The Boston Globe is reporting this morning that 53% of Massachusetts residents support Governor Deval Patrick’s casino proposal. The support cuts across all demographic groups.
From the Globe – – “In a survey of 500 adults conducted last week, 53 percent favored Patrick’s proposal, 34 percent opposed it, and 12 percent were neutral. Support cut across all ages, races, and geographic areas. Even churchgoers who said they worship weekly favor casinos.
“The support is very broad and cuts across almost all demographic groups – race, income levels, education levels,” said Andrew E. Smith, director of The Survey Center at the University of New Hampshire, which conducted the poll. “There is no strong opposition to the plan.”
david-eisenthal says
In a piece that I posted at The Eisenthal Report this morning, I wrote the following.
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The front page headline in today’s Boston Globe was “53% in poll back Patrick casinos plan.”
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The implication of this headline is that the Governor has a solid majority behind his plan to license three “destination resort casinos.” A closer examination of the poll results and methodology calls this into question. The poll in question was conducted by the Survey Center at the University of New Hampshire.
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First, in the poll, only 29 percent of those polled “strongly favor” legalizing casino gambling. 24 percent “favor somewhat” legalizing gambling. This does not sound like a groundswell of support for the Governor’s plan.
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On even closer examination, responses to one poll question indicate that only a small minority of those polled favor at least the number of casinos proposed by the Governor. 33 percent of those polled favor opening three or more casinos in Massachusetts, 32 percent favor opening one or two casinos, while 29 percent are opposed to any. A majority of those polled, 61 percent, oppose an important detail of the Governor’s plan – three casinos.
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Then there is the major poll question itself. The first question posed on gambling was as follows:
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I’d like to turn to the subject of gambling in Massachusetts. Governor Patrick has recently proposed legal casino gambling, including slot machines, at three locations in Massachusetts. Supporters argue that this will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues to the State of Massachusetts while opponents argue that casinos will increase social problems from compulsive gambling. What about you ? do you favor or oppose legalizing casino gambling in Massachusetts? Is that strongly or just somewhat?
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The way that this question is structured would tend to produce more favorable responses toward casino gambling. It talks about hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Massachusetts in support of casino gambling, but an increase in gambling addiction in opposition to it. Most of those polled will benefit at least a little from the increased revenues, but will not suffer from the effects of gambling addiction. The poll might have gotten a different response had it phrased the question as follows.
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I’d like to turn to the subject of gambling in Massachusetts. Governor Patrick has recently proposed legal casino gambling, including slot machines, at three locations in Massachusetts. Supporters argue that this will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues to the State of Massachusetts while opponents argue that casinos will increase compulsive gambling, crime, and traffic, and will decrease the general quality of life in Massachusetts. What about you ? do you favor or oppose legalizing casino gambling in Massachusetts? Is that strongly or just somewhat?
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The most enlightening thing about this poll is that it reveals the probable editorial position of The Boston Globe on the issue.