Grassroot Institute poll: more distortions

Over the the Grassroot Institute blog, they have cited my anecdote about talking to one man who had never heard of the Akaka bill, and say "Now we took a bit of criticism on this same blog for the methodology and analysis of our recent polls on the Akaka Bill but this story makes the point. Far too many people in Hawaii have no idea what the Akaka Bill is, what it says, or what it will do."

I don't disagree with that last sentence, but that was not the point they were making with their poll. (And my sample of one doesn't mean anything in that regard anyway.)

It's ironic, because my criticism of their poll analysis had to do with the very fact that they left out those who did not respond the question, those most likely to be uninformed about the bill.

For example, in the body of the national release announcing their second broader set of results, they say "67% of Hawaii residents responding to the question are against the Akaka bill." (My emphasis in italics, theirs underscored.)

This is actually a technically accurate, though still misleading, way to report the number, as those responding to this particular question.

But of course the headline of the release blairs out that: "Two Out of Every Three of Hawaii Residents Say 'NO!'”

No, that headline is a flat out lie. And Mr. Rowland has been on the radio, in letters to the editor, and wherever he can repeating this lie. And it has been picked up by several national media.

Two out of three people who responded to this particular question said no, but in fact about 22% didn't respond to the question at all.

When those who didn't respond to the question are included, only 52% were against the bill.

That does not represent two out of three residents!

(Note, this is based on the actual poll results, and doesn't take into account the skew that may have occurred from the questions themselves.)

Those 22% who didn't respond to the question are those most likely to "have no idea what the Akaka Bill is, what it says, or what it will do."

But when it was convenient to try to misrepresent the actual results of their poll to jack up the opposition numbers, the GRIH decided to just ignore them.

And please understand folks, I don't support the Akaka bill, so I'm not making this point to try to show greater support for the bill.

I'm just calling GRIH on their bullshit, which they seem to keep on shoveling. But now that we know they have read my critiques of their interpretation, we know they have no excuse to continue.

Except, of course, that this deception was plainly done knowingly and intentionally to begin with.

Posted: Sat - July 30, 2005 at 09:34 AM

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Grassroot Institute poll: more distortions

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