After running a few polls, I think there are some useful insights about CGCS, both on what we agree on and where we are polarized.

First, about 17% of our members consider themselves Northerners, 26% Southerners, 35% Westerners, and 22% Easterners. There was a lot of quibbling about region, I'd suggest that geographic identification is not as strong as it has been in the historic past. Also of interest is that 30% of our members are rural- much higher than would be expected, as only 8% of the country is now rural.

As you'd expect, we claim much higher computer skills than average, but then half the population is 'below average' by definition - 1/3 of us have 'creative' computer skills.

Almost 2/3rds of us are between 40-60, which is a little surprising due to the high level of 'naive' idealism so often expressed here- I'd almost guess that a generic conservative age curve might be the reverse of ours- mostly very young or very old?

We have a couple 'overwhelming' consensus's:

95% (!!!) support the UN
75% believe God exists but doesn't support any single religion
72% think pot should be legalized but taxed

We also have some polarizing issues:

48% think thinks will get a lot worse, 26% think they will get a little better;

there seems little agreement about the causes of the Palestinian problem, except that we apparently do not blame the Iraeli or Palestinian peoples themselves, but the various national leaderships.

There are things to build community on here; and large social groups we do not have
well-represented for whatever reason. One thing I find very significant is the number of people who do not post (look at the views vs the votes). We seem to have our very own Silent Majority.

I'd be interested in any other conclusions people might draw from these informal polls...

Here are the actual poll numbers & post refs:

1. WHO ARE WE?
I live in:
a. the North- urban 5%
a. the North- rural 12%
b. the South- urban 19%
b. the South- rural 7%
c. the West- urban 25%
c. the West- rural 10%
d. the East- urban 14%
d. the East- rural 8%
Total Votes: 59 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #110385 · Replies: 61 · Views: 505

2. How COMPUTER SAVVY are we?
When it comes to computers, I am:
a. still wondering what to do with the foot pedal. 3%
b. able to send & receive email between crashes. 5%
c. actually understand those warning messages. 0%
d. know what a restore point is, and have used it successfully. 2%
e. upload and download stuff regularly 9%
f. am a Power Seller on eBay 3%
g. have built computers and receive emergency calls from friends. 9%
h. create websites & such, consider myself at the bleeding edge. 27%
i. never use a computer, why do you ask? 0%
j. all, some, or none of the above... 43%
Total Votes: 44 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #112715 · Replies: 19 · Views: 224


4. Vote on Marijuana Decriminalization
I think Pot should be:

a. legalized & unregulated 6%
b. legalized & taxed 72%
c. made a minor infraction 6%
d. made a more serious crime 11%
e. not my issue, man... 6%]
Total Votes: 18 Forum: Drug Policy Issues · Post Preview: #115710 · Replies: 36 · Views: 265

5. WHO is most at fault in the MidEast?
The worst culprits in the perpetual Israel/Palestine conflict is:
a. the Palestinian leadership 8%
b. the Palestinian people 0%
c. the Israeli leadership 8%
d. the Israeli people 0%
e. religious fundamentalists on both sides 25%
f. the Bush Administration, for aiding one side over the other 0%
g. American Zionists 0%
h. Europe, for profiting from both sides 0%
i. other MidEast nations, for 'stirring the pot' 25%
j. the UN, for not sending in peacekeepers and/or applying sanctions 0%
k. distorted media 0%
l. some other factor 33%
Total Votes: 12 Forum: Foreign Policy Issues · Post Preview: #117202 · Replies: 2 · Views: 56

6. Vote on the UN: should we get out?
The United Nations:
a. is pointless and the US should get out. 5%
b. is vital and the US should strengthen it's support. 95%
Total Votes: 22 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #117219 · Replies: 4 · Views: 84

7. WHO are WE?
I am:
a. under 15 0%
b. between 15-21 4%
c. in my twenties (22-29) 15%
d. in my thirties (30-39) 19%
e. hormones finally settled down (40-49) 34%
f. starting to plan retirement (50-59) 23%
g. worrying about grandchildren (60-69) 4%
h. am expert on Lazyboy furniture (70-79) 0%
i. can't remember {just kidding} (80-89) 0%
j. proud to have survived, due to my political views (90 & up) 0%
Total Votes: 47 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #119402 · Replies: 30 · Views: 275

8. Predict the Future!
Next year will be:
a. a little better than this year. 26.09%]
b. a lot better than this year. [ 2 ] ** [8.70%]
c. a little worse than this year. [ 3 ] ** [13.04%]
d. a lot worse than this year. [ 11 ] ** [47.83%]
e. the end of the world, for better or worse. [ 1 ] ** [4.35%]
Total Votes: 23 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #119433 · Replies: 7 · Views: 94

9. What do you think about GOD?
I think God:
a. doesn't exist 17%
b. exists, but doesn't operate on a merely human scale 46%
c. exists, cares about people, but is 'larger' than any one religion 29%
d. exists, and gave us clear instructions in the Old Testament 0%
e. exists, and the events in the New Testament are literally true. 4%
f. e, & is now preparing us for the Last Days. 4%
Total Votes: 24 Forum: Religion in Politics · Post Preview: #120904 · Replies: 14 · Views: 138

Thanks for the research...BUT!

