Shortly after Obama was sworn in, Rasmussen launched a series of Reports (see below) contrasting the views of the Political Class with those of Mainstream America on issue after issue. So who's in Rasmussen's Political Class? Politicians? Political operatives? DC bureaucrats? Leftist political junkies? Community Organizers? Nope, not them. Instead, Rasmussen's conjures up a "Political Class" based on the answers to 3 questions he embeds in his polls:
1. Generally speaking, when it comes to important national issues, whose judgment do you trust more - the American people or America’s political leaders?
2. Some people believe that the federal government has become a special interest group that looks out primarily for its own interests. Has the federal government become a special interest group?
3. Do government and big business often work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors?
No joke. Here's the how the Rasmussen Sorting Hat works:
ANSWER KEY:
Give yourself a -1 for each POLITICAL CLASS answer:
#1. Political Leader
#2. No
#3. No
Give yourself a +1 for each MAINSTREAM AMERICAN answer:
#1. American People
#2. Yes
#3. Yes
A "Not sure" answer scores 0. Add your scores to get your TOTAL SCORE.
TOTAL SCORE KEY:
- 2, -3 = Welcome to Rasmussen's POLITICAL CLASS! (7%)
-1 = Lean Political Class. (7%)
0 = Undecided (11%)
1 = Lean Mainstream (20%)
2, 3 = Welcome to Rasmussen's MAINSTREAM! (55%)
Surprised where Rasmussen's quiz puts you? I was. And I bet the folks who take his automated telephone survey would be too - especially those tagged as Political Class.
I expected Rasmussen to throw me into his Political Class with the other out-of-touchables. But no, with my total score of 0 or -1 (can't quite settle on an answer to #2), Rasmussen would have thrown my opinions out entirely as neither Political Class nor Mainstream.
How does this three question Political Class quiz work for Rasmussen? First, his scoring system lets him divvy up folks in his national telephone surveys into three groups: a very small group (4%-7%) with pro-government views who he calls the Political Class; 2) a much larger group (55%-65%) with anti-government views who he calls Mainstream America; and 3) a toss-out group whose views aren't allowed to dilute his Political Class vs. Mainstream contrast (31%-38%). Second, this particular set of questions, no doubt selected from dozens he's asked over the years, vitually guarantee that the opinions of his Political Class will conflict with his Mainstream in just the way he wants them to.
So who actually ends up in Rasmussen's 4%-7% "elite" Political Class? By definition, these are folks who trust political leaders over the American public, believe that the federal government is NOT a special interest group, and think that government and business do NOT work together against the interests of consumers and investors. Here's what Rasmussen offered in January 2009 (Note: In subsequent Reports, Rasmussen switched from "populist" to Mainstream):
The Political Class Index is based on three questions. All three clearly address populist tendencies and perspectives, all three have strong public support, and, for all three questions, the populist perspective is generally shared by Democrats, Republicans and those not affiliated with either of the major parties. We have asked the questions before, and the results change little whether Republicans or Democrats are in charge of the government.
--snip--
Thirty-seven percent (37%) of those on the populist side of the debate are Republicans, 36% are Democrats, and 27% are not affiliated with either major party.
Twenty-two percent (22%) of government employees are aligned with the Political Class along with just four percent (4%) of private sector workers.
But whoever ends up in Rasmussen's Political Class, it ISN'T the folks that "Political" + "Class" imply: Obama Administration policy makers, political operatives, leftist pundits, DKos members, high salary government employees, Democratic Party bosses. Nope, Rasmussen's Political Class is a false dichotomy masquerading as a scientific national survey. It's provided abundant fodder for Red State, rightwing pundits, the WSJ, the Weekly Standard, and even insinuated itself into the HuffingtonPost and CrooksAndLiars. Yielding nearly 20,000 Google search hits (Rasmussen + "Political Class"), Rasmussen has manipulated his polling to create a Political Class straw man as the adversary of Mainstream America, a meme central to the GOP attack on the Obama administration. Luntz must be very pleased indeed.
