Chart 'O the Day "L" word edition
by digby
Kevin Drum:
Here's a fascinating tidbit of research. A pair of grad students surveyed 2,000 state legislators and asked them what they thought their constituents believed on several hot button issues. They then compared the results to actual estimates from each district derived from national surveys.
The chart on the right is typical of what they found: Everyone—both liberal and conservative legislators—thought their districts were more conservative than they really were. For example, in districts where 60 percent of the constituents supported universal health care, liberal legislators estimated the number at about 50 percent. Conservative legislators were even further off: they estimated the number at about 35 percent.
Here's the chart:
Kevin wonders why this is so and speculates that it's the Fox effect as well as the hard right nature of the modern GOP.
I think that's true. But I would also guess that the mainstream media continuously saying "this is a conservative country" as if it's self-evident has an effect too.
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