Ignorance is bliss

I got this note the other day from the Center for Immigration Studies and thought it was intriguing. But I was just seeing it as useful background information until Rush brought it up yesterday and juiced up my interest in commenting. First, here’s what the CIS has to say:

A new poll using neutral language finds that primary and caucus voters have little knowledge of candidates’ immigration positions. The results also show that voters often do not share their candidate’s position.

For results and tables, go to http://www.cis.org/articles/2008/voter_release_08.html

Among the findings:

• Only 34 percent of McCain voters, 42 percent of Clinton voters, and 52 percent of Obama voters correctly identified their candidate as favoring eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements.
• Of McCain voters, 35 percent mistakenly thought he favored enforcement that would cause illegals to return home, another 10 percent thought he wanted mass deportations, and 21 percent didn’t know his position.
• Voters often held different positions from the candidate they supported. Only 31 percent of McCain voters had the same immigration position as he does. For Clinton voters, 45 percent shared her position; 61 percent of Obama voters shared his position.
• This lack of knowledge, coupled with disagreements with their candidates’ positions, makes it very difficult to draw any conclusions about the fact that all three remaining candidates favor legalization for illegal immigrants.
• Whoever wins the presidency will face significant opposition to giving eventual citizenship to illegal immigrants. Just 25 percent of Republican and 50 percent of Democratic primary/caucus voters said they would support such an effort.
• Pro-enforcement voters have a greater intensity of views than supporters of legalization. Among Republicans, almost nine out ten who favored causing illegals to return home said they strongly supported that view; on the other hand, fewer than half of Republicans who backed legalization strongly supported that view.
• This greater intensity also exists among Democrats. Of Democrats who favored causing illegals to return home, more than seven out of ten strongly supported that view; on the other hand, fewer than six out of ten who favored legalization strongly supported that view.

Methodology: The survey of 1,276 persons who voted in a primary or caucus was conducted March 12-13. The survey was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research.

I’ve known this for quite awhile, most people identify with a candidate based on their perception of him or her and not because of the facts about where they position themselves on issues. I’ve even fallen for that – does the name Ross Perot ring a bell? So this polling data doesn’t surprise me in the least.

Unfortunately, what it also points out is that we who are on the secure the borders and crack down on those who choose to break existing laws and enter the country illegally side are much more passionate in our opinion but aren’t looking at much of a choice this election while the amnesty doves are in like pigs in manure whether they really care or not. However, I do believe that the McCain numbers are skewed somewhat because Republicans who felt they were down to an inevitable candidate decided to vote for McCain in an effort to unify the party while holding their noses on the immigration issue.

Perception indeed is reality, but I will continue to make the effort to change minds and hearts on the issues I care about by presenting and adding my two cents where needed to reasoned arguments such as the one the CIS was gracious enough to send my way.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer. View all posts by Michael