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Here are 25 Reports that Rasmussen's used to drive his Political Class versus the Mainstream narrative (all text following the Title are direct quotes from the Report):
55% of Americans Are Populist, 7% Support the Political Class March 20, 2009
Most Americans Say Let AIG Go Out of Business Political Class Disagrees March 21, 2009
Political Class Gives Geithner Good Reviews, Most Americans Disagree March 22, 2009
America’s Political Class gives Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner rave reviews—76% have a favorable opinion of him. Two-thirds (66%) of the Political Class say Geithner’s doing a good or excellent job handling the credit crisis and federal bailouts.
On Immigration, Large Gap Remains Between Mainstream America and Political Class April 14, 2009
51% View Tea Parties Favorably, Political Class Strongly Disagrees April 20, 2009
Most Americans Say Bailouts Were Bad Idea Political Class Disagrees April 21, 2009
Most Voters Say They Pay More Than Their Share of Taxes, Political Class Disagrees April 22, 2009
70% Say Big Government and Big Business On the Same Team April 23, 2009
The question about big government and big business being on the same team is one of three questions used by Rasmussen Reports to define the difference between the Political Class and those with Mainstream Views.
44% Believe Constitution Doesn't Restrict Government Enough June 10, 2009
As on many issues, there is a huge gap between the Political Class and the rest of the nation. Most who share Political Class views believe the current constitutional balance is about right. But 50% of those with populist or Mainstream views believe that there aren’t enough restrictions on government.
62% Hold Populist or Mainstream Views September 14, 2009
50% Now Say Global Warming Caused by Long term Planet Trends Political Class Strongly Disagrees December 14, 2009
65% Now Hold Populist or Mainstream Views January 24, 2010
Only 27% say US Still Remains Most Powerful Nation March 28, 2010
Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters in the Political Class say this relationship (Americas's with the Muslim world) will improve, but only 21% of mainstream voters say the same.
71% Say US More Positive Force in World than UN Political Class Not So Sure May 13, 2010
56% Still Want to Repeal Health Care Law Political Class Disagrees May 15, 2010
Voters Are Much More Embarrassed by Political Class than by Arizona July 14, 2010
68% Say Political Class Doesn’t Care What Most Americans Think July 15, 2010
23% Say U.S. Government Has the Consent of the Governed July 16, 2010
Rasmussen Reports has documented the wide gap between perceptions of the Political Class and Mainstream voters. To measure this gap, the firm has created a Political Class Index based upon three polling questions. Mainstream voters tend to trust the wisdom of the crowd more than the wisdom of politicians and are skeptical of the government and its relationship with big business.
Not surprisingly, only four percent (4%) of Mainstream Voters think the Political Class cares.
Over the past couple of years, most Americans have opposed many initiatives of the Political Class including the bailouts of the financial and auto industries. Additionally, most voters still favor repeal of the national health care plan and overwhelmingly disagree with the Justice Department's decision to challenge Arizona's new immigration law in court.
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls Ending July 17, 2010 July 17, 2010
Sixty-eight percent (68%), in fact, believe the nation’s Political Class doesn’t "care what most Americans think."
75% Say Free Markets Better than Government Management of the Economy Political Class Disagrees July 23, 2010
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls Ending July 24, 2010 July 24, 2010
Seventy-five percent (75%) of voters prefer free markets over a government-managed economy. But a plurality of the Political Class takes the opposite view.
Voters See Cutting Spending and Deficits as Good for the Economy Political Class Disagrees July 29, 2010
67% of Political Class Say US Heading in Right Direction 84% of Mainstream Disagrees August 3, 2010
Just 9% Want No Limits on What Federal Government Can Do August 6, 2010
48% Say It's Too Easy To Get An Abortion in America August 15, 2010
According to the poll, 93% of the Political Class trust Democrats more on the abortion issue, while 45% of Mainstream voters trust Republicans more.
Health Care Law - Most Voters Continue to Favor Repeal of Health Care Law, Expect Costs To Rise September 27, 2010
There also continues to be a large divide between the Political Class and Mainstream voters on the issue. While 73% of Mainstream voters favor repeal of the law, 86% of voters in the Political Class oppose repeal.