We often hear about the effects that polling can have on the population. How it can help drive the narrative if the results are sufficiently skewed in one direction (see: Rasmussen; Scott Brown). How it can be used to sway the opinions of the electorate if the questions are not worded carefully (see pretty much every poll showing the populace against health care reform). If people don't have a basic understanding of polling, and a poll is taken out of context there can be another consequence entirely: misinforming them of basic facts.
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