A Bold New Vision - Polling & Politics - Canadian

[sweetwater]

In a representative democracy, the poll and it's method of research represents theoretically, the will of the people and the basis for representation of leaders in the political arena. The poll itself represents the empirical data of a prevailing sentiment and the dominant thought of a group of people.
The poll, according to its enthusiasts, reflect the changing perspective of a nation and culture, in the questions asked and the answers received, and exists as the basis for most of the news stories of popular media.
EKOS, a public opinion research company, are quoted as saying we live in a rapidly changing world, where it is necessary to constantly rethink prevailing wisdom and sentiment. And the data they collect, represents “an impressive range of experience in all types of social research, and a solid grounding in the real world application of research results … acquiring a sophisticated knowledge of nearly every conceivable issue.”
Though some of its research results meet with a prevailing sentiment of contradiction and paradox, some of the recent polling reflects the topical issues of the day, and reflect the values of a people and culture, as items of noteworthy interest and conversation. Or, what we should be thinking about and how we are supposed to feel.
Accordingly, the polling of EKOS and its recent study deals with the political event and the perceptions of the people they poll. Some of it findings make for dry conversations and dry news stories, though we find it appealing enough to talk about and a question as to whether a polling should be done as to whether 'polling' itself makes much of a difference when it comes to how we perceive ourselves.

Nonetheless, the recent study suggests these items as topical and of interest:

Political parties routinely exploit and manipulate the emotions in order to promote and advance their cause and interest, suggesting further, that federal politics is too emotional, with a preference for political leaders who connect with reason and intelligence rather than the emotions, though the polling suggests a paradox when the study shows that patriotism and pride are overwhelmingly positive motivations and a good thing, particularly during the Olympics.
The study also shows that the 'government's response to governing', is perceived as a careful approach while the majority of those polled would prefer a bold new vision.
It also reveals a response in thinking that Michael Ignatieff is smarter than Stephen Harper though they would rather have a beer with Jack Layton than with the Michael or Stephen, while the weak Tories maintain a weak lead over the weak Liberals.
The polling also supports decriminalization of minor pot possession with an opposition to the death penalty and support for 'pro choice' on the issue of abortion.
And the recent study suggests a 49 percent opposition to the mission in Afghanistan, where the latest numbers are in support of a trend in declining support.

As to what to make of this information and how it translates in support of votes for an upcoming federal election is anybody's guess. One suggestion, is that the recent survey reveals a drifting away from neo-conservative values or that the polls being conducted themselves are selectively removed from the assurances of neo-conservatism, though demographically the conservatives are more rooted in the western provinces than they are in the east, where it is just as likely to say that the values of neo-liberalism seems more apparent in the east where the NDP have a more courageous following.

One could argue that the present drifting to the left maybe be split between three parties, which might induce yet another minority government, whether it be of the NDP, the Liberals or the Conservatives, and will depend on just how the 'splitting of sentiment' translates in an election.

The last area of interest in the polling has to do with the emotions, and how the emotion of courage is selectively sought after, more than hope and optimism, where hope and optimism relate last to other emotional considerations such as empathy and compassion, with jealousy being the least attractive in emotional traits.

Some of the conclusions of EKOS itself, suggest "a preference for a more rational politics, more rooted in the relative urgency of more reason vs. more emotion", but as to whether the next election will have the emotional characteristic of courage to relate a bold new vision, will be up to the voters to decide.

[stilltrucking]

I read it with great interest and longing to be a Canadain..

sincerely
jt.

Those people who design the poll questions practice a subtle art.