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Correct Answers
and Citations
to April 2007 Poll
My name is
_____________. I’m calling for Retro Poll.
This is not a sales call; we do public opinion polling, and your number
was chosen at random for a brief interview. Would you be able to take
a few minutes of your time to respond to our poll on current U.S. government
policies?
Are you 17 or over?
Thank you
1.
The Government and the Mass Media advocate a U.S. war on terrorism.
From the following
statements choose the one that best represents your own understanding
of the meaning of terrorism.
a) violent and random tactics used by enemies of the U.S. to attract
attention to their cause and create chaos.
b) the use of violence against civilian populations, with the intent
of causing fear, chaos, and social disorganization for political ends
c) murder and mayhem based on religious fervor
d) none of the above.
For a definition of terrorism, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terrorism
2 - 10. Major TV, radio networks and large city newspapers provide most
public information on national and international events. But do they present
the facts honestly?
For each of the following
news outlets that you have some experience with, give your opinion as
to whether each presents the truth
a) usually
b) mostly when it suits their interests
c) half the time or less
d) don't know.
2.
CNN (national) _________
3.
New York Times _______
4.
Fox News network _______
5.
MSNBC ________
6.
CBS__________
7.
Clear Channel Radio network_______
8.
NBC________
9.
The Washington Post _______
10.
Newsweek _____
In the rest of this poll, you will notice that the first half asks
for factual information and the second half asks for your opinions. In
the first part it is better to say you don't know than to guess the answer
to any question. Few people will know all the answers so don't feel bad
about saying you don't know. But please try and be honest and complete
the poll. We'll tell you where to find the right answers to the factual
questions later. Ok?
11. True or false: In the United States, the presidential
candidate who gets the most popular votes of citizens always wins. (t/
f/ d=don't know)
Correct answer:
False.
Every four years in
November, almost 90 million US citizens vote for the presidential candidate
of their choice, then in December, the president is elected by only 598
citizens who are "electors" of the Electoral College. In fact, the candidate
chosen by the voters can, and has, lost more than once.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/electcollege.htm
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/
12.
A year and a half after hurricane Katrina, the number of displaced people
who are still unable to return to their lives in New Orleans is
a) about 10,000
b) about 50,000
c) over 150, 000
d) d/know.
Correct answer:
c) over 150,000.
In fact the people
displaced by hurricane Katrina are not refugees, as often stated in the
commercial media, rather they are internally displaced persons, like nearly
2 million people in Iraq and are protected specifically under international
law. The victims of hurricane Katrina who had to flee their homes have
neither left the United States nor lost any of their human rights vis-à-vis
the U.S. government. However, they have left their homes involuntarily
and thus are internally displaced persons within the meaning of the 1998
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. The Guiding Principles describe
such persons as "persons or groups of persons who have been forced or
obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence,
in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed
conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights
or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally
recognized State [international] border" (preamble, paragraph 2).
http://www.asil.org/insights/2005/09/insights050921.html
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Hurricane_Katrina's_Displaced_Persons:_Purging_the_Poor
13. True or false: The administrative costs of
major health insurance companies are significantly lower than those of
the Federal Government's Medicare program. (t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
False.
A major reason for
the high cost of health care in the US is the exorbitant administrative
costs of the major health insurance companies. Another reason is the high
rates of profits taken out of health care dollars spent.
See:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/349/8/768
http://angrybear.blogspot.com/2006/01/us-health-care-system-administrative.html
http://www.everybodyinnobodyout.org/FAQ/dat_financ.htm
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021607O.shtml
14. True or false: The U.S. government opposes
and does not teach, sanction or engage in torture. (t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
False.
The U.S. government
does teach, sanction, and engage in torture.
In fact, authorization
for the use of torture is based on the highest authority, emanating directly
from the White House:
http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/dod/62204index.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/harbury09272005.html
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/13/global12428.htm
http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/movable_type/2004_archives/000991.html
15. After 4 years of U.S. military occupation of Iraq,
the number of people displaced from that country or their homes is about
a) 50,000
b) 150,000
c) 3 million or more
d) don't know
Correct answer:
c) at least 3 million civilians have been displaced within and out of
Iraq.
Also see answer to
question 12, above.
And see:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YZHG-6YUR4X?OpenDocument
16. True or false: Italy has filed criminal charges
against 26 US CIA agents for the kidnapping from Italy and torture of
a suspect. (t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/news/2007/intell-070216-voa01.htm
http://www.serendipity.li/cia/cia_milan_kidnap.htm
17. True or false: Research costs to develop new
drugs are responsible for higher costs of drugs in the U.S. than in Canada.
(t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
False.
See Paul Krugman,
Op Ed, NY Times, May 2005:
http://www.pkarchive.org/column/050605.html
And for a direct comparison
of prices for commonly prescribed drugs in Canada and the US, see:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/featurex/2004/03/drug_prices.html
18. True or false: Israel, the U.S. and the European
Union are committed to begin unconditional peace talks with Palestinian
leaders that could soon end the decades long military occupation of Palestinian
lands. (t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
False.
