the coronavirus. Trump is actually getting things done.
  2. Democrats have always celebrated intelligence. No matter how annoying Trump is, he’s crafty. And no matter how smart Biden was 20 years ago, his mind is not operating on all cylinders.
  3. As of September 2019, Gallup found that trust in the mass media had dropped to 41%. Who knows whether the distrust affects the credibility of the media reports for Democrats?
  4. Although the media doesn’t report on it, the nastiness expressed by Congressional Democrats against Republicans continues to grow. For those who watched the House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Barr, for example, it was a bash-fest of unimagined proportions.
  5. Many Democrats in the large cities experiencing riots must be dismayed at the lawlessness and the fecklessness of their mayors and governors. That perception may take the edge off of voting for Trump.

Perhaps most importantly, Democrats could be worried about their very survival: will they die of coronavirus? Will their cities be invaded by rioters who kill them and burn down businesses? Will law enforcement be ineffectual? Will their homes be burned down next? Even if riots aren’t occurring in their cities, will they be next? Will Joe Biden make a difference in this time of crisis? Will there ever be peace in this country again?

Another question they may be asking themselves is whether they can trust their legislators to do anything since the Democrats in Congress have essentially done nothing and many are working remotely. Democrat mayors and governors were given control over managing the coronavirus; many of their actions, however, have been illogical, inept, and destructive. Although there are many people who hate Trump, and their political lives orbit around that hatred, I believe that some Democrats, who might actually be practical, will look at the continuous attacks on Trump and at least start asking questions: as much as I personally dislike him, could he possibly be as bad as the Democrats describe him? How could a man like William Barr, who has always been known as a principled man, be serving a man who is described as so self-serving and incompetent? Should I vote for Biden even though he is showing signs of dementia?

And finally, do we want to vote for a new President when our Democrat leaders, locally and nationally, are putting our lives at risk? At least Trump is the devil we know.

I don’t think the Democrats will vote for Trump in droves, but I think they may be questioning the veracity of their party and wonder if Biden is going to be good for the country. Their votes will count.

Tuesday, November 3 can’t arrive soon enough.

Published in Elections
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  1. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Susan Quinn:

    • Democrats have always celebrated intelligence. No matter how annoying Trump is, he’s crafty. And no matter how smart Biden was 20 years ago, his mind is not operating on all cylinders.

    He was never all that bright.

    • As of September 2019, Gallup found that trust of the mass media had dropped to 41%. Who knows whether the distrust affects the credibility of the media reports for Democrats?

    The media can’t report that to those who are still watching. They would lose even more viewers/readers.

    • #1
  2. DonG (skeptic) Coolidge
    DonG (skeptic)
    @DonG

    My Lefty friends think that Biden is a powerful and commanding leader.  They have no idea the guy doesn’t know where he is, when his handlers let him out of his cage to speak to people.  I don’t think it is denial, I they are just misinformed.  That will persist through the campaign home stretch.  Do you remember when Hillary was carried off to van from 9/11 event?  Expect a repeat.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    My Lefty friends think that Biden is a powerful and commanding leader. They have no idea the guy doesn’t know where he is, when his handlers let him out of his cage to speak to people. I don’t think it is denial, I they are just misinformed. That will persist through the campaign home stretch. Do you remember when Hillary was carried off to van from 9/11 event? Expect a repeat.

    Well, we can still hope for the debates, although I think I heard that Notre Dame is no longer going to sponsor a debate. Wouldn’t it be interesting, @dong, if no one offered them a place to debate?

    • #3
  4. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    I always lie to pollsters as punishment for being bothered.  Simply hanging up on them doesn’t punish them enough, because non-responses don’t get factored into the reported results.  You need to ensure that your answer skews their results a little bit away from the truth.  Answering their questions mendaciously wastes their time as well as yours.  It’s a small victory, I admit, but eminently satisfying.

    • #4
  5. namlliT noD Member
    namlliT noD
    @DonTillman

    Democrats lying?

