Last night I got a phone call from somebody associated with Princeton Research, who wanted to ask me a series of questions for a survey conducted by The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. (http://people-press.org/). It was an object lesson in how polling tends to shave off the left wing of the political spectrum--much more so than the extreme rightwing.
At least four times during the interview, I became exasperated and told the very professional poller that the questions did not take my viewpoint into account. She asked, for example, whether I agreed or disagreed with the following: 1. The killing of Zarqawi will help bring victory in the war on terrorism or make it more difficult. 2. Immigrants should be able to fulfill requirements that will eventually allow them to gain citizenship or be sent back to their country of origin. 3. The US should stay the course in Iraq or agree to a timetable for withdrawal. 4. A Democratic or Republican majority in Congress will bring the country closer to your goals. etc., etc. -- www.marxmail.org
