I am an old political science master's graduate and cannot believe how the use of focus groups have changed modern day politics. Has much more to do with public relations rather than issues. The problem is, if the president (or any other politician for that matter) is simply echoing back what he was told to say by advisors who studied a focus group, where does he really stand on the issue? This is the current problem we are facing with the Iraq mess. Bad news is somehow spinned into good news. And the president is getting advice from Karl Rove and other advisors on what words to use and what words not to use based on focus groups and random polls. Meanwhile, the root of the issue is ignored and debate is stifled. I am not exclusively picking on Bush either. Clinton was the king of using polls and focus groups to spin information. And in the end, you weren't really sure what he personally stood for.
2006-09-20 07:56:32 · 7 answers · asked by cannonball 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
So true. I have a bachelors in both Political Science and Public Relations. I found that they both go hand in to preserve the politicians image more so than the issues. Now a days its like pulling a tooth to see where they actually stand on the issues. It is all " what is their approval rating" and, "what was said about them in the newspaper?" And they have all of these people around them advising them. I feel that most (not all) politicians now a days cant think for themselves.
unreal. And frusterating for starters. In my opinion enough of these wealthy lawyers running for office. How about someone who has had to work for a living?
2006-09-20 08:03:42 · answer #1 · answered by Hey girl 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
True! They seem to do things just to get good public standing, but I think that the big issue is that they are pulled too hard by their parties! Everyone knows that an independent will never get elected to any serious position, so they need to take some positions for their parties that they may not be in wholehearted agreement with. It really bothers me too that it seems that politics now are like little kids' dodgeball teams. There is so much bickering between the parties that they seem to refuse to come together on certain problems they both see. Watch someone come into office when the other party has just held majority and you'll see them do things just trying to reverse what their 'enemies' have done before them. Look at Clinton taking keys off the keyboards after he was finally done in office!
2006-09-20 08:07:10 · answer #2 · answered by benvanzile 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think its easier to see what President Bush stands for. He stands for this country. It was also easy to see what clinton stood for. He stood for bill clinton. I can see passed the focus groups and straight through to the person. I haven't been fooled yet by this method, and I have no reason to believe I will be fooled in the future.
2006-09-20 08:02:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are totally right. And it is a shame people fall for the spin rather than the issues.
2006-09-20 08:01:04 · answer #4 · answered by Leah 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
true.
It also has a lot to do with organized crime. I've come to the conclusion that all countries are run by people who would be criminals if it weren't for politics.
2006-09-20 08:04:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
True
2006-09-20 07:58:32 · answer #6 · answered by Boredstiff 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
....in the U.S. it's the opiate of the masses.
2006-09-20 07:59:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