Facebook: an anomaly or accurate reflection?

[melm00se]

a curious anomaly or accurate reflection?

I have been watching Facebook polls of a political nature. the responses are so overwhelmingly rightward leaning it makes me go "hmmmm":

Are you in favor of a Government run healthcare system
Yes 86,495 (21.6%)
No 300,970 (75.0%)
Maybe 13,885 (3.5%)


Should the U.S adopt a Universal Heath Care system?
NO 130,000 (70.2%)
YES 54,218 (29.3%)
I really don't care. 1,059 (0.6%)

If the 2008 Presidential Election were held today, would you vote the same way?

I voted for Obama and I stand by that vote. 78,657 (35.0%)
I voted for Obama and regret it. I would change my vote today. 2,467 (1.1%)
I did not vote for Obama and I stand by that vote. 134,208 (59.7%)
I did not vote for Obama, but now I like him and would vote for him today. 1,516 (0.7%)
I didn't vote. But given the chance I would support Obama today. 2,848 (1.3%)
I didn't vote and I really should have. I would vote agaisnt Obama today. 5,007 (2.2%)

Do you approve or disapprove of Obama's job in office?
Strongly approve 33,423 (17.1%)
Approve 19,608 (10.1%)
Neutral / no opinion 5,615 (2.9%)
Disapprove 21,112 (10.8%)
Strongly disapprove 115,268 (59.1%)

Do you support an assault weapons ban (i e normal capacity (15 rounds) pistols or semi automatic rifles)
Yes 4,442 (12.6%)
No 28,268 (80.0%)
Only on "assault rifles" and the like 1,876 (5.3%)
No guns for anyone 766 (2.2%)


Should President Bush and members of his administration have to face a truth commission for their role in torture?
Yes, it's important to hear the facts so America can make sure it never happens again 3,545 (30.7%)
No, it would damage national security 6,279 (54.4%)
No, we need to prosecute, not have a truth commission! 1,721 (14.9%)

this last one makes me go "hmmmm" even more (but also answers the "why" question)

Are you Democratic or Republican?
Democratic 4,504 (25.7%)
Republican 8,704 (49.7%)
Independent 2,739 (15.6%)
Other 1,575 (9.0%)

this flies in contradiction of an ABC/WaPo poll:

People identifying themselves as:
Republican: 25%
Democrat: 35%
Independent: 38%

edit: to fix a typo

[BlooInBloo]

1. "anomaly".

[mnhtnbb]

2. I recently joined FB and have noticed the same things. I've been posting

links concerning health care and got into it with the first 'friend' who invited me to join.
I thought she was a Repub--but we'd never really gotten into it. She's spouting all the
Repub talking points about health care (we used to work together in a hospital, in fact, I hired her)
and I really think this woman is an example of what happens to people who listen to Faux news.
She's a smart person. I think she has been brainwashed by the media and hasn't been around anyone
who counters their BS.

I also think that people on FB are probably more well to do, have access to digital cameras, computers,
time to play on the website. I think it's a skewed population.

[mnhtnbb]

3. Do you know if they've ever done a poll to see where people get their news?

I'd bet the majority would identify Faux news.

[get the red out]

4. Conservatives never think of anything else

Conservatives waste all their time thinking of their nasty goals and will take any poll just to go against sane policy and the President. Liberals on FB are probably more interested in developing social connections. Conservatives only care about spreading their crap while we are more tolerant.

[cbdo2007]

5. Repubes are more likely to participate in this stuff.

Just like overall, Repubes are more likely to watch the news and keep up on current events and obsess about stupid little things they think are out to get them - hence the success of right wing radio VS Air America.

When I see those polls pop up in my list, I've clicked on a couple just for fun and they make you sign up for something and then you have to forward the polls on to your friends and stuff. I don't want to bother my friends with them, but the Repubes hate Obama so much that they then forward it on to everyone they know.

The majority of the country approves of Obama and likes Obama and is just living their lives rather than taking polls about how bad they think he is.

[Ex Lurker]

11. that's the point. You have to jump through several hoops to get your vote counted

and people who are highly motivated are the ones willing to go through all that. People who like the way things are going don't bother.

[Myrina]

6. Freeptards love to take online polls ...

.. it makes them feel 'engaged', because most of them are too ignorant or chickenshit to actually organize, publicize or run for office in the real world.

[Bill McBlueState]

7. your answer's in the question about the 2008 election

Only 36% of this sample voted for Obama, while 53% of actual voters did. Of course it's skewed against him.

[TahitiNut]

10. Yup. The self-selection seems at least 2::1 right wing.

Even many of the claims of having voted for Obama are probably "false flag" crap. It's garbage. :shrug:

[KamaAina]

8. They're clearly being FReeped

:eyes:

[Ex Lurker]

9. dissatisfied people are more likely to vote in these things. That said, the FB demographic

probably skews a little further to the right than the general population.