Dorman Disses TIR Poll

Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 6:42
Battleground Iowa
755 views
12 comments

By Emily Geiger

Apparently, some left-leaning mainstream media types (and one less-than-credible blogger) are taking issue with the TIR poll results showing that 67% of Iowans want the opportunity to vote on a traditional marriage amendment.

They are upset that TIR’s poll question asked whether Iowans should be able to vote on this issue, not how each particular poll respondent would vote on the issue.

If I were going to respond to the unhappy Mr. Dorman, here’s what I’d say.

I think you are looking for something to be critical about because you don’t like the outcome of the poll. Your scenario puts the cart before the horse. Why bother finding out how people would vote before finding out whether they even care if they get to vote?

Further, there are some interesting implications contained within this criticism. Your desire for a more direct question on how people would vote in an election for a pro-traditional marriage amendment implies that, perhaps, not all people who want to vote on this issue are supportive of such an amendment (i.e. that the 67% figure implies inflated support for the amendment).

But what is implicit in that is an acknowledgment that even people who support gay marriage think this is a matter for the people, not the courts to decide… that even many in the pro-gay marriage crowd think the court overstepped its bounds here.

Further, the quote from the One Iowa people in the article you cited by Mr. Lynch is laughable.

“At a time when Iowans are losing their homes and rebuilding after last year’s devastating floods, we should focus on issues of common concern to all Iowa families such as the economy, health care and education, rather than focusing on divisive issues and amending the constitution to hurt a number of Iowans,” One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison said Monday.

The gay rights crowd had no problem using valuable state resources (i.e. the court system) to get their way on this issue. Now, they don’t want others to be able use state resources to have their voices and opinions heard on this issue that is so central to the fabric of our society? And they’re using the economy as an excuse for this?

Let’s be honest. One Iowa doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the economic crisis. They just don’t want the gay marriage issue revisited because they’ll lose. And if they did care so much about the economy, they wouldn’t be advocating positions that will further drain state government and businesses (via same-sex partner benefits) and unhealthy lifestyles that will put further pressure on our healthcare system.

Mr. Dorman, you want to claim that this poll is not telling the whole story? That’s fine, but you’d better acknowledge that you’re not being completely honest either. Based on your writings, you appear to be highly biased on this issue. At least TIR is using scientific data collection methods to form its hypothesis. You, on the other hand, use individual speculation and armchair analysis based on nothing but what you want to be true.

I think I know which one is more believable.

Besides, if Iowa is such a progressive state as Mr. Dorman and so many other liberals keep telling us, why are they so scared of a vote on this issue?

Tags: Dorman, Gay Marriage

About the Author

Battleground Iowa has written 183 stories on this site.

Emily Geiger writes from a conservative perspective on everything from politics to religion to pop culture. Like the original Emily of Revolutionary War era, this Emily is delivering important messages crucial to winning the raging war of the time, but today, this is a culture war rather than a traditional one. And, like the original Emily, sometimes it takes a woman to do (or say) that which lesser men lack the courage and tenacity to do.

12 Comments on “Dorman Disses TIR Poll”

Moderation in Everything wrote on 15 July, 2009, 7:55
Ms. Geiger the provocateur–how could any self respecting conservative advocate having the brown stained probiscus of the government probing into citizens’ bedrooms? Didn’t the Schiavo debable teach you anything?
Lydia wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:01
Has the destruction of every culture that embraced homosexuality taught you nothing?

The only thing the Schiavo matter taught me is that if your husband wants you out of the way so that he can go on his merry way with his mistress, and you are unfortunate enough to have him making your medical decisions, you’re screwed.
Moderation in Everything wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:13
Lydia–the only thing I’m advocating is that the government has no business intruding into the private lives of citizens in the manner you and the likes of you propose. The Republic is doing just fine. I am more worried about the damage to democracy that results from the admixture of religion and politics. The conclusions you draw from the Schiavo matter are typical for the avid readers of check out line magazines. Bottom line–the Repubs suffered mightily from the fallout.
Lydia wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:34
“Check out line magazines?” So you don’t think he married his girlfriend after Terri was out of the way?

Here’s a source our devout (on Sundays, on church property, but other than that, anything goes) Catholic friend MIE should appreciate.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=5826
Moderation in Everything wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:40
Lydia–you are as delusional as ever. The case was presided over by a conservative Baptist judge. The women had been brain dead for over a decade. You and the former Senate majority leader thought you could you could impose your will on that poor family through the political process. How scary. You really need to think before you speak. I don’t think you fully understand the ramifications of policies you advocate.
Lydia wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:44
Right, because if someone disagrees with you, you don’t actually argue with them, you just resort to calling them stupid.

True to form liberalism, as usual.
Moderation in Everything wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:50
No Lydia. I have no problem with those who disagree with me. The problem with you is that you react viscerally without marshalling facts and presenting a logical argument. My goal is to form coarse thinkers such as yourself into sharp thinking advocates for our cause. People like you scare the vast middle. We need the middle to win.
soup wrote on 15 July, 2009, 8:53
Perhaps you should use your time and energy defending the reliability and validity of the TIR poll. Why so defensive? I’m having more and more doubts about this TIR poll as the days go by.
HawkCR1 wrote on 15 July, 2009, 18:19
Why are you doubting this poll Soup? Don’t like the fact that it shows your guy Culver is in deep trouble? Don’t like the fact that it clearly shows that Iowans WANT to vote on the issue of gay marriage?

What are you guys so afraid of?
Mr. Hawk wrote on 15 July, 2009, 18:56
” Don’t like the fact that it clearly shows that Iowans WANT to vote on the issue of gay marriage?“‘

- Please note that the poll did not address the issue of people who support civil unions, nor did it address those who support BVP’s idea of executive orders overruling the Iowa Supreme Court. The poll didn’t ask those questions on purpose.
SharpHawkeye wrote on 16 July, 2009, 15:56
If you consider Todd Dorman as a “left-leaning media type” then you are so far right you’re over the horizon…
HawkCR1 wrote on 16 July, 2009, 16:07
Sharp..

Yeah..Dorman is a left leaning media type….Dorman makes no mistake about the fact he’s a Democrat and he’s proud of it.

Overall though, when it comes to opinion boards, the CR Gazette compared to rags like the DSM Red Star and the IC Depressed Citizen….is relatively conservative…so I can understand why you’re confused Sharp.