Rasmussen: 64% Say NSA Monitoring Okay

[sabra]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2005/NSA.htm

National Security Agency

December 28, 2005--Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans believe the National Security Agency (NSA) should be allowed to intercept telephone conversations between terrorism suspects in other countries and people living in the United States. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 23% disagree.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Americans say they are following the NSA story somewhat or very closely.

Just 26% believe President Bush is the first to authorize a program like the one currently in the news. Forty-eight percent (48%) say he is not while 26% are not sure.

Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans believe the NSA should be allowed to listen in on conversations between terror suspects and people living in the United States. That view is shared by 51% of Democrats and 57% of those not affiliated with either major political party.

Interesting how Rasmussen is framing the question ("telephone conversations between terrorism suspects in other countries and people living in the United States").

[sasha031]

1. they keep trying don't they

If they can repeat often enough that shrub is doing a marvelous job the sheep will follow.

[saigon68]

42. sheep following an UGLY chimpanzee

[corporate_mike]

46. I always assumed it happened

so I'm not really surprised that it does happen

[Flabbergasted]

55. Can't cry wolf forever fortunately.

[marylanddem]

2. It's not about the right to wiretap - it's about getting a court order

and doing it legally. This kind of poll is nothing but bullshit.

[Ravenseye]

14. Spot On

Even I agree that they should be allowed to get that wiretap. Are you kidding me? Who wouldn't agree to that. It's just that there is a freaking court that all they do is grant these wiretaps. All they had to do is go get the warrant, which has been denied practically never. Heck they don't even have to get the warrant first, they can go ahead and do the wiretap, and then afterwards get the warrant.

There is no reason NOT to get a court order, unless you're tapping people that you don't think you COULD get a warrant for...and believe me if the person is talking to someone in pakistan that is a suspected terrorist, that's all they'd have to say to get a warrant.

Bullshit poll trying to change the message to their old favorite "liberals don't want to protect our country" crap.

Bill Clinton was impeached because he broke the law when he lied to a grand jury about a personal affair.
George W. Bush broke the law by ordering surveillance on american citizens without due process.

Where's the disconnect folks?

[MODemocrat]

15. It certainly is BS and so many people are easily fooled

Mr. Bush, the teflon kid, will probably be pulled out of this mess too. This governmant of our is spending millions of dollars, just propping up this corrupt administration.
More and more it seems to me that many of the things this administration pulls of, reeks of
Fascism! :evilfrown: This country is being taken over by :freaks: :dunce:

[MidwestTransplant]

33. Exactly. And of course that's how these sick MFs spin it....not about

court orders.

[Guaranteed]

59. That's right. Next they'll come out with a poll saying that 70% of

Americans believe that the FBI should be able to put wiretaps on the phones of Americans.

[Peace Patriot]

60. Excellent point, marylanddem! You caught on right away. Sabra, you

should change your OP title from this...

"Rasmussen: 64% Say NSA Monitoring Okay"

to this...

"Pollster asks wrong question, 64% say okay to NSA Monitoring"

[bookman]

3. Bill of Rights...

Tear it up or keep it?

I'm afraid even that question wouldn't do well with the fearful public.

[durablend]

72. I already posted something similar on another site

Most of them went with the "I want to keep my rights" choice, but I think there were more than a few who were lying (judging by the political makeup of the site)

[Avalux]

4. Wrong question to ask.

Bush broke the law. Who's to say they'll only spy on terror suspects abroad conversing with people living in the United States if there's no oversight? :banghead:

[NJmaverick]

12. Exactly

The question was asked to get a misleading answer. Most people think spying, with the right restraints is OK. It is the breaking the law that was bad, not the taps themselves.

[stopbush]

5. They're legally allowed to listen in now as long as they get a FISA

warrant.

Stupidly worded question - written to set up a false argument that supoports bushco.

