Political officials, in power or out of power, promise what pleases the people. Their advisors add more spin. The media still more. In office they turn away from the people and quietly pay off financial backers big time. When mainstream media catch up with this, call it lying or corruption, they give it a quiet burial. Few learn what occurred until long after the fact.
The media can pronounce a candidate "unelectable". Not wanting to throw away their vote, many turn away. But, wait a minute! Regardless what the media says, if enough voters decide to go for a candidate, then he or she is the one elected. Now if the people knew that many others besides themselves were leaning to the candidate, they could bypass the media and get the candidate they like elected. But if good polling is not quick, available and understandable to the public, then the candidate elected is the media's candidate, not the people's choice.
Once you know a little about how the system works, and how to tell a good poll from a bad poll, spotting the spin in polls, in political punditry and in media can be fun.
The media can pronounce a candidate "unelectable". Not wanting to throw away their vote, many turn away. But, wait a minute! Regardless what the media says, if enough voters decide to go for a candidate, then he or she is the one elected. Now if the people knew that many others besides themselves were leaning to the candidate, they could bypass the media and get the candidate they like elected. But if good polling is not quick, available and understandable to the public, then the candidate elected is the media's candidate, not the people's choice.
Once you know a little about how the system works, and how to tell a good poll from a bad poll, spotting the spin in polls, in political punditry and in media can be fun.
