Survey
Last week, I got a piece of mail that both confounded me and amused me to the nth degree.
Not only did I get mail from the Republican National Committee, but they were asking me to take a survey on behalf of Republicans in my district.
I couldn’t help but giggle. This true-to-the-core Democrat was being asked to respond to a survey that “will represent literally thousands of Republicans in [my] Congressional District.” Color me giddy.
To be fair to all my conservative-leaning friends, I answered honestly. The first question asked what kind of Republican I consider myself. I answered Other and wrote in Democrat. So, it’s up to the RNC whether to bother reading the rest of my responses or not. But hey, they asked and I answered.
Now, I’m not trained in the psychology of surveys, but one thing I can see a mile away is when questions are leading. And believe me when I tell you, this survey was loaded with leading questions. I guess these politically leading questions get people fired up and that’s what political parties are supposed to do when rallying their base. But, I’m also pretty sure that surveys with leading questions are biased and don’t gather the most truthful and honest answers. In fact, I’m pretty sure they gather answers to support a pre-determined stance the party has already taken.
For example, here’s one of the leading questions:
Do you think the record trillion dollar federal deficit the Democrats are creating with their out-of-control spending is going to have disastrous consequences for our nation?
Why is this question leading? Well, it’s putting the onus of our entire deficit on the Democrats, when that’s just not true. Have decisions made by a Democratic Congress contributed to our deficit? Sure. But, how about we address the billions of dollars the Bush administration and his Republican government racked up going to war. Or how about cleaning up the financial crisis, a national crisis whose stage was set during a Republican administration. Just saying that the Republican party cannot wipe its hands clean of our financial situation. They are also to blame. And yet, this question doesn’t even hint at a shared responsibility.
I also love how the questionnaire asked a whole string of questions regarding the Democratic party and how they’re growing government and how intrusive it is into our lives. And then the survey goes on to ask whether I support a ban on abortions, support a prohibition on same sex marriage and would like to see the introduction of government-sponsored faith based initiatives. Seems to me the Republican party is pretty good at sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong and yet screaming for Democrats to get out out of their business. Two-faced much?
Anyway, I responded to the survey. I honestly answered every question (minus the commentary I included in this post). I signed my name at the end stating I had answered truthfully. And I sent it back to the Republican National Committee in Washington DC. It’ll be interesting to see whether I’m now a target for cruel Republican attention or whether they write me off for good. Time will tell.
My question to you is this: if a political party to which you are not affiliated sent you a survey under the pretense you support said political party, would you fill it out or would you immediately discard it?
May 11th, 2010 at 7:39 am
I think I got that exact survey a few months ago! I also laughed at the wording of the questions. LOL. At the end of the survey when they mentioned all the social issues (abortion, prayer in school, gay marriage) I wrote in that I want more government invest more funds on stem cell research -- so I am probably going to get kicked off the survey list now too.
I would have probably just thrown out the survey if I thought I received it as a mistake. But I do think you did the responsible thing.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:10 am
I probably would have filled it out honestly, as you did. Because it would pain me to call myself a republican, I would have wrote in I was a democrat too.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:14 am
It depends who ends it, if it is he RNC then they have more credibility that it came for a recognized and well established institution. In this case, I would be honest and answer.
If it comes from an organization that I have not heard about I will toss it.
Ironically, a few years ago I received something in the mail for the Bush re-election from his mother. The header was “Help my son get re-elected”.
That one I tossed.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:16 am
I have come to see both parties as the same, as if they were opposing teams in the NFL. Both believe in big government, just disagree at times on what to spend our money on. That said, I would probably toss the survey in the recycling bin, along with the census.
I would humbly suggest researching your favorite representative or senator from either party at fec.gov/disclosure. My state (NC) has possibly the two most opposed senators in the country, yet their list of donors is remarkably similar. Hmm.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Ha! I just filled out the DNC survey *literally* minutes ago. It was sort of boring. No where near as interesting as the RNC one it sounds like. Mostly ranking the importance of issues (Education vs. Terrorism vs. Iran vs. Unemployment etc) and evaluating the old Prez’s performance.
I WOULD fill out the survey, but do it honestly like you did it. Of course, I say I would do it, but the realty is that I would want to, it would go in a pile somewhere, and I wouldn’t find it until after the deadline. Bad Social Scientist Rebecca!
May 11th, 2010 at 8:47 am
If I received a survery from the DNC, I would toss it (I’m a Republican). Mostly because I kind of hate filling out surveys…
May 11th, 2010 at 8:57 am
I don’t think I’d fill it out. Only because I don’t have faith they’d rea where I inform them I’m not a member of their party and include my answers and, more importantly, start sending me even more mail like “oh hey, she answered our survey, she must want more mail from us.” I guess the cynical side of me thinks it’d go to some processing center and put me on a mailing list. That’s how i see any survey--political or otherwise.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:59 am
I’d probably ditch it…why would they want my feedback if I’m not of their party?
In random news, I received an invitation to a wealth planning seminar for “high and ultra high net worth individuals”. I am so incredibly far from a high net worth person that it’s not even funny. Seems to me lots of people are getting their audiences wrong these days!
May 11th, 2010 at 9:03 am
I know my dad got one a few weeks ago. We had a good laugh/groan over the leading questions as well. I don’t think he filled out since he figured they wouldn’t read it and/or come to our house and attack us for being as liberal as we are. It was a good read though.
With that said, I do often fill out surveys if they are sent to me whether it be work or school related, regardless of how I feel about the subject matter.
