2016 Postmortem

JaneQPublic

(7,113 posts) Thu Jul 28, 2016, 12:47 PM Jul 2016

Right Track/Wrong Track Polls mean nothing. Here's the proof.

Whenever a Dem points to any evidence that things have improved during the Obama years, you can count on TV pundits, GOPers, and Trump himself to invariable point to polls showing a big majority of the public believes the country is on the wrong track.

But here's the thing: The public has almost continually thought that for decades. As a Daily Beast article from 2014 says:

Over the past 40 years, polls have consistently found that a solid majority of Americans have not been happy with the direction of our nation. Sure, there have been a few bright spots, but they are far outweighed by the times we have not been satisfied with the way things are going.

MORE...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/07/we-ve-been-on-the-wrong-track-since-1972.html

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Right Track/Wrong Track Polls mean nothing. Here's the proof. (Original Post) JaneQPublic Jul 2016 OP

Of course. This is an insane question. Same when you ask somebody whether they agree with a project Mass Jul 2016 #1

If I was ask that in a poll I would have to say wrong track awake Jul 2016 #2

Its a ridiculous question. procon Jul 2016 #3

Mass

(27,315 posts)

1. Of course. This is an insane question. Same when you ask somebody whether they agree with a project

Reply to JaneQPublic (Original post)

Thu Jul 28, 2016, 12:52 PM

Jul 2016

or not as was often asked for Obamacare. It was a compromise, so certainly people did not agree.

However, when you asked more pertinent questions, on whether it should be discarded or improved, a majority of people said improved. But regularly, inane pundits and anchorpeople would bring the fact Obamacare is not popular without qualification.

awake

(3,226 posts)

2. If I was ask that in a poll I would have to say wrong track

Reply to JaneQPublic (Original post)

Thu Jul 28, 2016, 12:55 PM

Jul 2016

Because of the fact that Congress has been stone walling and the GOP just nominated Trump. The press would take my response to be that I was not happy with Obama, Affordable Care Act and Gay Marriage.

procon

(15,805 posts)

3. Its a ridiculous question.

Reply to JaneQPublic (Original post)

Thu Jul 28, 2016, 01:28 PM

Jul 2016

Everyone has a gripe about something, large or small, petty or serious, and it's all weighted the same by these simpleminded, right or wrong track polls. So if I'm really pissed off about local parking enforcement, it's treated the same as someone else who is fighting to fix civil rights issues... and everything gets lumped together as "wrong".

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