For background on
the Palestinian leaders, see:
http://opencrs.cdt.org/rpts/RS22395_20060303.pdf
For statements by
Secretary of State Rice on the preconditions for talk with Palestinian
leaders, see:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/19/mideast/index.html
19. True or false: In 2007, Josh Wolf was imprisoned
longer than any other journalist in US history for refusing to testify
concerning his video recordings and observations of a political protest
in San Francisco. (t/ f/ d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Wolf_%28journalist%29
20. Who is Maher Arar?
a) heavy weight champion of the world who protested the Iraq War
b) Canadian citizen awarded $11 million for being tortured under
the U.S. extraordinary rendition
c) one of the 9/11 hijackers
d) none of the above or don't know
Correct answer:
b) Canadian citizen awarded $11 million for being tortured under the U.S.
policy of extraordinary rendition.
http://www.altmuslim.com/perm.php?id=1866_0_25_0_C
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=5a75e536-19fe-4a9b-ad71-04176feb2205
21. True or false: Iran threatens to become the
only nuclear power in the Middle East. (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
False.
Israel has had hundreds
of nuclear weapons and strike capability for more than 20 years, and has
refused international inspections. Pakistan and India also have nuclear
arsenals and missiles.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/
22-28. Which of the following are true regarding the Bush Administration:
22) fabricated intelligence to start a war with Iraq
(t/f/d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://www.mondovista.com/iraniran.html
23) seeks peace with Iran but found Iran unwilling to
negotiate (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
False.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/15/Worldandnation/Bush_accuses_Iran__de.shtml
http://rwor.org/a/062/iaea-en.html
In fact, Iran requested
direct talks with the U.S. a year ago:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/23/AR2006052301540.html
24) effectively responded to the tragedy of New Orleans
after Katrina showing the value of the Homeland Security Administration
in dealing with domestic disasters (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
False.
http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4765058.stm
http://lawgeek.typepad.com/lawgeek/2005/09/bushs_response_.html
25) improved the world's trust and admiration of the
U.S.A. (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
False.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-06-15-retired-officials-bush_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA
26)
used the 9/11 events for their own political ends (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://www.collegenews.org/x6084.xml
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0913-35.htm
27) enacted laws and used signing statements to accumulate
unrestrained powers over us (t/f/d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20040116.html
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/19092
28. True or false: President Bush carried through
on his promise to fire anyone in his Administration who was involved in
leaking the name of a secret CIA agent to the media. (y/n/d)
Correct answer:
False.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8605680
29.
True or false: immigration raids by government agents have left hundreds
of U.S.-born children homeless, parentless, or in detention. (t/ f/
d)
Correct answer:
True.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/3/7/155946/9538
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/03/MNG37OEJO51.DTL
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/04/03/us_immigrant_raids_spur_fears_in_children/
The following questions ask for your personal opinion. If you agree
with more than one answer choose the one that best represents your view.
If you have no opinion or your opinion is not among the choices, please
say so.
30. Should the U.S. immediately withdraw all its troops
and military bases from Iraq in a safe and orderly fashion? (y/n/d)
31.
The many people who cross into the U.S. without permits and stay here
to live and work are:
a) a terrorist threat
b) a natural result of enforced economic inequalities between nations
c) criminals who are taking advantage of our country
d) don't know
32
Should the Congress impeach and remove from office President Bush and
Vice President Cheney for the Iraq War or other offenses? (y/n/d)
33.
A single payer system for health care would be similar to a Medicare insurance
package extended to everyone. Do you believe such a system should be implemented
in the U.S.? (y/n/d)
34.
Should the U.S. Congress cut off funding for the ongoing occupation of
Iraq, except for funding an orderly and supported withdrawal? (y/n/d)
35.
Do you oppose the use of torture by the U.S. government? (y/n/d)
36.
Have you spoken out against or otherwise protested against the use of
torture by the US? (y/n/d)
37.
The most likely reason why Iran might want nuclear weapons is:
a) Israel has accumulated hundreds of nuclear weapons, refuses
inspections and won't participate in discussions to eliminate nuclear
weapons from the region
b) Iran is intent on conquest of others
c) the U.S. has attacked Iraq-which had no nukes-but didn't attack
N. Korea, which does
d) none of the above or don't know.
38.
If Israel continues the construction of a separation wall within the occupied
Palestinian territories that was condemned by the International Court
of Justice should the U.S. cut off aid to Israel? (y/ n/ d)
39.
Recent immigration police raids and roundups of thousands of people in
communities and workplaces across the U.S. by the government are mainly:
a) necessary to prevent terrorism
b) the type of scapegoating Hitler used to unite the German people
behind war
c) unfortunate but necessary to protect our jobs
d) don't know
40.
Do you agree or not agree with the government's assertion that people
seized and detained at Guantanamo are presumed dangerous terrorists or
they would not have been seized in the first place? (y/ n/ d)
41.
Who can you depend upon most to protect your rights?
a) the U.S. government and military
b) yourself, family and friends
c) the general public
d) civil rights lawyer
e) talk radio hosts
f) none of these.
Please provide your
age (42)___________;
gender (43)______(use small f/ m);
highest educational level (44)______ (G=grades 1-11, HS=high school grad,
SC=college without a degree, AA=2 year degree, BA=any 4 year degree, AD=Advanced
or professional degree)
City (45)___________(begin with capital letter);
State (46)_____ (use 2 letter abbreviations in capitals)
Ethnicity (47)______________(NA=Native American, AP=Asian/Pacific Islander,
AA=African American, LA=Latin American, CA=European-American, DS=Decline
to State, BR=Biracial)
Thank you so much for participating in our poll and for caring enough
to share your views. For answers and links to the factual questions please
check our web site at www.retropoll.org
any time. Final poll results will be posted on May 3rd, 2007.
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