# I Pit 53% of Republicans **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585 "2010-02-03T21:09:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/81 "2010-02-04T13:40:03Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > But if you mean that I don’t have a debatable point, fuck off. Friendly reminder: [QUOTE=Restricted language in the Pit] The following expressions should not be directed at other posters. * * * fuck you and variants, e.g., go fuck yourself, fuck off and die [/QUOTE] > **[Restricted language in the Pit](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508858)** > > The following expressions should not be directed at other posters. cunt and variants, e.g., cuntlapper motherfucker cocksucker fuck you and variants, e.g., go fuck yourself, fuck off and die suck/lick my dick/cock and variants Expressions not... No warning issued. **Gfactor** Pit Moderator ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/82 "2010-02-04T19:35:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The confidence interval is 95%. IOW, about one chance in twenty that the results were within 2% of what they claim. All Daily Kos needs to do is run two or three of these every month, publicize the ones they want to, and drop the rest. > > _:shrugs:_ > > This kind of crap thinking from a board that had a collective shit fit over the exit polls in 2004. > > Regards, > Shodan There may be one chance in 20 that the results are outside 2% of the results the poll presents, but as you move farther and farther from that result, you move farther and farther in to the long tail of the probability distribution. I don’t think a mere 2% difference would change anybody’s interpretation of the poll. If you’re looking for a 10% shift in the results, you’re well into the tail of the distribution and far less than 1 in 20 polls is going to have that result by mere chance. Also consider that the poll has an equal chance of skewing either direction and that you have to get the shift you want on every question, and rerunning the poll until you get the results you want is highly, highly, cumbersome, expensive, and unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/83 "2010-02-04T19:50:59Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > **Voyager** , it was just a bad metaphor. > > And you’re right, it doesn’t really hold. But screw the metaphor, my points still hold. Address those. A metaphor for your ignorance? Got it. Anyone who knows anything about sampling knows about the Literary Digest disaster, as it is often used as a bad example. But, given your politics, it is no surprise that your knowledge of history is rather lacking. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/84 "2010-02-04T19:52:50Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Thus, if you ran it 20 times there is a .95 \*\* 20 chance that the results won’t be in that range. That should be 1 - .95\*\* 20 of course. :smack: .95 \*\* 20 is the probability that the results will fall within 2% of the “real” value for all 20 trials. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/85 "2010-02-04T19:54:16Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Like I said to **Diogenes** , I don’t think you know a damn thing about surveys: Please answer: > > Q: In regards to health care for children, a mother would know more than a politician. > > 1.) strongly agree > 2.) agree > 3.) no opinion > 4.) disaggre > 5.) strongly disagree > Surveys can be biased, don’t believe them. What’s the difference between a duck? 1.) strongly agree 2.) agree 3.) no opinion 4.) disaggre 5.) strongly disagree Of course surveys can be biased - I mentioned the one I got from the Pubbies. This one wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/86 "2010-02-04T19:58:35Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Fucking hell man, do I have to point this out to you? The _third_ question is whether not Obama should be impeached, and then the next four are not even close to random. “Do you believe Barack Obama was born in the United States, or not? Do you think Barack Obama is a socialist? Do you believe Barack Obama wants the terrorists to win? Do you believe ACORN stole the 2008 election?” > > Fucking Hell. That is _not_ how you design a unbiased questionaire. Here is a biased question: Given that Obama has attempted to get government to take over healthcare, do you think he is a socialist? Barack Obama has never produced a birth certificate. Do you believe he was born in the United States? Just asking a question to detect a potential bias is not bias. And I have no idea what a random question even means. Perhaps another metaphor? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/87 "2010-02-04T21:51:45Z")
ACORN stole the election? Man, what a desperate narrative. I’ve met these people, and they wouldn’t do it. They are, bless their hearts, idealists. If there were some scenario whereby I could cheat and connive, and by so doing, prevent Sarah Palin from being one heartbeat from the Presidency, I would do it. My integrity means a lot to me, but not as much as my country. They wouldn’t, which is why I don’t exactly trust them. Too much integrity. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/88 "2010-02-04T21:56:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > They wouldn’t, which is why I don’t exactly trust them. Too much integrity. Me ? I’m a dishonest man, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you gotta watch for, because can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/89 "2010-02-04T22:13:47Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I think I know about it it a damn sight better than you. Answer a question: > > Q: In regards to health care for children, a mother would know more than a politician. > > 1.) strongly agree > 2.) agree > 3.) no opinion > 4.) disaggre > 5.) strongly disagree > Surveys can be biased, don’t believe them. AHA! 99% of all politicians think they know better than Momma what ails their children! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/90 "2010-02-04T22:18:26Z")
I want to take a moment to congratulate all of the Dopers who are firmly ignoring this straight line. Commendable. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/91 "2010-02-04T22:31:11Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Me ? I’m a dishonest man, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you gotta watch for, because can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid. > > 🙂 That **would** explain a lot about ACORN . . . ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585/92 "2010-02-04T22:39:20Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > 25% say the president wants the terrorists to win? Really? Related thread from 2004: [Why are there so many freaking retards in the Republican party?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264724) Some things don’t change. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-53-of-republicans/527585.md?page=4)