Reply #53: I think we ought to learn about polls

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What if schools and community groups taught the voting public about poll methodology> I know it sounds like a yawner to some people but what if we all learned what questions to ask about polls, and how poll questions can unfairly bias answers. If it was common knowledge, then every pollster would have to explain to us, show us, post their data etc. For example, what size of sample is statistically sufficient? Offhand I don't know but I'd like to.
I've thought that about budget issues too. Instead of being told that 'there's no money this year', I think it would be good if, slowly and over time, those we elect to govern us create videos intended to bring us up to speed on budget issues so we could particpate more. I recall reading a long time ago that when our country was just a few years old, every person you encountered, regardless of their status or education level, had an idea about the issues and could offer a reasoned opinion. I am now officially paranoid and I don't feel like I know what polls mean and why there's never any money in the budget for things I want and plenty of money in the budget for things I don't want. I realize this kind of education could take time but I'm willing to learn and I don't like feeling helplessly out of the loop.