Skip to content

Rural Tompkins County

The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Credentials

  • Home page
  • Rural Tompkins Blogs
  • About
  • Downloads

Recent Posts

  • Tompkins County: Living the Lie
  • It’s the repression you don’t see . . .
  • Stick a fork in it
  • The Secret Cornell – Published but not ended
  • “Native Americans” bumper sticker

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • January 2024
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • August 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • December 2018
    • October 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017

    Categories

    • Blogs
    • Rural Tompkins Blogs

    Meta

    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    “Tompkins County and Tammany Hall” – Ruler of all you survey

    “More Info ­– Less Filling” A more satirical treatment of the ethical misconduct that saturates the fabric of Tompkins County — the Urban Colonialism of Cornell University has marginalized and destroyed the “native” rural culture throughout much of the state; and runs the county for the benefit of its corporate “bottom line” — The New Paradigm: “Squat . . . shit . . . move on.”

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

    RULER OF ALL YOU SURVEY

    The “telephone survey” is an excellent example of how Tompkins County authorities validate elitist policy making – while at the same time giving the appearance of meaningful public participation.

    The following document uses the Town of Lansing Telephone Survey as a “How To” guide for politicians looking to legitimize “quid pro quo” government and short-circuit future opposition.

    How to Create the Perfect Telephone Survey

    Preparing the Survey

    TIP: Telephone surveys should always be carried out early in the decision making process; before residents have a chance to consider the ramifications or discuss the issues among themselves.

    It’s very important to decide on the answers you want before formulating your questions in order to ensure a successful survey.

    Include as many respondents as possible who will not be affected by the survey results.

    TIP: Avoid displaying any correlation between the respondents and their answers that may weaken your case: for example – people who rent, and only moved into town for ‘convenience’ or plan to stay less than five years, are unlikely to care about the long-term impact of your policies and are more likely to express support.

    Make sure your “random” survey has no surprises by instituting quotas of respondents for each of the different demographic categories you’ve created — Hang up any anybody who’s been “apportioned out.”

    TIP: “The Devil is in the Dialogue”: Don’t include any questions that you don’t want the answers to, and make sure to limit the choices in your “multiple-choice” questions.

    Ask the most questions in the areas you want to have the greatest weight in the results. This is your primary agenda.

    Add “filler”: Up to 50% of the questions should be non-arguable demographic questions: this will lend an atmosphere of solidity and worth to the survey.

    Generalize to avoid problem areas: the answers can be interpreted as an approval of any specific policy later.

    • Don’t ask — “Would you support a large increase in the school taxes?”

    • Ask — “Do you want our children to receive the best quality education?” [The inclusive “our” is always a useful touch.]

    Don’t ask residents if they actually want something: your position is to assume it will happen and ask what they want to do with it.

    • Don’t ask — “Do you want a Town Center?”

    • Ask — “Do you want sidewalks/a mini-mall in the Town Center?”

    Ask questions in a way that is psychologically loaded:

    • Don’t ask — “Would you support re-zoning to allow large-scale apartment complexes?”

    • Ask — “Would you support housing for families in need?”

    Make sure you offer special services to the people as a “rider” so they will support your development agenda: for example – “Is the use of tax dollars for the development of recreational biking/hiking and walking trails important to you?”

    Use the elderly and disabled as leverage to get what you want: for example – “Do you support use of tax dollars for [your agenda here] including services for the elderly and persons with disabilities.”

    Include the largest topic areas for your questions so that the general can override the specific: for example ask – “Agree or disagree – The roadways and intersections in the county are generally safe for pedestrians” ­ especially if the roads in your town are not safe for pedestrians.

    Presenting the Survey Results

    Always stress the accuracy of the survey’s methodology to mask the agenda used in the creating the questions and your interpretation of the answers.

    Use “pie” and “bar” charts to lend the weight of a scientific fact to your presentation.

    TIP: Add requests and suggestions from survey responders to make it seem as if you’re interested in what the public has to say.

     

    In Conclusion

    If you have followed the preceding guidelines and recommendations, you will have all the material you need to present a clear-cut “mandate” for your project or policy. FINAL TIP: Make sure all the influential “partner-stakeholders” receive a cut to be certain of their continued support.

    Posted on September 1, 2021September 1, 2021Author dougabaird@earthlink.netCategories Rural Tompkins BlogsTags Cornithaca County, Create telephone survey, government policy, rural social justice, rural tompkins County, Tompkins County, Tompkins County and Tammany Hall

    Post navigation

    Previous Previous post: “All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Cornithaca County is so corrupt . . .” 11
    Next Next post: “All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Our children may blame us” Bumper sticker
    Proudly powered by WordPress