Americans want terrorists caught: new poll

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January 10, 2006
Americans Want Terrorists Caught

An ABC News/Washington Post poll released today has interesting information about Americans' attitudes toward civil liberties and fighting terrorism.

The poll, first of all, was demographically balanced, with 31% Democrats and 30% Republicans, so the results shouldn't be skewed. The Post's article on the poll makes the results seem more even-handed than they really are. Here are the key data:

6. What do you think is more important right now - (for the federal government to investigate possible terrorist threats, even if that intrudes on personal privacy); or (for the federal government not to intrude on personal privacy, even if that limits its ability to investigate possible terrorist threats)?

Investigate threats: 65%
Respect privacy: 32%
No opinion: 3%

7. In investigating terrorism, do you think federal agencies are or are not intruding on some Americans' privacy rights?

Are: 64%
Are not: 32%
No opinion: 4%

8. (IF FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE INTRUDING, Q7) Do you think those intrusions are justified or not justified?

Justified: 49%
Not justified: 46%
No opinion: 5%

Unfortunately, we have no definition of what constitutes "intruding on some Americans' privacy rights." But, using whatever definition respondents assume, two-thirds of Americans believe that no "unjustified" intrusions are taking place.

These questions and answers strike me as more meaningful than the one that specifically addresses the current NSA "spying" controversy, where the numbers basically follow a partisan breakdown: 51% consider "this wiretapping of telephone calls and e-mails without court approval" acceptable, while 47% call it unacceptable.

One more thing: by a 53% to 27% margin, respondents say that Judge Sam Alito should be confirmed. Interestingly, that is almost exactly the same margin that favored confirmation of John Roberts and Clarence Thomas.

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all of which proves the fact that the average person is at best of average intelligence and the brighter people are in the minority. That is why "the people" have always been so easy to manipulate and lead.

So it has always been.

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blueveinedthrobber wrote:

all of which proves the fact that the average person is at best of average intelligence and the brighter people are in the minority. That is why "the people" have always been so easy to manipulate and lead.

So it has always been.

Well which side do you fall? :wink:

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oh woiyo I'm a Geeenyus. I thought everyone knew that.

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A person is smart. People are stupid as hell.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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Well, then, everyone knows that polls are gospel....

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"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."[/i]

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Right wingers have claimed that this quote is specious--after all, it makes them look pretty bad. Snopes confirms this quote.

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blueveinedthrobber wrote:

all of which proves the fact that the average person is at best of average intelligence and the brighter people are in the minority.

Average people are, by definition, of average intelligence. That's what it means to be "average."

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joefromchicago wrote:

blueveinedthrobber wrote:
all of which proves the fact that the average person is at best of average intelligence and the brighter people are in the minority.

Average people are, by definition, of average intelligence. That's what it means to be "average."

Joe welcome to the Geeeenyus club. Very Happy

Your Fez and secret decoder will arrive within five business days. Meanwhile, come have a toddy and I'll show you the secret handshake.

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blueveinedthrobber wrote:

Joe welcome to the Geeeenyus club. Your Fez and secret decoder will arrive within five business days. Meanwhile, come have a toddy and I'll show you the secret handshake.

I already own a fez but I would like the ring. As for the handshake, I'm not so sure: I don't know where your hand has been.

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A fair concern....

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Setanta wrote:

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."[/i]

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Right wingers have claimed that this quote is specious--after all, it makes them look pretty bad. Snopes confirms this quote.

The only ones who are made to look bad by this quote are, of course, Goering himself and those cynics who believe it to be true. Those same cynics include many a Left winger who while, perhaps, may not try to employ Goring's formula to lead the people to war, never-the-less have so little respect for the people as to believe the formula works.

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Finn d'Abuzz wrote:

Those same cynics include many a Left winger who while, perhaps, may not try to employ Goring's formula to lead the people to war, never-the-less have so little respect for the people as to believe the formula works.

We are now living thru a shining example that shows how well it works. Works well for elections too, those same 59 odd million simple minded folk.

But that wouldn't include you, now would it, Finn?

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So the poll drew out the surprising result that people want terrorists to be caught, maybe they should poll as to whether or not the people would like a sunny day for tomorrow's forecast. Maybe we should poll the Bush Administration as to whether they intend to ever apprehend Osama or is he completely off the radar now that the more interesting, and more deeply techno, enterprise of listening in to millions of personal interactions has begun in earnest. Why bother with the actual perps when you can cast a wide net over the privacy rights of a nation?

Law? We don't need no stinking law! Warrants? We don't need no stinking warrants.

Once again, this administration has panicked and entered into shady, unlawful and morally bankrupt activities all in the name of upholding the very principles the activities erode. Bizarroworld on the end of a million wires.

Joe(Can you hear me now? (yeah.)
\Nation

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JTT wrote:

Finn d'Abuzz wrote:

Those same cynics include many a Left winger who while, perhaps, may not try to employ Goring's formula to lead the people to war, never-the-less have so little respect for the people as to believe the formula works.

We are now living thru a shining example that shows how well it works. Works well for elections too, those same 59 odd million simple minded folk.

But that wouldn't include you, now would it, Finn?

There is an admittedly perverse comfort in knowing that one's stalker has not lost his obsession with one, so welcome back JTT!

You have revealed yourself to be one of the cynics of which I have noted.

I am not, and whether or not I fit the bill of your notion of the great unwashed is immaterial.

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Finn d'Abuzz wrote:

There is an admittedly perverse comfort in knowing that one's stalker ...

Don't flatter yourself, Finn. It matters not one iota that your name happened to be attached to the nonsense. The nonsense was simply nonsense.

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JTT wrote:

Finn d'Abuzz wrote:

There is an admittedly perverse comfort in knowing that one's stalker ...

Don't flatter yourself, Finn. It matters not one iota that your name happened to be attached to the nonsense. The nonsense was simply nonsense.

What nonsense?

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blueveinedthrobber wrote:

all of which proves the fact that the average person is at best of average intelligence and the brighter people are in the minority. That is why "the people" have always been so easy to manipulate and lead.

So it has always been.

If intelligence was determined by ones own opinion, you might have had a chance at being correct once, but sorry, I think that indicates more arrogance than intelligence.

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Americans want terrorists caught: new poll

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