May 11th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I can respect a Republicans point of view as long as they respect mine. It’s garbage like that survey that fuels hate and judgement. It’s sad, really. I’m glad you filled it out and were honest.
May 11th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Easy: fill it out! They may or may not read it but hey ,they sent it, so I’m going to give them an educated piece of my mind. :D
May 11th, 2010 at 9:38 am
throw it out. all of them (and we have, um, 4.) I wouldn’t call myself affliated with any party (except conservatives, ew, no, thank you); if, come election time, what they’re touting makes more sense than the other guys, I’ll consider the options carefully & make my decision then.
May 11th, 2010 at 9:40 am
I got that survey, too (the MD version)! I started to fill it out with my “witty” answers, until I realized at the end they were requiring money to support their cause. I figured it wasn’t worth it to send it in without a donation, as they’d probably hound me for the missing money.
May 11th, 2010 at 10:01 am
I honestly wouldn’t have taken the time to fill it out, but hadn’t really thought about it before. i likely wouldn’t have because i wouldn’t have wanted them attacking me for money each year.
May 11th, 2010 at 10:11 am
we got this too! cept we ARE republicans but i told hubs i didn’t wanna fill it out and i was throwing it away. he said he’d do it. go figure.
May 11th, 2010 at 10:12 am
hmm! i don’t think i’d fill it out. but i’d probably read it over and laugh at those leading questions.
May 11th, 2010 at 10:51 am
I would have filled out the RNC form truthfully- and probably would have written my opinion in the margins of the leading questions. :-) I recently filled out the DNC form and made sure that they knew exactly what I thought!
May 11th, 2010 at 11:14 am
I’m not sure I’d take the time to actually fill it out and send it back. I wish we could know what they do with surveys from respondents who are non-Republican. My guess is they toss them, or maybe count them in some meaningless way, but I can’t know for sure. :)
May 11th, 2010 at 11:48 am
I admire your honesty and your effort in filling out the survey -- if I were in your situation, laziness would likely win out.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
That question is definitionally leading. I am a trained, government-certified interviewer and if I ever asked a question like that during a research interview we would have to throw out the response and possibly the entire interview. Gross.
I would probably have filled it out too. Once I got a color 8x10 portrait of GW Bush from the RNC asking for a donation and saying when I sent it to use my own stamp even though the envelope was postage-paid to save them the money. So, I hung the portrait on the wall next to my photos of Rosie O’Donnell and Sally Ride, packed up all the heavy photo-protective stuff they had sent in their envelope, and mailed it back without adding postage.
May 11th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
J and I were talking the other day about how this country has really outgrown a simple black and white two-party system. There is no way I can call myself either a Republican or a Democrat. And I don’t really count the third-party guys as they’re pretty much non-existent until it comes to legalizing drugs come election time(shows how much I know..). There is no way I would send a survey like that back to the government, simple because, like everyone else seems to be saying, I don’t want to continue being hounded for money or support in something I have my own beliefs about. It absolutely sickens me that both leading parties think it’s okay to sit around and point fingers for problems that have been going on since the first bad, short-term decisions were made however many (decades) years ago. Why do we need to blame everyone else? We should all be joining together to solve the issues, not wasting time running in circles chasing tails.
May 11th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
i’d toss it just because i’d be terrified to accidentally become a permanent member of the RNC mailing list :-)
May 11th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I think my head caught fire when I was reading this. Prohibition on same-sex marriage? WTF. Um and didn’t we have a surplus when Bush came into office?
I did however, laugh out loud when I read this, “I answered Other and wrote in Democrat.”
I registered as a Republican at the tender ate of 18 -- and stayed that way until recently, despite the fact that I’ve voted for democrats in the last 3 elections. Sadly, the party never sent me a survey because I would have LOVED to fill it out -- although I don’t think I would have been as diplomatic as you were.
May 11th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
considering that i’m confused about my own political views i probably wouldn’t do anything with it.
but i’m glad you did send it back, i mean you were honest!
May 11th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I have gotten them in years past and have filled them out. Like you said the asked so I told.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Honestly, I would read through it and likely discard it. If I’m not a supporter, I wouldn’t waste the time, but I would definitely have a laugh and if the questions were interesting or ridiculous enough, I might fill it out :)
May 11th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
I think filling it out is a great thing, if only to raise a few eyebrows back at HQ =)
We only really get fake surveys here -- the check one yes or no box, I’m really junk mail kind, but when I get contacted for real surveys I always do them. I’m too much of a politics and statistics nerd not to!
May 11th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Ha! I love it! I’d totally fill it out with some *key* answers….and of course write about it because stuff like that is endlessly amusing. :)
May 12th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
I love the Republican hypocrisy moaning and whining about Obama’s spending when they had no problem when Bush ran up the deficit. Have very short memories ;-)
May 12th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
I totally admire you for even taking the time to fill that out. I’d have seen Republican anything, noted it wasn’t for me, tossed it and moved on. Those questions are leading, not simply in putting the responsibly solely on the Democrats, but saying things like “record” and “disastrous” -- they’re playing on emotion as much as they are playing on blame games. Kudos to you for answering honestly!
May 14th, 2010 at 11:44 am
It depends on the survey. Living in the heavy Republican state that I do, I get a few calls and surveys. I always answer honestly and will even offer commentary if asked for it. It’s always fun to hear their response when ask why I’m not a registered republican. Some chuckle and others simply just move on to the next question.
May 19th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
This post reminded me that I need to do a post soon on how different Canadian politics are from the U.S.!!
I don’t fill out survey ANYTHING that comes in my mail, I hate surveys. I also tell them I’m busy when they call me!