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As I've stated before, I try my best to not worship at the alter of the great pollster. I would say more times than not, liberals and socialist Democrats look to polls to decide which side of an issue they should be on or which way to vote on a bill. Now, Republicans do their fair share too, but overall it seems to be the left who push polls as a reason for politicians to take action.
What scares me the most is how polls are now being used to convince the public which side of an issue they should take. It's the tell a lie long enough people begin to believe it problem.
With that said, it seems Kansans aren't so hot on the new administration anymore, and that includes our illustrious former governor. An April 28 poll shows Obama's approval rating at 44%, an 18 point drop since he took office. Interestingly, the largest gap of approval/disapproval was in 18 to 34 years of age with 39% approving and a whopping 55% disapproving. Sebelius is also below 50% checking in at 46%. That's 9 points lower than a March poll.
Does that mean it'll be easy for Republicans to clean up in 2010? I doubt it. I think Kansans are getting sick and tired of politicians who say one thing and do another. Republicans should be held just as accountable as Democrats in that regard.
Mostly I enjoy pointing these polls out because a few months ago the left would have everyone believe that a favorable approval rating for the President meant that Kansas was now a Democratic state and everyone elected in 2010 would be liberal. Polls are just that, a small sampling of what may be going on in the general public. The only polls that really matter happen in August and November of 2010.
Get ready for a surprise. I have good things to say about both the Lawrence Journal-World and the Topeka Capital-Journal.
The Lawrence Journal-World isn't as balanced as I'd like it to be, but in my judgment they do a much better job than the Wichita Eagle or the KC Star. Even though I know they selectively pick some letters to the editor, they also report some stories that other publications won't touch. For that reason, I have to give them a pat on the back.
Further, the Journal-World does some of the best local reporting around. They certainly blow the big city papers out of the water in this regard. Even though I think sometimes they can have a bias, they actually do in depth stories that their local populous want to read. That should be commended.
There's certainly room for improvement. A more balanced local editorial section would be great, but overall, the Journal-World does a pretty good job.
The Cap-Journal does even better. I've noticed a considerable change in the tone of the newspaper over the past three or four years. I don't know if there has been a management change or what, but the editorial page has certainly changed. This weekend's defense of state employee pay cuts is a prime example. The comments are just grueling. I'd love to know how many of them are employed by the state! Other editorials just like it can be found here, here, here and here.
I've noticed more and more local and state stories in the Cap-Journal that I won't find anywhere else. As always, there's room for improvement. But the Cap-Journal has already made tons of strides toward a more balanced publication over the past few years and they should be commended for it.
As I've stated before, I try my best to not worship at the alter of the great pollster. I would say more times than not, liberals and socialist Democrats look to polls to decide which side of an issue they should be on or which way to vote on a bill. Now, Republicans do their fair share too, but overall it seems to be the left who push polls as a reason for politicians to take action.
