Biased Surveys

A CNN Survey this morning shows how this biased popular new channel manipulates the news. The question they posed to the viewer was:

Should Social Security be privatized? The vote tally was 48% yes and 52% no. Yet nowhere have I read that any candidate was suggesting this black and white approach to the SS problem!! President Bush has stated a possible reform to SS by allowing younger people to put part of their deductions into private investments. He specifically stated this decision would be entirely up to the worker, not mandatory. He specifically stated that this program would in no way affect the people already drawing their SS benefits. By “loading” the question CNN was able to swing the vote to show another lie to help Kerry (who has attacked this Bush plan). When someone wants a desired result all they need do is run a “loaded” survey.

It’s done all the time, even right her in Peoria. Remember back in 1999, Bonnie Noble, Superintendent of the Peoria Park District, claimed that surveys showed 18,000 + people had a meaningful interest in joining the RecPlex? (Because of bad publicity they changed the name to the RiverPlex). The PPD now claims 7,000 “membership”, note the subtle wording, “membership”, not memberships. If they have 7,000 people (memberships) using the Riverplex and figuring an average of two people (which is low) per membership, that would indicate 3500 memberships and one-third of those being free scholarships, (the agreement they signed with the hospital and the State of Illinois requires one-third free scholarships), that means they have less than 2400 paying memberships. The Journal Star goes along with this subtle cover-up leading the public to believe the PPD is NOT going to lose the $6,000, to $7,000 a day in 2004.

The December 31, 2003 Financial Report, available to the public under the FOIA, verifies these losses. By using “creative” bookkeeping to keep such things as the yearly payment on the $10,000,000.00 RiverPlex bond and interest and with scholarships losses and some operating costs held OUT (approximately $450,000.00 held out so far) of the profit and loss statement, the PPD and JS can make it look like the taxpayers in Peoria, got a bargain. (Paying members are considered by private by health clubs as ones who buy yearly memberships to the club, not pay- by- the- day system the PPD uses to make the numbers look better).

Expect the PPD to claim “more than 450,000 people passed thru the doors of the Riverplex in 2004. But then the PPD does not have to worry about such silly things as losses because all they need to do is sell more bonds and raise taxes and claim fiscal stability. (An article in the JS, dated 6/16/99, projected a deficit of $152,639 if they had 3000 memberships by 2004.) With only approximately 2400 paying memberships as of September, 2004, look for the deficit to be $2,500,000.00+ when the 2004 Financial statement comes out in June of 2005!! Between then and now I’ll update you when I see the budget in December and the new bond issues in January.

As of 12/31/2003, the PPD owes $22,000,000.00 + of bond debt at maturity dates. They claim they only owe only $15,000,000.00 subtly overlooking the fact that they must pay additional interest everyday until the bonds are retired.

Anyway, so much for surveys!!

“Some people are good at showing just one side of the mountain. We need more people to speak out and show some of the other sides.” (Merle Widmer)_