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    I always lie to pollsters as punishment for being bothered. Simply hanging up on them doesn’t punish them enough, because non-responses don’t get factored into the reported results. You need to ensure that your answer skews their results a little bit away from the truth. Answering their questions mendaciously wastes their time as well as yours. It’s a small victory, I admit, but eminently satisfying.

    Our phone screens out their calls, but it’s not as satisfying as your strategy, Mis!

    • #6
  7. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    namlliT noD (View Comment):

    Democrats lying?

    Now that’s funny!

    • #7
  8. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    I always lie to pollsters as punishment for being bothered. Simply hanging up on them doesn’t punish them enough, because non-responses don’t get factored into the reported results. You need to ensure that your answer skews their results a little bit away from the truth. Answering their questions mendaciously wastes their time as well as yours. It’s a small victory, I admit, but eminently satisfying.

    I make up my own questions and answer those.

    • #8
  9. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    My Lefty friends think that Biden is a powerful and commanding leader. They have no idea the guy doesn’t know where he is, when his handlers let him out of his cage to speak to people. I don’t think it is denial, I they are just misinformed. That will persist through the campaign home stretch. Do you remember when Hillary was carried off to van from 9/11 event? Expect a repeat.

    Well, we can still hope for the debates, although I think I heard that Notre Dame is no longer going to sponsor a debate. Wouldn’t it be interesting, @dong, if no one offered them a place to debate?

    I think that the polls reflect people’s views as of the time of polling, and they do a pretty good job.  Recall that the polls weren’t off that much in either 2016 or 2018.  So, if the vote were held today, Biden would likely win and win big.  As you say, though, there are still the debates, and, as DonG points out, a lot can happen between now and election day. 

    • #9
  10. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    There are so many variables its hard to know what is going to happen. One, people are not telling pollsters the truth even if pollsters are honest themselves. Two, Democrats are pushing for mail-in voting, the extent of which will be implemented we do not yet know, and will want ballot-harvesting to be the “ace in the hole” in key locations. Three, politics is inherently passion and we do not yet know the events that will shape that passion.

    All I do know is there will crying on November 4. I just don’t know who.

    • #10
  11. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    My Lefty friends think that Biden is a powerful and commanding leader. They have no idea the guy doesn’t know where he is, when his handlers let him out of his cage to speak to people. I don’t think it is denial, I they are just misinformed. That will persist through the campaign home stretch. Do you remember when Hillary was carried off to van from 9/11 event? Expect a repeat.

    Well, we can still hope for the debates, although I think I heard that Notre Dame is no longer going to sponsor a debate. Wouldn’t it be interesting, @dong, if no one offered them a place to debate?

    I think that the polls reflect people’s views as of the time of polling, and they do a pretty good job. Recall that the polls weren’t off that much in either 2016 or 2018. So, if the vote were held today, Biden would likely win and win big. As you say, though, there are still the debates, and, as DonG points out, a lot can happen between now and election day.

    I think they are lying far from the election to influence herd conformity and they get more accurate closer to election time.

    I also think that the lying polls makes it easier for democrats to fudge numbers because the polls always keep Rs winning within margin of error.

    • #11
  12. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Susan Quinn: Wouldn’t it be interesting, @dong, if no one offered them a place to debate?

    Notre Dame has been replaced with Case-Western Reserve in Cleveland.

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Rodin (View Comment):

    There are so many variables its hard to know what is going to happen. One, people are not telling pollsters the truth even if pollsters are honest themselves. Two, Democrats are pushing for mail-in voting, the extent of which will be implemented we do not yet know, and will want ballot-harvesting to be the “ace in the hole” in key locations. Three, politics is inherently passion and we do not yet know the events that will shape that passion.

    All I do know is there will crying on November 4. I just know who.

    Did you mean to say: “I just don’t know who”? or you in on some special intel. OR wishful thinking Spill it!

    • #13
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Rodin (View Comment):
    There are so many variables its hard to know what is going to happen. One, people are not telling pollsters the truth even if pollsters are honest themselves. Two, Democrats are pushing for mail-in voting, the extent of which will be implemented we do not yet know, and will want ballot-harvesting to be the “ace in the hole” in key locations. Three, politics is inherently passion and we do not yet know the events that will shape that passion.

