Percentage of Americans who think race relations are improving has dropped by 50 percent since Obama became president

Jim C. writes:

I guess all “Change!” is not for the better:

Rasmussen On Race Relations

Rasmussen reports, based on past and recent polls, that in January 2009, “the month the nation inaugurated its first African-American president, 70% of voters said relations between blacks and whites were getting better.” By October of that year, however, “just 36% said the same.”

Now, a new poll has found that “just 33% of Adults rate race relations in America today as good or excellent,” and only “38% of Americans think race relations are getting better.”

LA replies:

I have no idea what such polls mean. I don’t think they have any objective meaning on which any useful interpretation can be built.

Jim C. replies:

My guess: whites have seen what Black Run America looks like under an affirmative action regime—and they don’t like it.

LA replies:

That’s a hopeful way of seeing it. Still, I think this is nothing but guesswork on your part, in which you are reading your own preferred meaning into the poll. The polls itself is meaningless. What does it mean, to ask people, “Do you think race relations are improving?” What objective or common standard are respondents referring to when they answer? What is the definition or index of “good” race relations versus “bad” race relations? No one, including the pollsters, has the slightest idea.

Jim C. replies:

I doubt that’s how a pollster would ask a question. I’ll look into this.

Jim C. continues:

You’re right—the Rasmussen questions are lame:

Questions—Race Relations—October 4-5, 2010

Democrats Think Tea Party’s Racist; GOP, Unaffiliateds Disagree

National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters

Conducted October 4-5, 2010

By Rasmussen Reports

1* These days, are relations between white and black Americans getting better or worse?

2* Are relations between white Americans and Hispanics getting better or worse?

3* Are relations between Black Americans and Hispanics getting better or worse?

4* Are most Americans racist?

5* Are most members of the Tea Party racist?

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

You should post on this. Rasmussen is overrated—not defining his terms. Give me a break.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 17, 2011 11:20 AM | Send