Gallup Poll data & questions over the years

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

You may find this an interesting read....

 

Long term poll

 

Famous Only 4% Think Gun Control is Important

 

 

Just my opinion ... this data shows the media diversion over guns may be a way for federal officials to divert attention from the real issues of econcomy and jobs. Very sneaky.

[Guest Texas Jack Black]

The majority also want more gun control and a vast majority wanted those back ground checks toughened. I fear the LIBS will use that number to attempt unseating those who opposed tougher back ground checks.

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

If the Libs do use the data, they run the risk of embarrasment. This is only interesting reading.

 

Gallup has not released how they sampled the population. For example, were the questions weighted by major cities? Were they weighted by senetorial or congressional districts? This is an extremely important point.

 

If the survey was an internet click poll, its is worthless in terms of truth becasue we all know here those can be easily manipulated.

 

How did they screen respondents? Gallup does not say.

 

Unless Gallup divulges how they addressed responce bias (fibbing) in the question set, the data is not reliable enough to claim accuracy.

 

It is interesting reading only. While Gallup is usually a respected entity, free data is only worth what you pay for it.

 

One more thought, if only 4% think gun control is important, then we are talking about a low number of people. A population of 400 million likely has 200 million adults, and that means about 8 million people care. I would love to see the underlying demographics IF the study had enough respondents to be representative of the broader population.

[Guest Texas Jack Black]

Quite true

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

I try to use what I know from personal experience which, quite frankly, is very little when it comes to social or political science when looking at theses issues. I have made an effort to stay out of here and in the saloon. I have put my foot in my mouth enough.

But here is what I do know.........

I have never been polled nor do I know anyone ever polled by Gallup or any other polling agent ( aside from the voluntary online polls). I don't put much stock in any poll by any group whether it is the NRA, Green Peace, Gallup or CNN....anyone.

Think about it. Have you or anyone ever been polled by these so called authorities on public opinion? And if you do know people, do those numbers of people fairly represent what you consider to be the general population?

I hear the "majority of people this and majority of people that" and call bull shit on all of them. Hey, I may be wrong, I just have nothing to substantiate someone else's data. At best I suspect any poll or survey to be skewed, particularly if done by any interest group.

I am a rural American and I think rural America is never fully reflected in these polls.

I do think Yankee and big city politics is dominating the rest of us as it always has and its all ultimately about money and control. Nothing more and nothing less.

But back to the subject, I don't trust polls simply because I have never been polled and know of no one ever polled on these "big" issues. I believe these polls are sampled based on demographics (race, income, etc) and does not consider values and how people live their lives. If polls make it past the suburbs, I am unaware of it. The lifestyle of the burbs is not the lifestyle of the dirt road. Though principally suburbanites may hold to similar values, I think suburban lifestyle lets grey areas into one's reasoning. Country folk tend to think in more black and white.

[Dubious Don #56333]

One of the great scams of the 21st century. Polls generate answers depending on what and HOW the question is asked. I think its ridiculous the level our politicos will go to 'prove' their point, even resorting to outright lying. Polls lie and so do politicians. We can poll too.....

[Badlands Beady]

My wife took a statistics course and, apparently, 0.1% of a population (that's 1/10 of 1%) is considered a valid sample.

 

OTOH, Here in Vermont there is a more-or-less valid poll that recurrs every two years. One of the state legislators (I forget who) puts questionnaires at all the polling places with various current issues listed (the number and size of windfarms, etc). He then tallies and publishes the results. It's not "scientific," but he apparently gets between a 30% and 40% response from all those voting.

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

My wife took a statistics course and, apparently, 0.1% of a population (that's 1/10 of 1%) is considered a valid sample.

 

OTOH, Here in Vermont there is a more-or-less valid poll that recurrs every two years. One of the state legislators (I forget who) puts questionnaires at all the polling places with various current issues listed (the number and size of windfarms, etc). He then tallies and publishes the results. It's not "scientific," but he apparently gets between a 30% and 40% response from all those voting.

 

Yup, the numbers can be low .... BUT .... the "sample pool of people" must be fenced off very clearly. That is where most of these studies that lie can be undone.

[Jimmy Reb, SASS #54804]

The only time I was ever polled was on a differnt topic. The pollster spent most of his time trying to get me to change my position. So what good are polls?