As FR contributor and public opinion pollster Adam Probolsky likes to say, a poll is only as good as what you ask, and to whom you ask it. So I was quite amused to see so much enthusiasm erupt from the liberal media and left-wing Democrats when the Public Policy Institute of California released their latest survey. The source of their glee?
One of the questions on the PPIC survey asks, "Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that the California legislature and the governor are working together in making public policy?"
The response to this question: 53% approve, 36% disapprove, and 18% don’t know.
Here is the problem — asking a ‘feel good’ question like this really doesn’t tell you much. It would be like asking, "Would you like prices to be lower to spend a day at Disneyland?"
Of course virtually all respondents would say yes. But what if the follow up question was, "Would you still want entrance prices lowered at Disneyland if you knew that many of your favorite rides and attractions would be closed? Or that food prices in the park would go up 100%? Or that park hours would need to be reduced?"
I’m sure that faced with the real consequences of lower entrance fees at Disneyland, poll respondents would probably prefer to keep the prices, and enjoy all of the amazing things that Disney has done with their flagship theme park.
Which brings me back to the PPIC survey. Because what wasn’t asked was the all important follow up question, "Would you still approve of the of the way that the California legislature and the governor are working together if we told you that, so far, their cooperation has lead to further regulation in California that will result in lost jobs, higher prices for consumers like you, and only made the state’s structural deficit even worse?"
Of course this question wasn’t asked. But then again, liberals would probably also mandate a price cut in Disneyland tickets if they could, as long as it wouldn’t close Fantasyland.
In short, it is fair to use polls like the one conducted by PPIC to gauge public perception of what is being reporting on what is taking place in Sacramento. But it is dubious at best to charge forward with an assuption that Californians support the policies when they have not been educated as to their real impacts.