Political Polls and Shopping Baskets

First of all, I just can't get all excited over the nitty-gritty of the results of political polls. "Representative samples," are just that, random selection of people willing to answer some asinine and annoying questions.

Of the more recent phone calls I've received to participate in polls, I've been annoyed by the poor diction of those making the calls. Clear and proper enunciation has followed correct grammar into the realm of "child abuse." For the past fifty years or so, parents and pre-school teachers have been reprimanded for correcting children's speech. Now, not even teachers pronounce all letters clearly. Where's Professor Higgins?

There's a growing trend to answer these polls "creatively." That means that not everyone is totally honest when responding. It's considered a joke, which the young trendies in Tel Aviv took a step further in the last Israeli Elections when they voted for the Retiree Party as a lark.

IMRA reported about some of the contradictions in recent polls:

1. 4 polls Likud 25-31 Kadima 22-31, Israelis oppose negotiating Jerusalem 55%:36%
2. Correction 3 polls Likud 25-31 Kadima 22-31, Israelis oppose negotiating Jerusalem 55%:36%

It reminds me of how obsessive-compulsive some become trying to find the best prices for various items in the discount supermarkets. Chasing and calculating, item and item can end up costing more, certainly in time and transportation costs. The most efficient way to save is to calculate the cost of the entire shopping list and compare that store to store. Choose one store, which has a lower total cost, plus good service and fast check-out, and that's how you really save.

And with these political polls, just look at the very "big picture," the trends and the blocks, and don't forget that it's just "guess-work." Also, all pollsters know that you can control results by the wording and ordering of your questions. I highly doubt that all of the pollsters use totally identical wording of their questions.

Getting back to my relating the polls to the discount stores. It doesn't matter how great the bargain when the products are so awful. Yes, I am not happy with any of the political parties. None of them in the running are promoting what's important to me:

Eretz Yisrael for Am Yisrael

The Land of Israel for The Jewish People

Destroy Arab Terrorism

No Establishing Another Arab State--

No Establishing An Arab Terror State in

The Land of Israel!