    I forgot to comment on this part of your comment, @rodin! All of those variables could have a huge impact, and the Reps need to do everything they can to stop them!

    • #14
  15. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    In those cities like Portland and Seattle and New York where mayors have not acted effectively to quell the nightly, widespread looting and arson, and in fact intentionally hampered police response and turned the few arrested back into the street, this has been an intimidation game against businesses and residents.

    In Portland, Mayor Wheeler has a runoff election coming up against a candidate who styles herself as Mayor Antifa. Somehow, he believes the rioting, the fact of which he disingenuously denies even as local news shows the latest burning buildings and gutted businesses, will redound against his opponent. And the national news is successfully ignoring this stuff except the most conservative outlets. He showed up to the nightly sieve of the Hatfield Federal Court Building and got jeered mightily by the rioters, clocked in the head with a bottle, and tear gassed by federal law enforcement. It couldn’t happen to a more useless stooge. Xi has got to be loving this guy up. 

    In Seattle, Mayor Durkan is safe from elections for now but her “Summer of Love” quote and endless rioter love is a war on her own city. Again, much of the action shows up on some local news (never the Seattle Times, the simpering lapdog of Durkan’s dark bondage dreams. 

    In New York, the de Blasio blinked. The night Trump promised to defend cities against the Insurrection City Hall’s own autonomous zone got sharply turned out at three in the morning. But the reckless catch and release approach to armed crimes continues unabated. Governor Cuomo’s inaction to rectify the feckless city policies has seen Democrats talk about how an oval office should be in his future. 

    Mayor Stoney in Richmond has eschewed the whole gaslight strategy of pretending the mayhem is not occurring, but Saturday’s rampage by thousands of rioters drew only six arrests. The mayor promised more arrests subsequent to investigations, but only time will tell.

    The Democrats have become victims of their own success in corrupting the media and the social networking overlords. Twitter is now boldly censoring the president. The disobedient media are thoroughly taboo to the Blue. But Blue misconduct is so broad and so repulsive and arrogant, Trump’s ads and speeches write themselves. And the evidence is all around Blue voters. The smell, the smoke, the plywood, the closures, the burned out cars and buildings. Idiot newsreaders backlit by the burning buildings and windowless vehicles nattering about mostly peaceful protesters and systemic racism. 

    I think the debates could be fun. If Trump can avoid stepping on his own message for a couple of hours and the hapless Biden can show the world exactly how far his descent has gone, the republic might limp along another four years.

    Biden. The best candidate the Democrats could muster. He really deserves Mayor Summer of Love for his VP.

    • #15
  16. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    From what I can tell my Democrats friends are going to vote Democrat even if they take Biden to the polls in a hearse and a coffin.  

    • #16
  17. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Has anyone, not counting Peter Robinson, of course, ever told a pollster the truth? Why?

    • #17
  18. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Sisyphus (View Comment):
    The Democrats have become victims of their own success in corrupting the media and the social networking overlords. Twitter is now boldly censoring the president. The disobedient media are thoroughly taboo to the Blue. But Blue misconduct is so broad and so repulsive and arrogant, Trump’s ads and speeches write themselves. And the evidence is all around Blue voters. The smell, the smoke, the plywood, the closures, the burned out cars and buildings. Idiot newsreaders backlit by the burning buildings and windowless vehicles nattering about mostly peaceful protesters and systemic racism. 

    Beautifully summarized, @sisyphus. Let’s just hope the Blues aren’t wearing blinders for the next three months and smell the coffee–or the plywood and burned-out cars.

    • #18
  19. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Susan Quinn: But what if the Democrats are lying to pollsters, too?

    Like Dr. Gregory House said, “Everybody lies.”

    • #19
  20. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Rodin (View Comment):

    There are so many variables its hard to know what is going to happen. One, people are not telling pollsters the truth even if pollsters are honest themselves. Two, Democrats are pushing for mail-in voting, the extent of which will be implemented we do not yet know, and will want ballot-harvesting to be the “ace in the hole” in key locations. Three, politics is inherently passion and we do not yet know the events that will shape that passion.

