I was just polled by Rasmussen

[LonePirate]

The automated call originated in Dallas under a 214 area code. Here are the questions I was asked which are paraphrased but are pretty close to the actual wording.

1. Are you 18 or older?
2. Is the country on the right track or moving in the wrong direction?
3. How do you rate President Obama?
4. What is your gender?
5. What age range are you?
6. What is your race?
7. How often do you vote in elections?
8. What is your party identification?
9. Do you prefer Obama or Santorum?
10. Do you prefer Obama or Romney?
11. What party do you favor for Congress?
12. What types of issues are most important for you? (National Security, Economic, Domestic, Cultural or Fiscal)
13. Do you expect your taxes to go up, go down or stay the same under President Obama?
14. Do you expect government spending to go up, go down or stay the same?
15. Do you prefer Obama or Paul?
16. Do you prefer Obama or Gingrich?
17. Do you prefer a raise for federal workers or a cut in the federal payroll?
18. Where are you on the political spectrum? (Very Liberal, Liberal, Moderate, Conservative or Very Conservative)
19. Do you prefer/support a candidate that opposes all tax increases or a candidate that wants to raise taxes only on the wealthy?
20. Do tax increases help, hurt or have no impact on the economy?
21. Do tax cuts help, hurt or have no impact on the economy?
22. What household income range are you?
23. What religious faith are you? (Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Other)
24. Whose judgment do you trust more on the issues - the American people or America's leaders?
25. Do you think the federal government is now a special interest group serving itself?
26. Are government and big business working together to hurt consumers?

[sufrommich]

1. "Whose judgment do you trust more on the issues - the American people or America's leaders?"

What a strange question.

[provis99]

6. it's a standard right-wing anti-government question.

appeals to the right-wing survivalist militia crowd type.

[dimbear]

2. Did they remember to ask permission to fudge the numbers?

That is, until closer to the election when they report the real ones............

[customerserviceguy]

3. So

Did you tell them the truth, or did you spin them around?

[jaysunb]

4. #'s 24 to 26 are rather odd questions

to ask.....

[ellisonz]

8. Agreed.

Leading anti-government questions...

premises

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. They are setting up data that will try to strip any success in the economy from Obama

This is Romney's argument: yes, the economy is coming back, but it is despite the Admin rather than because of it. So, you cue that soundbyte, then you go to a Rasmussen poll "showing" that Americans largely agree that it is the people rather than the "leaders" who should be credited, and voila, you've spun the improving economy into an argument AGAINST Obama's economic stewardship. Needless to say, it's a transparent load of right wing nonsense, and will have very little effect on anyone, but they have to say and do something, since the indicators are pointing to steady improvement and an Obama landslide as a result. Ultimately, people like Obama and find him competent. the only real knock against him for most non-wingnut voters was the economic issue. With that evaporating, the GOP stands no chance, especially since they're now widely viewed as childish obstructionists and divisive bait-and-switchers, particularly in the swing and rust belt states where 2010 elected GOP governors have gone essentially insane, governing far to the right of their mandate to much protest and consternation among the electorate (Florida, Ohio, and, of course, Wisconsin...I'd add Virginia to this list as well). With these states virtually lost due to GOP hubris and malfeasance, it doesn't look good. They're building the "it's the people that done it" argument, but that dog won't hunt.

[doc03]

5. And you all know how painful that can be n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. Do you think the federal government is now a special interest group serving itself?

What a leading question!