Polls and Lies
Episode Number: 1433Publication Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2005
There are countless academic studies that ask legislators, lobbyists and other loiterers in the capital what they think about term limits. But the test of term limits is what the people think, so I was glad when the University of Akron Survey Research Center and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics came out with a survey of Ohio voters and their views.
My glee soon turned to suspicion, however. The results were unusual. Their news release stated, "Ohioans may support lengthening terms from the current eight years to 12." The Akron Beacon Journal reported, "The survey . . . showed 67 percent of Ohioans believe term limits have fostered good government. . . . But it also found that just over half of Ohioans are open to the possibility of lengthening the limits from eight to 12 years."
Open to the possibility? What kind of poll question is that? And voters in three states have crushed similar ballot measures to weaken term limits. So, I got a copy of this poll. It asked directly about weakening the limits. "Which of the following comes closest to your view of what should be done about legislative term limits in Ohio?" the poll asked. Of those with an opinion, 76 percent said term limits should be "kept as is."
Then, respondents were asked, "Would a term limit of twelve years be acceptable to you?" By a better than two to one margin, Ohioans said, "No." Unacceptable. Wow. Why didn't the U of Akron and the Bliss Institute tell the truth?
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.
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