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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neeka who wrote (205640)	11/29/2001 5:04:38 PM
From: Thomas A Watson	Respond to of 769670

I wonder about informed opinion. What is the most important thing. The opinion of all or the opinion of the most informed. I speak not legally but intellectually. One can argue an online poll is self selecting. One can also argue that those with the power of the internet can read, write and have access to more information than one can read in a lifetime. They are informed. I think much more. I would expect those who vote online represent a broad cross section of folks. The mix would correspond to education and money ratios by race etc. But whomever is online has access to a true cross section of opinions and thousands of news links. I use the numbers because they are real and all can decide who and what they represent. The question asked and voted on can be read. Is the question skewed, all can decide. But if you see anything over 80, it's does represent the majority of all Americans. I also believe that over time if not already, an accurate understanding of translating the online vote to popular opinion will be worked out. I find vote.com is an interesting place to find out what those online think by some numbers. The numbers are. A different demographic would give different numbers. I have my own complex set of beliefs that define what I consider to be American, both good and bad. I find that most of the time I can guess the percentages (within 20% absolute) based upon how I contrast my beliefs with those of other Americans. I do, hmmmmm 9?% of the time vote with the majority. I see a good and optimistic group of folks with a lot of common sense. I guess that is a self selected opinion. tom watson tosiwmee