Everyone getting excited over the recent swings in the polls should relax and calm down. The recent flux is something to be expected, especially after the one man show that was last week's presidential debate. I twill take a solid week to determine whether there is any real lasting effect. Plus, there are two more to go.
The first debate did throw in an unexpected wild card though. I mean who would have thought it would have been so lopsided. Opinion polls going in had the public figuring by a 2 to 1 margin that Obama was going to mop the floor with Romney.
These high expectations didn't help the President. In fact, the same may have gone a long way in contributing to the opinions after the debate. When you expect something, and it doesn't materialize, the disappointment does tend to be magnified.
Polls are indicators, not scientific fact. A poll is based on mathematical principles and assumptions. Margins of error and confidence levels are put in the results because the results are not a given fact. In general a poll can be a good gauge of public opinion. It is not an absolute certainty. When it is taken, the questions asked, the group of people responding; these are just some of the factors that can skew the results.
Some polls are taken over a seven day period. In today's 24/7 news world, a person responding on the first day of the poll may in fact have a different opinion if he or she was contacted on the last day. Indeed the polls right after the debate might have an entirely different result if taken say today.
Everyday will bring a new poll, and the reason for that is everyday there is a flux in the whole thought process.
If you are a Romney supporter, certainly you have to take heart. If you support Obama, you know he has two more shots at it, and assuming Biden doesn't put a torpedo in the leaking ship, you know the Pres. still can sail that ship home with good performances.
For me, the first thing I tend to look at in a poll is the favorability rating. Right or wrong, I still have the opinion that when most people go to the voting both, especially the "undecided, the ballot cast will have more to do with whether the like the candidate than the candidate's platform.
The "Our View" in The Standard Times addresses Question 2 (assisted suicide) and Question 3 (medical marijuana). The paper in against Question 2, not out of principal but seemingly because a ballot question is perhaps not appropriate for such a momentous decision. It urges the legislature to deal with, to allow a more deliberate, considered law.
On Question 3, the paper supports "Medical Marijuana, for informed, responsible adults", and expects the state to regulate it, continue testing and jeep us informed.
Read the pieces, judge for yourself. I am not going to criticize the ultimate positions.
The fact the paper is willing to leave it to the legislature and state in some form on both matters to fashion ways to protect us from ourselves however is another matter. That 75% statistic about youths treat for addiction to "pot" having regularly smoked illicit medical marijuana (i.e. against the law) is a pretty good indication that where medical marijuana is legal, those states haven't managed to properly regulate it. If you want more regulation/teeth in the law on Question 2, one would think, you might want that on Question 3.
And as to waiting for the legislature to craft an assisted suicide law, I won't hold my breath on that one either.
When you go vote on these issues, please do so with your eyes wide open. Whatever you do, don't base your vote on what you think the state may or may not do.
On another potential vote, I had someone ask me point blank how I intend to vote on the Voc Tech. I will state, point blank, I don't know.
As stated before, I am not happy withe the whole way the regional concept works. I am not happy with the actions and inaction that has taken place to date.
But neither am I going to say yes or no on a matter I have very little information on. I intend to look at what information may be provided, and I intend to decide based on what is in the best interest of the Town of Fairhaven, and its students.
If that isn't enough of an answer at this point, there is nothing more I can give you, sorry.
I hate to ask what might be a stupid question about the Voke issue, but is each town only responsible for the percentage of students that attend? At the last school committee meeting, when the enrollment numbers were given, Dr. Baldwin said 50 students entered Voke as Freshmen this year. I think he said that was the limit. It averages to maybe 200 students enrolled from Fairhaven. Would Fairhaven be responsible for more than 10% of the cost? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure at this point what our assessment will be based upon. It has been represented that it will be based on enrollment. As a note, and again based on the information I have no community has a "limit", the district uses a blind enrollment, i.e. where you are from doesn't guaranty you a place.
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