BY SHARON MARTIN
Teachers in Oklahoma were asked to take part in a political poll from SoonerPoll and the Oklahoman. SoonerPoll calls itself nonpartisan. The Oklahoman definitely is not. Despite my doubts, I decided to answer the questions.
Was I registered to vote? Yes.
Did I intend to vote in the presidential election? Yes.
Who did I support? Hillary Clinton.
Then came a question asking me which category of issues was most important to me. The first was Social Issues. Their definition included “marriage protection.” OK, so what’s their definition of nonpartisan?
The second choice was Economic Issues. That definition included “lower spending” and “job creation.” I thought of all the social workers and teachers who’d been laid off because of spending cuts and how the state’s budget balancing act never required more money from those who can afford it, only cuts for those who can’t.
The last two choices were Education and Other. The definition for Education included something about Charters.
I didn’t finish the poll. How could I? There was nothing about providing every child a good education. There was nothing about social justice. There was nothing about insuring that every citizen in the state had access to healthcare. They didn’t address corruption in the political system.
I wonder how many other progressive voters – people who believe in marriage equality, who believe that some government spending is necessary to insure equality of access and opportunity, who believe that a strong public school system is the foundation of our democracy – will finish this poll.
If the questions are slanted, how valid are the results?
Are there any polls that are truly nonpartisan?
With Russia hacking into voting records, polls asking seriously biased questions, and a demented man the choice of so many voters, I feeling woozy.
Someone, throw me a little hope.
– Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer
