Short answer? Of course not.

There is no logical reason for the results of a political poll to be used as a basis for altering a person's views. As far as I can tell, polls are used to discern general opinion; polls aren't meant to determine fitness for office, constitutionality of laws (bills, initiatives, or amendments), nor one's political views.

Anyone who casts a vote based on whether a poll suggests the majority of other voters are likely to vote a certain way shouldn't involve themselves in the election process.

The Iowa caucus is a fine example of my point.

As we've all watched recently, the liberal media has covered the leadup to the final Iowa caucus (a fact that must flabbergast rightwingers who are always complaining about the liberal media ignoring them). It is evident that Iowa voters are making a sow's ear out of a sow's ear.

They're listening to and discussing the skewed views of damaged candidates as if the views are logical and the candidates valid. The only information political polls can give us is whether general opinion favors the throwback or one of the hypocrites. Polls are certainly no basis for deciding one's votes or opinions.

-- Mike Wilson, Richland