Push Polling: Another Way To Wage Negative Campaigns
We are all bombarded with calls during an election year from myriad representatives of candidates. For the most part, there is some disclosure of whom the caller is representing. A push poller is someone who interactively markets by calling voters during political campaigning. Push Polling isn’t illegal, except in New Hampshire, which require a disclosure of which candidate they represent. Mainly it is used to plant negative ideas in voters’ heads. Bush 43 used it to discredit McCain in the 2000 primaries. True, Democrats use this as well, once causing Senator Ayotte to file a suit against Mountain West in 2010, where they paid a $20,000 fine for non-disclosure.
The individual or organization attempts to influence or alter the view of voters under the guise of conducting a poll as a non-partisan polling company. ‘Push polls’ require first fooling the listener into believing the poll is legitimate and once the listener is hooked, the pollster asks loaded questions designed to spread rumors and falsehoods about the opponent.’ I was actually on the receiving end of one of their polling calls from the Mountain West Research Polling group who used these tactics rather well.
Innocuously, it began with rate your level of support questions for Patricia Farley (R) (always named first) or Marilyn Dondero Loop (D). The pollster, who did identify himself as a Mountain West Research Independent, (after I had to ask several times), soldiered on as I allowed this twenty-three minute call to continue. I was not interested in the District 8 state senate race until the caller phrased a few questions like:
You know that Obamacare is bankrupting Nevada. How important is repealing the ACA to you? (10 for most, 1 for least).
The “Margin Tax” (a tax designed to fund education by business netting over $1,000,000 annually) will force companies to pay job-killing taxes that will cause lay offs. Do you oppose this tax that will fund education on the backs of Nevada’s job-creators?
I said, ‘you sure are asking questions in a manner I find both misleading and offensive. I don’t recall the specific wording, but this next one knocked me over. ‘Do you fear your Second Amendment Rights are threatened?’ (10-very important down to 1-not at all important), and I replied, ‘whoa, this is nuts. Guns have no rights. People do. Please don’t insult my intelligence.’ The call was finally over after a few standard pleasantries.
The only statistic I needed to know about this newly intriguing race was each candidate’s NRA rating. Marilyn Dondero Loop has a 21 rating by the NRA while GOP candidate Farley is rated at 86. That’s all I needed to make my decision to support, wholeheartedly, my Democratic Candidate, DonderoLoopNV. I predict many more persistent NV-GOP push pollers ringing my house incessantly until November.
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: VegasJessie
A resident of Las Vegas Nevada, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma as a Political Science major. Very motivated to get people to participate in the electoral process.
22 responses to Push Polling: Another Way To Wage Negative Campaigns
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Obewon June 28th, 2014 at 16:42
Wherever population density rises to 800 per square mile Dems tend to win elections because the electorate is better educated and more accurately informed (As Vegas Jessie is:)That’s why errant GOP push-pollers can’t win IF they were honest e.g.
‘You know that $!.5 Trillion Deficit Reducing Obamacare is (Saving by reducing HC costs to their lowest 21st century levels, while paying 99% of Medicaid for every state HC exchange including) Nevada. How important is (Strengthening) the ACA to you? (10 for most, 1 for least).’
The (Wall Street Investment Bankers High Frequency Trader) “Margin Tax” (a tax designed to fund education by business netting over $1,000,000 annually) will force companies to pay (Job Creating) taxes (for the 40% of all TRADING activity they commit resulting in market manipulation of $01 K’s, SEP IRA’s, fleecing the ‘little’ investors globally!)
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 17:56
You had me at Laser Gun Armed Drones. I want one. You know for like flying around and doing target practice and revenge against my enemies and stuff.
Carla Akins June 28th, 2014 at 17:57
Would have been great for spying when the kids were teens.
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:58
I would opt for the hellfire missile for the Bundy Bunker vs. high altitude carpet bombing. It would be a lot less stressful for Cliven’s cows.
Mr. Bundy don’t take to letting his cows get stressed out.
Obewon June 28th, 2014 at 16:42
Wherever population density rises to 800 per square mile Dems tend to win elections because the electorate is better educated and more accurately informed, as VegasJessie proves:) That’s why errant GOP push-pollsters can’t win IF they were honest e.g.
‘You know that nonpartisan CBO proved $!.5 Trillion deficit reducing Obamacare is (saving by reducing HC costs to their lowest 21st century levels, while paying 99% of Medicaid for every state HC exchange including) Nevada. How important is (strengthening) the ACA to you? (10 for most, 1 for least).’