[marylanddem]

9. Yep - it's outrageous & disgusting. n/t

[karynnj]

38. Exactly - intionally biasing the question

In fact, if people answered the quyestion asked, the percent would have been higher.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Misoperative phrase: "people living in the United States"

Wonder how the poll results would change if the word "US citizen" replaced "people living in the United States"?

Rassy must have worked real hard to get the phrasing just right to conflate the 2 issues.

[Generator]

40. Yes Goddamn it! This pisses me off

How about, "Do you think your best friend and your mother's phone converstations should be spyed on, taped and used against them if the current government thinks they may be a danger someday to someone based on evidence that no one gets to see?" Is that okay with you folks? Then we can put them in jail and not charge them okay? Anything to make YOU safe. Just hope you don't care too much about old mum and your friend. And hope they do care about you. You could be the next "possible terrorist".

Stalin would be proud. I keep thinking it's not Nazi's that this goverment is like, it's Stalinst Russia. Next up: Let's spy on our neighbors voluntarily and never be sure if they are friend or foe.

[Bob3]

7. So how many approve of wire tapping without a warrant?

Did they even ask that question?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

61. Bingo

Why do people keep forgetting that part?
And why don't folks realize that a "terrorism suspect" could be anybody from an Al Qaida associate to an outspoken opponent of the current misadministration...like the group of Quakers in FL who formed a peace coalition?

[liberal N proud]

8. That lie is so off the wall - How many polls have been posted

with 75, 80 & 90% of the respondents saying it was wrong or illegal.
Does anyone really believe these assholes?

[EST]

10. How 'bout the question:

Is it O K for the bfee to trash the constitution and spy on Americans talking to themselves?
Or-are you content with turning this country into a fascist dictatorship with arbitrary government by fiat?

[MrPrax]

11. But the follow up question:

"Can we spy on you?" received a negative response 100% of the time...

[NanceGreggs]

13. The way the question was framed is not 'interesting' ...

... it's totally ludicrous.

Poll question: "Who would you rather have as president, G.W. Bush or Adolph Hitler?"

Poll result: "An overwhelming ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of Americans believe that G.W. Bush SHOULD be the president."

BTW, Rasmussen, when did you stop beating your wife?

[Ediacara]

16. Even if 100% believed it was ok

It's still 100% illegal.

[truthInCO]

23. Further reason...

to ignore all polls. Even ones that make you feel good.

[leveymg]

17. Notice this doesn't say that people think UNWARRANTED taps are okay

The wording makes it appear that Bush has majority support for an illegal policy that most people actually condemn. This is push-polling - watch it show up in misleading Repug pronouncements.

[sabra]

19. already has >> WorldNutDaily: Most Americans back Bush-ordered wiretaps

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48103

[newswolf56]

18. In this instance the weighted framing of the question...

is of no consequence. No matter how the question is asked, it is obvious the vast majority of Americans support imposition of a fascist police state: another reason I believe no progressive victory in 2006 or 2008 (of for that matter ever again in the U.S.) is possible. Which is why -- if I could -- I would leave this increasingly fascist, increasingly theocratic country forever. Indeed if I were 20 years younger, I might already be gone. (Alas, given the fact I am 65 and on Social Security, immigration is impossible: if other nations' immigration laws are anything like those of the U.S., they won't accept seniors unless they are independently wealthy, which I am most assuredly not. And in any case I believe the minute one applies for citizenship elsewhere, one's Social Security is automatically terminated.)

[TheDebbieDee]

20. Relax, everybody. This is just another attempt.....

to propagandize us.

For at least the last 6 years (since the beginning of the 2000 Presidential Election campaign) we, as a people and as a nation and culture have been told over and over again in several different situations that things are the opposite of what they appear to be.

I can't believe that so many of us DUers still get sucked into the "I can't understand why so any people still support *!"

His supporters are largely fictitious, his base is an illusion - used to keep us wondering why * supporters cannot see the truth instead of working together to fix the problems that we know exist.

* is a history major. He may be stupid about a lot of things, but I'll bet you he's real familiar with the history of Germany in the 20s, 30s and 40s. He knows how Hitler used propaganda to keep Germans and other European nations paralyzed until it was too late for their governments to protect them.

