Push-Polls: What is Common Sense?

After news broke that a group called Common Sense Issues was behind those stupid pro-Huckabee push polls, I got a sharply-worded email about it.

"Please stop your telephone push-poll--it's probably illegal--you are not doing your organization any favors," the email read.

This confusion arose because I run an organization called NH Common Sense. Our website is NHCommonSense.org. After I replied with a confused email, my correspondent realized her mistake and expressed her concern that our organization's name would be sullied by association with Common Sense Issues.

I appreciated the heads-up, but somehow I wasn't too worried. NH Common Sense is short for New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, and when we graded the presidential primary candidates for our "Anti-Prohibitionist Candidate Report Card," Huckabee received a solid F. (This article and video will show you why.) Could people, beyond their initial confusion, really get the idea that a marijuana policy reform organization could be push-polling for Huckabee?

All this begs the question: what is common sense, anyway?

For Thomas Paine, it was common sense (or rather, Common Sense ) that the so-called divine right of kings was fundamentally illegitimate. For NH Common Sense, it's common sense that responsible use of a simple plant, one less harmful than alcohol or tobacco, should be legal. And for Common Sense Issues, what apparently passes for common sense is not only the notion that Mike Huckabee ought to be president, but that push-polling New Hampshire voters is a sensible way to bring about such a result.

So perhaps the definition of "common sense" is a little unsettled, but we can agree that being perceived as a person who possesses it is of paramount importance. Frank Luntz (love him or hate him) summed this up very well in his book, Words That Work:

"Common sense" is not just the best argument for almost any policy prescription you might propose -- it's essential. If you win and occupy the rhetorical territory owned by "common sense," your position will be virtually unassailable.

So, to clarify... push-polling New Hampshire voters only ticks them off, and isn't common sense. Marijuana policy reform, on the other hand, is about as common sense as you can get.

Don't you think Thomas Paine would agree?

Comments

[Rocku]

An old California Highway Patrol study also found that drivers on marijuana drove a course somewhat better than non-users and both non-users and pot smokers did far better than drivers with a couple of drinks in them.

Do I advocate driving while stoned? Nooooo... but I feel much less threatened by "stoners" than drunks. If there were but two rooms in life and one was filled with stoners and the other with "juicers" (drunks) which room would you go into?

[Cathexis]

"Common sense" is only as common as the intellectual capacities of the "common group" to think and evaluate rationaly, and to recognize/ resist manipulation by powers w/ vested interests/biases.

As we can see by the US's ill-considered War on Drugs (and especially the demonization of marijuana), Common Sense doesn't seem to be so common.

[abbiehoffmansghost]

In a study that I've done my whole adult life I have determined that if you are a driver from Massachusetts you are more dangerous than either drunk or drugged drivers; ban 'em all.

[Lucere]

Following an outbreak of push polling from Common Sense MD and Common Sense OH during the 2006 election, I did a little research and here's what I wrote and posted at the WashingtonPost at that time:

There is tremendous money laundering going on between extremely profitable "faith based" nonprofits who can hide their funding sources and various national political advocacy groups. For example, follow the money trail between expenditures for Ken Blackwell, the Republican Governors Association and Common Sense Ohio.

One should ask why does the Republican Governors Association make a $70,000 contribution to Common Sense Ohio, a 501(c)(4) group? 501(c)(4) groups are commonly called “social welfare” organizations that may engage in political activities, as long as these activities do not become their primary purpose, and yet Common Sense Ohio and Common Sense offshoots seem to have NO FUNCTION OTHER than to engage in political activities.

A quick look at the Common Sense Maryland website consists of a home page featuring two Senate candidates, a login page, and a contact page providing a single name treasurer's name, John Lind. Is that a "social welfare" website? It sure seems political to me.

These 501(c)(4) status of the groups need to be challenged now...Because what's happening in 2006 is just a playbook practice session for 2008.

Now.

Does any of that sound familiar? It should because they're back. Contact your Secretary of State and your states Attorney General to inquire about the legal status of these entities.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I don't care if you smoke dope, just for
fuck's sake PLEASE DON'T DRIVE if you do.
Thanks.