Let's bear in mind that these percentages reflect only the opinions of the people that voted in each forum...not all bloggers here (in fact, not very many) are represented in these polls. In fact, probably a lot of people took one poll but not another (like me!).

So, because participation was so limited, I think we shouldn't count on these polls too much for deciding how to further our cause or what road to take.

Just a thought, but the polls are fun.

I hear ya, & that's why I mentioned the Silent Majority- I think only the 'confrontationalists' are posting; which is unfortunate but I can understand not wanting to be dumped on or for that matter ignored.

the thing about polls is that they work fairly OK with tiny percentages- under 5000 in some notorious national polls to predict the whole country.

Where polls here are overwhelming- such as the UN thing- it gives us something to build with, a coalition over other divergent issues.

& they are fun!

What I've learned from polling (especially your evolution poll) is that unless ALL participants have an option that is ALL true (not MOST true) to choose in the selections, the poll can be skewed and and unnecessarily divisive.

The goal should be the least number of options with the widest range of choice. Maybe this should be a two step process where the poll is conducted always leaving a "none of the above" option and the choosers must explain why if they choose "none of the above". After reading all of the none of the above reasons, a moderator conducts a new poll with better separation of options. Maybe they Title it "2ND POLL" so that members know to vote again.

The other reason for polling is not to polarize or take sides in an issue. Sometimes you can poll people with fine differences between similar or conflicting views just to get them to think about how petty and unworthy of dispute some of their differences are. It also can force them to take a position on a future conflict now so they won't be ill-equipped to act in the heat of a more costly confrontation later.

Two more polls:

Do you believe in "creationism/intelligent design" vs "evolution"

creationism/intelligent design [ 12 ] [26.67%]
evolution [ 33 ] [73.33%]
Total Votes: 45
http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...opic=12351&hl='" tppabs="http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...opic=12351&hl=" target='_blank'>


http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...topic=12351&hl=

What is your party affilation?

Republican [ 3 ] [5.36%]
Democrat [ 35 ] [62.50%]
Independent [ 12 ] [21.43%]
Libertarian [ 11.79%]
Green [ 1 ] [1.79%]
Other [ 4 ] [7.14%]
Total Votes: 56
http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...howtopic=12122'" tppabs="http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...howtopic=12122" target='_blank'>


http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...showtopic=12122

Hi Bill- just FYI, the evolution poll wasn't mine, but I hear what you are saying. Curiously, where I built in an 'other' response (esp the computer savvy one & Mideast ones) that response damaged the 'validity' of the other responses. Pollsters are in search of hard numbers, and you are right framing the Qs is everything. Our polling here is severely limited by having only one Q per poll.

My hope is that when the next elections roll around, CGCS polls will be media meat; and we will have developed some 'common ground' here- respecting the dissenters but knowing where we have majority agreement. We should have been able to sink wedge issues as fast as they came up last time, but on the KE forum the polling wasn't active. Now we know!

ThomPaine, this one was a surprise for me and it was why I stuck around as long as I have.


7. WHO are WE?
I am:
a. under 15 0%
b. between 15-21 4%
c. in my twenties (22-29) 15%
d. in my thirties (30-39) 19%
e. hormones finally settled down (40-49) 34%
f. starting to plan retirement (50-59) 23%
g. worrying about grandchildren (60-69) 4%
h. am expert on Lazyboy furniture (70-79) 0%
i. can't remember {just kidding} (80-89) 0%
j. proud to have survived, due to my political views (90 & up) 0%
Total Votes: 47 Forum: Online Café Archive · Post Preview: #119402 · Replies: 30 · Views: 275

KT

Can we put the general polls in one place? I did not vote in most of them. If it comes to specialized knowledge, like the Isr/Pal conflict, you kind of have to KNOW a lot about the darn thing since it's been going on for 100 years in it's present form and actually has a history as old as the religion and THEN some if you consider David and Goliath, The sacking of the second Temple, the rebuilding of it, the repeated attempts of Jews to go home, the various Satrapy's the ruled there ect... It's kind of like talking about tax code if your not an accountant.

Much of the time, I considered the polls a pain, TP. Therefore participated in a few, ignored others, and if I had taken the "Who Are We?" there would not be a zero after the 'h' item.

lenal

Here are the results of a poll on abortion (in the first trimester)

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...howtopic=14090'" tppabs="http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...howtopic=14090" target='_blank'>


http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...showtopic=14090

In the first trimester (1st 12 weeks), what is your position on abortion?

No abortion. No exceptions. [0.00%]
Abortion only to save the life of the woman. [10.71%]
Abortion only for physical health or save life. [0.00%]
Abortion only for mental or physical health or save life. [7.14%]
Only for socioeconomic reasons or mental/physical health or save life. [7.14%]
Without Restriction as to Reason [75.00%]

Total Votes: 28
Margin of Error: 15%
Summary:

#6 (75%) is the position of the Democratic party (Roe v. Wade), so no surprises there.
#2 (10.71%) is the position of the Republican party.

I think on a social thermometer, we're at about a 97.999 - right in that normal range

I want to answer, because I think the polls should show up in 2 different places, is that possible?

In the topic at hand, and maybe also in a poll section, where people can go just to answer polls

Think about doing it that way

Or possibly have some link to all polls that are open

I still wish the categories could all start out in one place (a general area, then moved later on to a localized area...I know, I know