[sandyd921]

21. The framing is absurd

and now "they" will use it to the hilt to support their talking point that bubble boy is skirting the law in order to protect Americans from another 9/11. :banghead:

[Beetwasher]

22. 100% of People Are Against Eating Babies and Slaughtering Kittens

Since Chimpy is against this, 100% of the people support Chimpy. :eyes:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

24. When do they intend to ask if it's okay to spy on ALL Americans?

[goforit]

25. Bull Sh*t!!!!

[redqueen]

26. PATHETIC framing... WARRANTLESS would be the key word.

Bastards. I wish people weren't so frickin stupid as to be fooled by this crap.

[stepnw1f]

27. Rasmussen Again... a tool of the Right Wingos

And they are so obvious too.

[SpiralHawk]

28. It ain't okay with me

Just so the Skull & Boner cabal in the White House understands without mistake.

Get your big fat corporatist noses out of my butt. Now.

[truthisfreedom]

29. the question is "is the president above the law?"

people are sheeple.

[BR_Parkway]

30. I would agree with that - but the question they didn't ask - Should

the Prez have to follow the LAW to be able to listen in?

Shouldn't even be a division by party, it's the law.

[Vinnie From Indy]

31. Total Bullshit

It is merely perception management. Tell everyone you know!!!

Ask Americans if they want a dictator for president and see how many "positive" responses you get. Ask Americans if they would agree to let the government arrest them without charge, hold them without trial and torture them and see how many "positive" repsonses you get.

The question asked by Rasmussen is laughably obvious in it's attempt to skew the responses.

[slackmaster]

32. That is not much different from the NSA's traditional job

Substitute "suspected foreign spies" for "terror suspects" and they're really doing what they've always done.

[shantipriya]

34. NSA Wire Tap O.K???

Who are the morons being polled? Do they understand the question or the implication of the wire tap?

[SeattleVet]

35. The question doesn't go far enough...

"Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans believe the NSA should be allowed to listen in on conversations between terror suspects and people living in the United States."

They are grabbing everything, through several generations; "the people living in the United States (and all of the other people that *they* talked to, and the ones that they talked to, and the ones that they talked to...)"

How many degrees of separation are OK with these guys? Eventually they'll have everyone covered.

The question they need to ask is, "Will you still have the same level of support for all of these warrantless searches when Hillary becomes president in 2008?" Watch how fast they change their tune.

[fooj]

36. Rasmussen is a treasonous rat bastard!

Peace.

[mrdmk]

37. This is a push poll if I ever saw one! eom

[Maddy McCall]

39. And that 64% is completely ignorant of the Constitution.

Sometimes I think that literacy test questions re the Constitution should be asked before a voter can vote.

:grr:

[PA Democrat]

41. Rasmussen claims to be an "independent pollster"- what a crock

of pure bullshit. Check out the poll on "frivolous lawsuits" on their homepage. If you click of the square that makes it appear that you can cast a vote, you are linked to a form letter to send to congress demanding tort reform.

Who commissioned the push poll on what should have been identified as illegal wiretaps? It smells of an RNC move to "catapult the propaganda" as George so infamously put it.

[Tempest]

48. Scott Rasmussen worked for Bush in Texas

He's also a Bush "Ranger", which makes him a big campaign contributor.

Take any poll from his organization with a HUGE grain of salt.

[AndyTiedye]

43. While on MSNBC 85% Think Bush** Should be IMPEACHED For It

IMPEACH BUSH

[AngryAmish]

44. The fat ugly sheeple of Amerikka will beleive anything

They are sheep to be lead.

[Gloria]

45. Apparently, that 68% is NOT following that closely and are

succumbing to the spin.

OK, now what??

[Jim__]

47. The real question is: Should such spyng be overseen by an

independent agency; or can one man in the executive branch just decide on his own who to sy in.

[d_b]

49. Nice way to frame it.

[ixion]

50. my thoughts exactly

when the question is asked like that, although I still dispute the FISA end run.

