Akaka bill opposition push-poll

Opponents of the Akaka bill (Grassroot Institute of Hawaii) have commissioned a "poll" that they claim shows "two out of three oppose Akaka bill."

In reading the survey transcript, it is immediately obvious to me that the questions were ordered and phrased in such a way to bias the outcome, and that this is actually a "push poll" designed to elicit certain responses, and actually to affect public opinion by embedding negatives in the poll itself (i.e. asking a "racial preference" question first, and then including a leading characterization of the Akaka bill in the question about it).

A quick google search revealed that FEC Research, the firm that conducted the poll, is known for doing this kind of push-polling (notably on anti-gay issues), and is not a reputable polling source. (It is part of an advertising firm - what does that tell you?)

Earlier this year Earl Arakaki criticized OHA's poll as being "biased toward the results desired" with questions that were "leading and misleading." William H. Burgess said it was "not an independent poll at all," but part of a PR campaign in support of the Akaka bill, with questions "designed in consultation with OHA" and a "deceptive 'explanation' used in the survey of what the bill would do." Despite my disagreement with them about their reasons and motivations for opposing the Akaka bill, I gave them credit at the time for their critique of OHA's polling techniques. Now it seems OHA's critics have gone and done exactly the same thing that they condemned. They may look at what OHA did and call their push-polling justified. I call it hypocrisy.

It would nice if someone would seek to actually try to objectively find out what people think about the issues, rather than constructing polls as PR tools to support their predetermined agendas and then pretending that they are objectively reporting public sentiment.

UPDATE: Well, I posted the above before the news was online for the day (or at least before I check it), and according to the Advertiser others have the same take that I do.

Rep. Case says, "You can get any result you want out of a poll depending upon how you ask the question."

Indeed. But why didn't you say that about OHA's poll which had a result you agreed with?

Donalyn Dela Cruz, spokeswoman for Akaka, said the wording of the question misrepresented the bill and played on people's fears. "But we find it unfortunate they continually misrepresent what this bill does."

Indeed. But why is misrepresenting what the bill does, playing on people's fears, and biased polling alright when done in support of the bill?

Hypocrites on both sides.

Meanwhile, the Star-Bulletin says the governor has been calling Republican senators to shore up support for the Akaka bill after a report critical of the bill was released by Sen. Kyl last month, but won't fly to Washington to lobby for it personally. The article mentioned again that the report said the bill "could lead to Hawaii leaving the union."

And in the Advertiser letters, Leina'ala Heine says: "For Native Hawaiians, the Akaka bill is about our very survival — culturally, linguistically, spiritually and physically. For the state, it's about the survival of Hawai'i's unique way of life, the sharing of aloha, and the preservation of the culture that drives one of the state's largest economic engines. "

UPDATE 2: Here's the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii release about the poll in the Hawaii Reporter. This poll does help challenge the claim by proponents of the bill that it has overwhelming support, but this poll does not establish that "two out of three residents of Hawaii are opposed to the Akaka bill." The truth probably lies somewhere in between, while the lies lie on the extremes.

UPDATE 7/7: In the Hawaii Reporter, Bruce Fein challenges Governor Lingle to a debate on the Akaka bill. That might be interesting; I doubt that two sources of misinformation would actually yield much truth, but they might at least cancel each other out.

And also in the Reporter, in light of the poll results Ken Conklin calls for a ballot vote on the Akaka bill, public hearings in Hawaii and a minimum sign-up before the bill could be implemented. And regardless of whether one may agree with anything else, Ken's point in the comments here is well taken that at least the GRIH poll methodology was open for public review so we could determine it was a push poll (which he doesn't really dispute), as opposed to OHA which revealed their poll methodology only when forced to by a freedom of info action.

Doug at Poinography also commented yesterday on the poll and the call for a ballot vote on the bill.

Posted: Wed - July 6, 2005 at 01:02 AM

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Akaka bill opposition push-poll

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