POLLS: The Glass Half Full

This has been plaguing my mind for quite some time; since the Healthcare Reform days, for example.

A poll will come out and show that a large percentage of those questioned feel unfavorably about a topic, in our example, healthcare reform. The pundits look, quickly, at the numbers and wax on about the results for days and weeks. But I looked at it this way: Yeah, a majority think the President should push for more, like the public mandate or a single-payer system.

The current NBC/Wall Street Times poll tells us that 76% say our country is "on the wrong track" and the pundits would have us believe that this is a disparaging of the President. I disagree. I'd probably answer "NO" to that one and we all know for whom I will vote. POTUS is not the "sole engineer" of our national railroad, and I think--just like with healthcare--that a good number of those responses are meant to show disapproval of The Congress in general and the obstructive Republicans specifically. Same goes for the numbers of those who do not favor the trajectory--not that there is one--of our economy. The American people are savvy enough to see the obvious: Divided government is great but a stagnant, inactive government is dangerous.

I'm certainly cockeyed, and most likely an optimist, but that's the way I choose to read the polls. Martin Basheer is asking Gene Robinson that question RIGHT NOW on the TV. Martin finds the polls of wrong track, yet still supporting Obama, to be contradictory.

Mr. Basheer, I refer you to this blog post. Free refills, today only! Drink up.