Poll Scamming

(I’m filling in for ST the next few days. You can read more of my work at my blog, Liberty Pundit.)

As you all are aware, the recent debate over S-CHIP is reaching a fevered pitch, with Democrats hell-bent on covering everyone, whether they need it or not, and the President saying “let’s take care of those who need it first.” You know, the poor that the Democrats are always talking about caring for.

Well, the left has been saying for the past few weeks that most Americans are on their side of the issue. But are they really? To me, it doesn’t appear to be the case.

Take the recent USA Today poll. People were given basic facts about the Democrat’s proposal, and what Bush has said he would support. The winner? Oh, yeah…it’s Dubya, hands down:

Slim majorities back two positions at the core of the President’s opposition to the expansion: 52% agree with Bush that most benefits should go to children in families earning less than 200% of the federal poverty level — about $41,000 for a family of four. Only 40% say benefits should go to such families earning up to $62,000, as the bill written by Democrats and some Republicans would allow. 55% are very or somewhat concerned that the program would create an incentive for families to drop private insurance.

And that’s precisely the problem we’ll face if this thing passes. People who are more than capable of buying their own insurance will say “hey, why should I pay for this myself when the government will pay it for me?” The one undeniable truth in life is that if you pay someone to not do something, by golly, they won’t do it. And that’s exactly what will happen here. Millions of people who have no business being on government-paid welfare (and that’s what this is) will all of a sudden become wards of the state.

One thing that everyone is overlooking, on both sides of the issue, is that the President is not calling for a cutback on this program, and people like the Frosts are not being harmed by his proposal one iota. Regardless of what happens, they will still be covered (unless, of course, no deal is reached and the program expires…but we all know that won’t happen).

Now, these poll numbers are being ignored by the media. In fact, some outlets have gone so far as to publish their own polls, and it’s clear to see just how bogus they are:

CBS News, however, generated the 81 percent favorable response by posing a vague question — about covering “some” uninsured children in the “middle class” — without citing the $62,000 income level which Gallup provided those they surveyed.

That’s how the left gets the poll results they want. They ask vague questions or questions designed to give them the answers they want to hear. And if that isn’t enough, they will slant the poll and ask more Democrats than Republicans. Whatever it takes to get their numbers.

Republicans worried that we’re going to take a beating over this issue need to put on their long pants and start fighting back. If we cave in on this, then we may as well surrender to the notion of President Hillary and the coming of Socialist America.

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