By: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Original Source (www.originalsources.com)
February 1, 1999
Over the week-end, I received a letter from my friend Susan Roylance, co-founder of United Families International, who attended a number of UN conferences over the past few years trying to block language in the documents that undermine families. Her letter began, "I am sick and tired of our democracy being run by polls. The polls can be manipulated, and reported, in all kinds of ways. The only real way to know what the people want is in the voting booth."
On the same day CNN reported the newest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 1,031 adults, conducted January 22-24, which showed that Vice President Al Gore's approval rating is "almost as high as that of his boss: 64 percent approve of how Gore is handling his job as vice president, compared with 69 percent who approve of how Clinton is handling his job."
However, the poll also showed that a majority of Americans say they have a "positive view of Gore as a person, while most Americans have a negative view of Clinton as a person. Americans believe that Gore is honest and trustworthy and that he provides good moral leadership, and believe Clinton is dishonest, untrustworthy and immoral.
The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 1,031 adults, conducted January 22-24And, asked the public's view of President Clinton's honesty and trustworthiness and moral leadership. The results:
Now, let's see if we have this right. While 69% of the public thinks Al Gore is Honest and Trustworthy, only 24% thinks that Bill Clinton is Honest and Trustworthy - but 69% of those polled approve of how Clinton is handling his job, whereas only 64% approve of how Gore is handling his job.
Does this mean that Al Gore would have a higher approval rating if he would become more dishonest and less trustworthy in the eyes of the public?
Susan commented about "Democracy by Polls?" saying, "It is true that the last election seemed to support the Democrats more, but it still elected a MAJORITY of Republicans. Why shouldn't the Republicans do what they think is right? They were elected to do just that! You can be sure that if the Democrats were in the majority that they would go ahead and do whatever they pleased, regardless of any protests by the Republicans.
"My husband Bob made an interesting comment the other day. He said, you know they keep saying that this isn't about sex. Well it's ALL ABOUT SEX. It's because the majority of the people in this country are not sexually moral, and they want to use President Clinton as an excuse for their behavior.
"The nation, as a whole, has accepted immoral sexual behavior. So, why should anyone wonder when President Clinton is supported by the Democratsfor his immoral behavior -- which he lies about before a grand jury. (Is it possible that the people who support him have also lied about their immoral behavior?).
"And so, should the Republicans, who have been elected to maintain some sort of order in the Nations Capitol, cast aside their belief that we should be ruled by law? and encourage moral behavior? I think not! Thank goodness someone is willing to stand up for the ideals that were important to our founding fathers. Thank goodness someone is willing to follow the guidelines set up in the Constitution -- to keep our country safe from those that would "sell their soul" -- and the whole country with it --just to cover up their immoral sexual acts.
"I hear so many people who are disgusted with this whole mess (NOT disgusted with the Republicans) and can't imagine how President Clinton can get away with such reprehensible behavior.
"And why won't these people speak up? Is it because the media has convinced them that they don't have a voice anymore -- that they are sucha small minority that their voice wouldn't count?
"I think it is time to speak up. I recently called Senator Hatch's office (and I paid for the call so I could get through the right people), and said I was tired of Senator Hatch trying to get others to support censure. The whole effort should be toward trying to remove Clinton from office. And that is what they should be telling the American people --to help educate them.
"We always hear plenty from the White House. Where are the voices to speak out against President Clinton and the damage he has done to our country, particularly to the future generations? How will our children believe that they should obey the law, or be moral in their actions, when they have such a terrible role model. And how can they trust our system of government if the man at the top of the ladder can publicly get away with ANYTHING as long as the public 'appears' to support him."
If, as the CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll appears to indicate, the people of America give greater support to immoral, dishonest and untrustworthy leaders than to leaders, of the same party, who are moral, honest or trustworthy, as their latest poll clearly indicates, what does the poll mean? Is Bob Roylance right? Are Americans approving of Bill Clinton because as a nation we have become immoral, dishonest and untrustworthy in our own private lives, and, therefore, want leaders who are not moral, honest or trustworthy?
And, if it does mean that, why, do you suppose, the same voters who elected Bill Clinton as their leader in the White House, voted in a bunch of Republicans in the Congress?
Or, by any chance, is there some kind of confusion about the questions asked by Gallup? What, exactly, do people mean when they say they "approve" the job Bill Clinton is doing? If the public had known in the 1996 election that Bill Clinton had lied under oath, and obstructed justice, would the vote have been the same?
What, exactly, IS an immoral, dishonest and untrustworthy Bill Clinton DOING that the public so enthusiastically approves?
Let's do our own poll. Send an e-mail to mmostert@originalsources.com and let us know:
1. If you approve of the job Bill Clinton is doing, and you voted for him, and are among the 76% who believe he is dishonest, immoral and untrustworthy, why you believe he is preferable to a honest, moral trustworthy Democrat (Al Gore) as President?
To contact Susan Roylance: roylance9@worldnet.att.net