Survey Says!!!!

I try to write my representatives and elected officials on important issues. I encourage other libertarian conservatives and classical liberals to do the same.

Recently my State Representative Paul Gardner e-mailed me to take a survey.

Greetings. I'm sending out this e-mail to constituents of District 53A who have sent me e-mail during the last few years. Every year I put together an electronic survey asking for your opinion on key issues that are before the Legislature. Generally I try to have a good sense of where my constituents are at on certain things, but I really would like to hear from you on these six issues. This survey should only take a few minutes. Your opinions are very important---each year hundreds of constituents reply and also give me thoughtful comments at the end of the survey and I read them all.

Here is the link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9PJGHY5

Thank you very much for your input, and have a great day!

Rep. Paul Gardner
Minnesota House of Representatives District 53A
(651) 296-2907
rep.paul.gardner@house.mn
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?district=53A
blog: www.paulgardner53a.blogspot.com
Home phone cell line: (612) 227-4582

And on Friday I got a follow up email:

Greetings. Last week I sent out a request to complete a six-question survey to 888 constituents for whom I had e-mail addresses. So far I've received 522!

I'd like to share the results with you at my blog at http://www.paulgardner53a.blogspot.com/.

If you'd like to sign up for my regular e-mail updates, please sign up at http://www.house.mn/53a.

Have a great weekend!

He does acknowledge there is no statistical value to the survey.

I wrote back warning him not to fall into Pauline Kale Syndrome and how skewed data can be worse than no data.

Paul responded back to me withing 45 minutes:

Hi KR. I did make a disclaimer that it is not statistically valid since it is not a random survey. However, it was a pretty good batch of responses. I didn't post the individual responses because people left personal info like their names etc but those were very helpful too.

I have to admit his quick response impressed me.

But how will what this "survey says" influence his actions? Will it push him farther to the left?

I emailed Paul again, this time asking him what, specifically, his positions are on these issues.

I don't know how he will respond, but OK, I admit it, I still am disappointed.

This statement alone explains that Paul doesn't think it is your money; Paul thinks it is the government's money. From his blog:
"The cost to the State of Minnesota of this deduction (and therefore a benefit to the taxpayer) is more than $400 million a year."

And for more perspective:
Phil Krinkie was my 35A state representative.

Also posted on G.O.M.