The question is: Should the WH be able to tap whomever they damn well please, without checks or balances. Keep in mind that this would apply when a dem or independent or whomever may hold the office.

See, I think the results would be quite different in that case.

[sabra]

51. AmericaBlog: New domestic spying poll numbers are very bad for Bush

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/12/new-domestic-spying-poll-numbers-are.html

New domestic spying poll numbers are very bad for Bush
by John in DC - 12/28/2005 04:46:00 PM


Some right-wingers have been crowing over a new poll that shows:

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans believe the National Security Agency (NSA) should be allowed to intercept telephone conversations between terrorism suspects in other countries and people living in the United States. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 23% disagree.

I've got news for you. That's an abysmally low number for Bush.

Even I would probably approve of the NSA listening in on phone calls between suspected terrorists and "people living in the US" - notice the survey question didn't even say "Americans," it said "people living in the US," a description that would get EVEN MORE support for spying (i.e., people are more apt to approve NSA spying on foreigners in the US rather than US citizens in the US).

...

Again, that number should have been in the 90s. The fact that only 6 out of 10 Americans are willing to agree to such a broad question, to me, says that Bush is not on solid ground on this issue at all.

[jackstraw45]

52. The CONSTITUTION was not drafted by a PUBLIC OPINION POLL....

Jeez...this is the land of the stupid but it doesn't change the fact that Bush BROKE THE LAW.

[enki23]

53. this is why the bill of rights exists

[high density]

54. Yep, bias in the poll from the question by including the word "terrorist"

Bush doesn't give a shit if you're a terrorist or not, he just wants to listen in anyway. Who hell paid for this poll? George W. Bush?

[Octafish]

56. Not the same as asking "Is it OK for the NSA to spy on Americans?"

Gee. Rasmussen's poll will be used by the likes of ABCNNBCBSFoxNoiseNutwork to blab that Bush hasn't done anything the murkin people think isn't OK.

A lie is a lie. Americans don't like to be lied to and they don't like to be spied upon. Especially by their own government.

[mandomom]

57. Define "terror suspects".

[oasis]

58. When the original story broke, the Quakers were mentioned as victims of

NSA spying. The MSM has run away from that angle of the story.

[madmark]

62. I think if you'd poll on whether Americans would believe that

suspending the 4th amendment was a good idea to fight terrorism and crime you'd get 40% in favor.

[Xipe Totec]

63. Wrong Question

Ask how many are willing to have THEIR conversations monitored.

I bet you will get a very different statistic.

[bklyncowgirl]

64. Given the way it's phrased even I might say yes.

Provided that the government could show probable cause in order to get a warrent.

I have no problem with them monitoring suspected Al Queda members and their pals so long as it's done within the law.

[NashVegas]

65. I Don't See Anything In Their Questions About WARRANTS

Silly Rasmussen.

[rocktivity]

66. Consider the source...

:boring:
rocknation

[MellowOne]

67. polls are crap

The ask a couple thousand people and assume we all agree. Some are probably manipulated like we do in DU.

[American liberal]

68. The question is a skewed bunch of crap!!! n/t

[IndianaGreen]

69. Most Germans approved of Hitler

We are the new Germans!

[BiggJawn]

70. "Two legs B-A-A-A-A-D, Four legs G-O-O-O-O-D!"

Fucking Sheeple DESERVE to be spied upon!

"Jackson! Get in here!"

"Yes, Jay-Bee?"

"You spend all night whacking off to wrinkle-snizz on the Internet! You're FIRED!"

("Damn...How'd HE find out?")

Agent Mike: "Just doin' my Job, Murka!"

[sakabatou]

71. WTF?!

Ask these people, "How much of your liberties will you give up?"

See this thread!: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5705768

[CJCRANE]

73. TRICK QUESTION!

Doesn't mention warrantless wiretapping which is the real issue.

Might as well be something like:

Rasmussen: 64% Say Army Fighting Wars Okay.