Sunday, November 23, 2008

Polls Can't Lie

The other day Haaretz published the results of a public opinion poll (not online, can't link to it). As usual in such cases, one of the many questions is "who did you vote for last time?" which the pollsters then use to seek trends. In this poll, however, the response was probably the most interesting item in the whole poll. According to how people say they voted last time, Likud won 25 seats in the Knesset, rather than the 12 who were really elected (and even that 12th was only by a margin of 160 votes).

Talk about re-writing history.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

FROM CAROL HERMAN

It's also hard to herd cats.

What's going to happen in February?

I read one article that said there are 60 seats that will be split, between Likud, Kadima, and Labor. That's just a reality. And, between them the CENTER will probably be found. To govern.

Does Bibi have an advantage? You know, I know longer see it.

Does Livni have an advantage? And, guess what! I am more convinced each day, that she does! And, I started off feeling she'd surely be dumped into 3rd place.

Labor? Probably the weakest of the 3.

The Pensioners? They'll be gone. And, since Lapid is dead, there's no resurrecting Shinui.

Also, a Jew must return to Israel to vote! Will traffic coming in pick up? (It's sure more expensive to travel in to vote, than to send in an absentee ballot.) But countries have different rules.

What's most interesting is that it's EASY to diagnose what's wrong. Alas, just like in medicine, when your condition is EASY to diagnose things have gotten so bad your illness could be fatal.

How will the state deal with the violent mishuganas on the right? I have no idea.

Just as I have no idea if the State has the stomach and the will powers, to deal with the Jewish mafia. How does a disease like this take hold? Are there citizens of Israel out there who think the mafia is romantic?

Of course, the best went out when SHaron stroked. He had been aiming to create a "chance" making Israel more responsive to the People; by changing the voting mechanisms. But given who owns ballot boxes in their apartments, covered with prayer shawls, it becomes harder to expunge these tumors.

And, Arik SHaron is now a vegetable. There's no way anyone can go back.

Of course, after the February elections, finally Bibi will have to beginning singing a new tune. Why? He won't want to be in the opposition.

Be funny if Livni collects good cards on election day. If so? Ehud Barak goes back to the toilet. Who'd trust him with a portfolio of any sort?

No, I don't think that Meretz beats Labor. But then who can call anything before the main event?

Polls are just foolish ways where they are taken to waste paper. And, make "stories." If they worked? You'd be able to hire gypsies to read outcomes in Tarot cards.