    All I do know is there will crying on November 4. I just know who.

    Did you mean to say: “I just don’t know who”? or you in on some special intel. OR wishful thinking Spill it!

    Edited. :)

    • #20
  21. Limestone Cowboy Coolidge
    Limestone Cowboy
    @LimestoneCowboy

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    I always lie to pollsters as punishment for being bothered. Simply hanging up on them doesn’t punish them enough, because non-responses don’t get factored into the reported results. You need to ensure that your answer skews their results a little bit away from the truth. Answering their questions mendaciously wastes their time as well as yours. It’s a small victory, I admit, but eminently satisfying.

    And eminently clever as a strategy, since misdirection is a tool employed by all great strategists. And many small victories result in decisive strategic victory.

    I have always tried to adhere to the maxim that honesty is the best policy.

    But now, your comment  reminds me of Winston Churchill’s famous aphorism (paraphrased)  that “in wartime the truth is so precious that it must be always be accompanied by a bodyguard of lies”. I shall adopt your idea forthwith and lie (strategically) through my teeth to pollsters.

    And as a former fellow Ontarian, I thank you even more for the idea. It is good to know that some of Her Majesty’s subjects still retain that distinctively British instinct for misdirection.

    • #21
  22. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Susan Quinn: Democrats have always celebrated intelligence

    Too bad they have so little of it.

    • #22
  23. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Who are people buying guns for the first time?

    Who accounts for the increase in firearms and ammo since lockdown in March?

    My guess is Democrats and independents who live in metro areas

     

    • #23
  24. Eeyore Member
    Eeyore
    @Eeyore

    Sorry. Susan. I think there will be some low millions of Dems who will find themselves worried about all the issues you raise. But I think that the number that will still vote “D” is about 99.75%. After all, I’m ready to [insert multiple horrid acts here] when I read Trump’s tweets. But yea, I ain’t gonna go Dispatch Media, and I’m going to mark the “T” circle on the ballot.

    • #24
  25. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Susan Quinn: Yet they are learning that Biden has difficulty putting two sentences together

    Are they?  Where are they seeing this?  Has it been covered on the CBS Evening News, or CNN, or in the New York Times?

    • #25
  26. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    To paraphrase Victor Davis Hanson, this election is no longer about coronavirus or Trump’s tweeting or Biden’s senility.  Rather it’s about 2 conflicting visions of America: 1776 vs 1619

     

     

    • #26
  27. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Joseph Stanko (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn: Yet they are learning that Biden has difficulty putting two sentences together

    Are they? Where are they seeing this? Has it been covered on the CBS Evening News, or CNN, or in the New York Times?

    Nobody watches CNN. The mothers of the anchors don’t watch CNN.

    • #27
  28. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Percival (View Comment):

    Joseph Stanko (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn: Yet they are learning that Biden has difficulty putting two sentences together

    Are they? Where are they seeing this? Has it been covered on the CBS Evening News, or CNN, or in the New York Times?

    Nobody watches CNN. The mothers of the anchors don’t watch CNN.

    Well, yeah but their mothers all died of Covid in their nursing home when they were denied hydroxychloroquine, so it’s kind of mean to bring it up. Curse that orange man.

    • #28
  29. TallCon Inactive
    TallCon
    @TallCon

    MISTER BITCOIN (View Comment):

    To paraphrase Victor Davis Hanson, this election is no longer about coronavirus or Trump’s tweeting or Biden’s senility. Rather it’s about 2 conflicting visions of America: 1776 vs 1619

    I’m not sure 1776 means anything to the president.

    • #29
  30. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    TallCon (View Comment):

    MISTER BITCOIN (View Comment):

    To paraphrase Victor Davis Hanson, this election is no longer about coronavirus or Trump’s tweeting or Biden’s senility. Rather it’s about 2 conflicting visions of America: 1776 vs 1619

    I’m not sure 1776 means anything to the president.

    Fortunately, there is much more to this nation than its government.

    • #30
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