The (Wall Street Investment Bankers high frequency trader) “Margin Tax” (a tax designed to fund education by business netting over $1,000,000 annually) will force companies to pay (job creating) taxes (for the 40% of all trading activity they execute resulting in market manipulation of 401 K’s, SEP-IRA’s, fleecing the ‘little’ investors globally) that will (prevent) lay offs. Do you oppose this tax that will fund education (by helping) Nevada’s job-creators? Like this nifty Nevada Jobs creating ‘Welfare Ranch Buster Predator Drone C’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH2Zbo0KCxE
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 17:56
You had me at Laser Gun Armed Drones. I want one. You know for like flying around and doing target practice and revenge against my enemies and stuff.
Carla Akins June 28th, 2014 at 17:57
Would have been great for spying when the kids were teens.
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:58
I would opt for the hellfire missile for the Bundy Bunker vs. high altitude carpet bombing. It would be a lot less stressful for Cliven’s cows.
Mr. Bundy don’t take to letting his cows get stressed out.
M D Reese June 28th, 2014 at 17:17
We get bombarded with political and big business robocalls pretty much year round now. I never answer my phone unless I know the caller. I’m on the federal “do not call” list, but of course political and “charity” solicitations are excepted. I’d like to be able to opt out of ALL of them.
M D Reese June 28th, 2014 at 17:17
We get bombarded with political and big business robocalls pretty much year round now. I never answer my phone unless I know the caller. I’m on the federal “do not call” list, but of course political and “charity” solicitations are excepted. I’d like to be able to opt out of ALL of them.
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 18:04
The funny thing about push polling is how little the technology has moved forward since 2000. While every other part of politics has become more sophisticated in findings and sending messages to people already disposed to listen, push polling still relies on mass spam calling. What a waste of resourses.
It the campaign equivilent of those comments that pop up on sites like this one claiming the writer makes $1,200.00 a ay and always start with “I agree with Emily,” or something similar. It’s not only a scam it’s a laughingstock.
fancypants June 28th, 2014 at 18:50
Polls taken very seriously @ fox news
They are factual to what most people believe ! how dare you mock the system that has made them #1
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 18:55
Yes the intergrity of the station who had John Edwards on the to “speak” to the spirit of Terry Schivo is beyond question. I must have been out of my head when I wrote this.
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:47
notpotus Romney won by a landslide with their Poles. Too bad the rest of the nation was allowed to participate, may be the reason behind ‘ensuring’ “more fair voting” for GOPs?
fancypants June 30th, 2014 at 00:37
FN polls could have prevented this but our legal system keeps getting in the way.
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 18:04
The funny thing about push polling is how little the technology has moved forward since 2000. While every other part of politics has become more sophisticated in findings and sending messages to people already disposed to listen, push polling still relies on mass spam calling. What a waste of resourses.
It the campaign equivilent of those comments that pop up on sites like this one claiming the writer makes $1,200.00 a day and always start with “I agree with Emily,” or something similar. It’s not only a scam it’s a laughingstock.
fancypants June 28th, 2014 at 18:50
Polls are taken very seriously @ fox news
They are factual to what most people believe ! how dare you mock the system that has made them #1
Eric Trommater June 28th, 2014 at 18:55
Yes the intergrity of the station who had John Edwards on the to “speak” to the spirit of Terry Schivo is beyond question. I must have been out of my head when I wrote this.
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:47
notpotus Romney won by a landslide with their Poles. Too bad the rest of the nation was allowed to participate, may be the reason behind ‘ensuring’ “more fair voting” for GOPs?
fancypants June 30th, 2014 at 00:37
FN polls could have prevented this but our legal system keeps getting in the way.
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:44
a bit off base, but one of the ‘continuous you tube’ political ads against Senator Kay Hagan, (D) North Carolina is with a spiffy young gal saying “we studied really hard, took out loans, why is it harder than ever to start a business…call Kay Hagan, tell her to vote against wasteful spending”?
1. does it really matter how ‘hard’ you study? (or even work, as GW was fond of saying)
2. where did you ‘learn’ that taking out a loan makes starting a business a success from the get go?
3. Has anyone checked Kay Hagan’s voting record?
4. how much did you borrow to make the political ad? -vs. how much actually went into an unsuccessful start up?
granpa.usthai June 29th, 2014 at 02:44
a bit off base, but one of the ‘continuous you tube’ political ads against Senator Kay Hagan, (D) North Carolina is with a spiffy young gal saying “we studied really hard, took out loans, why is it harder than ever to start a business…call Kay Hagan, tell her to vote against wasteful spending”?
1. does it really matter how ‘hard’ you study? (or even work, as GW was fond of saying)
2. where did you ‘learn’ that taking out a loan makes starting a business a success from the get go?
3. Has anyone checked Kay Hagan’s voting record?
4. how much did you borrow to make the political ad? -vs. how much actually went into an unsuccessful start up?