The Tyranny of Polling

Charlie Harper: “Somewhere along the way, media outlets decided that public opinion polls were the best tools to explain public policy questions in their 90 second news packages and 14 paragraph print stories. Over time, telling the public what others support or oppose has been prioritized as a shortcut over detailed analysis with pros and cons of proposals.”

“These polls are often used to pigeon hole elected officials into support of popular proposals instead of good policy. Too many reporters load up with righteous indignation before asking, ‘77 percent of voters support getting something for themselves and having someone else pay for it. Why are you out of step with your voters?’”