Some potential problems with public opinion polls is that it makes politicians more concerned with following than leading. It discourages bold leadership and might prevent an unpopular, but needed, change. Polls can also weaken democracy by distorting the election process. It encourages people to vote for a particular candidate merely because others are supporting and voting for that candidate. The exit poll has also been widely criticized because it discourages many people from voting, thus affecting the outcome of some state and local elections. Lastly, the most common criticism with opinion polls is that pollsters can obtain the results they desire just by altering the questions and wording them in a certain way. The questions could be unfair and biased, but they will receive the outcome they were searching for because of it (pages 197-198 of Edward's book).
I agree with Melissa about the potential problems with public opinion polls, and another potential problem with public opinion polls is that it might switch the already media centered world to focusing even more on the candidate themselves than on their platforms and goals they have for the presidency. A more candidate centered campaign can lead to the public being less and less informed on what the presidential candidate has planned, leading to the unfortunate outcome of an incapable president.
Some potential problems with public opinion polls is that it makes politicians more concerned with following than leading. It discourages bold leadership and might prevent an unpopular, but needed, change. Polls can also weaken democracy by distorting the election process. It encourages people to vote for a particular candidate merely because others are supporting and voting for that candidate. The exit poll has also been widely criticized because it discourages many people from voting, thus affecting the outcome of some state and local elections. Lastly, the most common criticism with opinion polls is that pollsters can obtain the results they desire just by altering the questions and wording them in a certain way. The questions could be unfair and biased, but they will receive the outcome they were searching for because of it (pages 197-198 of Edward's book).
ReplyDeleteI agree with Melissa about the potential problems with public opinion polls, and another potential problem with public opinion polls is that it might switch the already media centered world to focusing even more on the candidate themselves than on their platforms and goals they have for the presidency. A more candidate centered campaign can lead to the public being less and less informed on what the presidential candidate has planned, leading to the unfortunate outcome of an incapable president.
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