This is a silly poll

[MARALE]

What is it supposed to be saying?

http://poll.excite.com/poll/home.jsp?cat_id=1

[pagerbear]

1. "We're sorry. You must be an Excite member...."

[LeahMira]

3. You can still see the question...

...and it's asking if you support a program that will help to keep "dirty bombs" out of the hands of terrorists. Most folks support the program and, I guess, spending another few billion to implement it.

IMO, those billions would be better spent keeping the dirt out of our air. I happen to breathe every minute of every day. I doubt terrorists are going to do their "dirty bomb" thing quite that often. Odds are that pollution will get me before a "dirty bomb" will.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

2. I'm not sure..

...but if Abraham is behind it, I oppose it. He was a horrible senator and even worse cabinet member.

[whistle]

4. Today's poll results are summarized at the bottom...

...also note the dis-qualifier phrase at the end. Classic push poll that states a position and interpretation (regardless if it is true or not), than asks the question, "Do you support or oppose this plan?".

Stated in this way, nobody in their right mind would oppose such a plan, unless they objected to the cost or just didn't like the person suggesting the plan, or maybe felt that minimizing the threat rather than eliminating the threat just doesn't go far enough, or just hated motherhood and American apple pie. These kinds of polls, as you suggest are meaningless, but of course are used to defend a particular special interest position. I would want to know a lot more about the details of such a plan before giving my opinion on it. Then I would only respond if it were one of the reputable National polling companies.

Maybe the plan is a boondoggle, or gets money for a completely different purpose than what is stated. Ask yourself, why so many Americans believed and still believe that Saddam and Iraq had some direct involvement in the 9-11 bombings. I typically do not sign up for such polls that are so blatantly one sided. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we need lots of education against such propaganda.

<snip>
Thu, May 27, 2004 Discuss today's poll

Today's Poll • Instant Results • More Polls
Yesterday, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham introduced the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, aimed at minimizing the global threat of "dirty bombs" by keeping nuclear materials out of terrorist hands. The $450 million plan would remove and secure high-risk nuclear materials around the world. (AP)
Do you support or oppose this plan?


Support 77% => 4520 votes

Oppose 8% => 501 votes

I'm not sure 11% => 670 votes

I don't care 2% => 125 votes
Current number of voters: 5816

© *The Excite Poll is provided by Rosner Interactive Services. It is a voluntary poll for our users, and is not scientifically projectable to any other population. We present these polls to give Excite users an opportunity to share their opinions on particular topics. Individual answers are not collected.

[EstimatedProphet]

5. Not a whole lot of info there

The question is written so that it reads in effect-do you think it should be harder for people to get nuclear material. That's like campaigning for milk. Who would disagree? There's no real info on the issue itself.