Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Trump Is Right: From Pollsters to TV Raters, Take the “Expert” Class with a Grain of Salt
Townhall.com ^ | July 21, 2021 | Julio Rivera

Posted on 07/22/2021 6:22:19 AM PDT by Kaslin

Former President Donald Trump used his recent speech at CPAC 2021 to highlight the longstanding misinformation campaign that the left has been waging for months, bringing to light a reminder of the daily inaccuracies we as Americans field from the so-called “expert” class daily.

Trump called out the egregious inaccuracies of the 2020 and 2016 pollsters, pointing out how they had him down in multiple states that he ended up winning, including by a whopping 19 points in Wisconsin in 2016.

While most have grown tired of litigating the last election cycle, the president’s speech presented valid points that should open the door for a larger picture policy conversation: estimations can only show so much, and the public and decision-makers should think twice before letting one person’s data dictate their decision-making.

We’ve seen the expert class get things wrong time and time again, from the 2016 and 2020 POTUS elections to the various polls leading up to the unexpected switch-up in the Georgia Senate races.

Beyond election polling, the egregious misses from the data dictators ring wide and cause far more damage to the American people and the cause of freedom than shortcomings in polling ever will.

Take the COVID-19 pandemic, for example. These so-called authorities have spent most of the last 18 months flip-flopping on nearly every major belief surrounding the coronavirus and its path of destruction. Masks, no masks. Eating out, ordering in. Socially distancing outside, remaining alone outside.

The “experts” put out so much conflicting data during the pandemic that it had Americans in a tailspin, sending our economy down the toilet and leaving millions out of work. Even today, nearly 70 weeks after the onset of the pandemic in America, do they really have a good grasp of what’s happening? And who is still suffering from their inability to remain accurate and consistent?

America's media networks are the most recent entity to suffer at the hands of the “experts” amidst this misinformation-fueled pandemic. Once hailed as the one and only TV ratings service, audience measurement giant Nielsen has come under fire for badly underestimating TV ratings during the pandemic compared to its competitors due to its antiquated tracking practices. The company’s obstinate insistence that viewership was down when Americans had more time to watch TV than ever before cost networks as much as $2.8 billion in lost advertising revenue.

It’s no wonder that One America News doesn’t subscribe to Nielsen’s services. The conservative television network has long warned about heeding too closely to the calls of monopolistic know-it-alls, and it appears to have called Nielsen’s bluff long before anyone else. Now, even the big dogs that use Nielsen — Fox, NBC, and the likes — are part of a conglomerate of networks going after the company for its inaccurate and outdated practices.

In his Farewell Address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said that, “while holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.” These words rang true then, and they ring even truer now.

While the data and opinions of pollsters and forecasters shouldn’t be overlooked, with everything that’s transpired over the last 18 months, lawmakers and the public must allow common sense to guide them to which forecasters are worth listening to — whether that’s public health figures who sounded alarm bells on the COVID lockdowns’ lack of utility long before most, or upstart TV rating services that present data in line with reality. They should also learn to rely on tangible beliefs rather than overly analytical “expert” guesses. Only then will consumers, businesses, and public choice receive the attention and protection they deserve.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: experts; presidenttrump

1 posted on 07/22/2021 6:22:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

The overwhelming majority of so-called experts, on television, are paid political operatives as all at FReeRepublic know, which does include media persons


2 posted on 07/22/2021 6:26:56 AM PDT by no-to-illegals ( Liberals, leftists, Rinos, moslems, illegals, lamestream media. All want America to fail and die )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

“While most have grown tired of litigating the last election cycle...”

It’s only been 8 months, and our side is already tired of litigating the last election cycle. That is the HUGE difference between “our side” and the left, we tire out easily, and they never seem to. They are still litigating the 2016 election results, they are still litigating the Civil War, and the Revolutionary War. Until our side matches the left’s enthusiasm and determination, we will always be on the losing side.


3 posted on 07/22/2021 6:43:58 AM PDT by euram
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

What makes people on T.V. news experts? Most of us can think for ourselves. The people who listen and believe most of the lies, are easily brainwashed.


4 posted on 07/22/2021 7:16:14 AM PDT by FreedBird (T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FreedBird
What makes people on T.V. news experts? Most of us can think for ourselves.

Yeah, like the "Trust the Science" BS we've been told for the last 18 months.

What they really mean is "Trust the Scientists", because from what I've seen, there's very little "science" (like studies with controls, etc.) going on.
5 posted on 07/22/2021 7:39:39 AM PDT by BikerJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Public must allow common sense to guide them.

Spot on to ban so few have any they voted Biden and Obama twice.


6 posted on 07/22/2021 8:40:30 AM PDT by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Who are the experts with the expertise to decide who gets to be an expert?


7 posted on 07/22/2021 2:57:24 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson