* AFSCME Council 31’s Anders Lindall reached out to me this morning and asked if it was OK if his daughter got in contact with me about a school project. I said of course it was OK and Greta sent me this email…
Dear Rich Miller,
I have heard a lot about your blog and I was wondering if you would be willing to help me out.
I am in 7th grade and working on a science fair project about the correlation between age and beliefs about certain “controversial” issues—eg Green New Deal and voting behind bars.
For my survey I need a lot more Republican and Independent answers than I have now and I was wondering if you would help me get there. All I ask is that you post it on your blog and ask Republican and Independent readers only to answer it.
Here is the link to the survey:
https://forms.gle/gKitqoVA7Zu9PGj37
Thanks in advance,
Greta Lindall
Please don’t “freep” the survey if you’re a Democrat. She’s a kid. This is a school project. Thanks!
*** UPDATE *** Greta has updated her survey page…
Hi! Right now we DON”T NEED ANYMORE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS we only need Independents-but also need NO MORE MALES, only females (but females of any political party) thanks–Greta
Click here.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:36 am:
Good for her for wanting a survey that is a balanced representation. That’s already points for her project in my book.
- Anon E Moose - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:36 am:
Is the suggestion that people who age no longer hold controversial opinions?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:39 am:
I did Greta’s survey. It’s very quick and easy. Think it’s safe to say I fit the profile she’s looking to get more input from.
- A Guy - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:40 am:
Oops 9:39 was me. Demo, I balanced my thoughts with some of your influence (smile face)
- OneMan - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:41 am:
If you know the thesis it can skew the results, so lets not make assumptions about her hypothesis.
Did it even though I don’t really identify with the party I used to I still don’t indentify with the other.
- Ok, Boomer - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:47 am:
What a fascinating generation that we will see come of age in the next ten years! They are so much more politically aware and engaged than previous generations. Kudos to Anders and Greta!
- Amalia - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:49 am:
I love it when we get a kid to connect with us older folks on a topic we all love. magic.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 9:52 am:
Have no fear Democrats‼
If you desperately want to click on a link to support a project of Anders Lindall’s offspring, you can still click on the following link and purchase a ‘Soup and Bread’ stocking cap or tee-shirt designed by yet another bright and talented Lindall child.
In doing so, you’ll stay warm, look cool, and support some very, very worthy causes.
https://gumroad.com/soupandbread
– MrJM
*Offer also valid for Republicans and independents
- ChrisB - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:02 am:
The hardest question there is whether I identify as a Republican/Independent.
Given today’s political climate, this is going to take some introspection.
- downstateR - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:07 am:
Done. Good luck on your project, Ms. Lindall!
- Downstate - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:10 am:
Quick and easy survey. I would love if Rich might share the results of her report.
- Perrid - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:14 am:
That was more stressful than it should have been. I’m not sure what number best means, for example “We need the government to take decisive action on climate change but the GND is a pipe dream at best” ( I put a 6), or “Socialism is absolutely the best form of government on paper but people always mess it up” (also 6) or “Capitalism works great in a lot of ways but we gotta hold companies and executives more accountable and deal with income inequality” (an 8?).
And no I didn’t fake my survey, I marked myself as a Democrat.
- Winderweezle - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:15 am:
Done!
And check out Soup Bird! It’s not something I could pull off but its pretty cool!
- Moby - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:17 am:
Just an observation reading her letter….I’m impressed with her writing skills as a 7th grader. Better than most adults.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:25 am:
That’s a very well designed survey.
- Anders Lindall - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:26 am:
Thanks Rich. And thank you too @MisterJayEm!
- sonny chiss - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:29 am:
I participated, nice survey. I was at the left and right extreme on every answer, lol.
- Perry Noya - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:33 am:
Confession: It took me a second to register “voting behind bars.” At first I thought it meant voting behind the bars where drinks are served.
- JoanP - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:36 am:
I don’t fit the demographic she’s looking for, but I am impressed that she is taking the time and effort to make sure she’s got across-the-board representation on her survey.
@MrJM - thanks for that link. Looks as though there are some great kids in the Lindall family.
- R A T - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:38 am:
I liked the questions were not biased/slanted but simple and direct.
I think my participation was the most I ever contributed to a science fair because my own two were beyond flops.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 10:40 am:
Done, and it was easy to do.
- A Guy - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:07 am:
Appears as if all the Republicans have checked in. /s
- Honeybear - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:15 am:
Great idea coming to Capfax for I’s and R’s. So smart. Thank you Rich for being open to it. I think being generative with kids and politics is monstrously important. Once again, hurray capfax
A Guy, I didn’t see Sue and Steve check in. Oh right, she asked for Independents and Republicans. Sorry Raunerites s/
- pool boy - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:25 am:
Can’t find a republican in Chicago, say it ain’t so Mr. Miller.
- Just Another Anon - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:40 am:
Happy to try to fix her sample size. I did my best to answer the question she asked versus the underlying premise of the question.
For example, do I support the GND. Hell No. But a more nuanced survey would have a follow up regarding my general feelings on climate change. Do I support Open Borders? Ditto. But a more nuanced question would tease out that I value increasing legal immigration into the US. Do I support the idea of socialism? If the question is do I support community ownership of the means of production, then no. If the question is should the communities interest govern industry regulations (really more interventionism), then that’s a different kettle of fish.
The most concerning question is the “voting behind bars” question. That is a very vague term and I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant by it. I interpreted that term to mean people who have been convicted of a felony. I have absolutely no issue with people who are being held pending trial voting. I have no problem with people who are serving time on a misdemeanor voting. I do have an issue with people who have been convicted of a felony (and thus are subject to curtailment of their rights during the period of their incarceration) voting while they are in prison. So generically, I’m opposed to felons voting in jail, and thus opposed to “voting behind bars”.
Overall, I do admire the clarity of several of the questions, but others require, at a minimum, nuanced follow up. I hope that the hypothesis correctly accounts for that. That said, kudos to a very smart 7th grader.
- Badger - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:41 am:
Is this is a Social Science Fair?
- Michigander in DuPage - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:43 am:
Just took the survey. I am also interested in the results and hope she will share! Just wanted to share an update that the intro to the survey now says she is primarily in need of Independent and female respondents.
- Amalia - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:53 am:
oooh, cool. thanks for letting us play.
- RNUG - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 11:56 am:
Checked in as an Independent. That was the toughest to answer because I mostly lean conservative but I’m also very liberal on a few issues the GOP has problems with.The fact I voted for John Anderson and Ross Perot decided it …
- Perrid - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 12:33 pm:
I’m not criticizing at all, but I don’t understand the update’s “NO MORE MALES” bit. There’s no reason she needs to have even numbers of all the groups that I can think of. The more responses, for all of the categories, the better I would think. Having “extra” males, or republicans, or whatever wouldn’t hurt anything, especially since this isn’t really a random sample anyway (again, it’s pretty good for a kid in a science fair, I’m just saying the people on Rich’s blog might not be representative of the state).
- DuPage Guy - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 1:13 pm:
Some of the sample of questions here are concerning. Did she not go to her ISB to get her survey approved? Where is her advisor? I’m not sure if her null hypothesis passes the grade. /s
It’s a 7th science fair project. Lighten up.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 1:21 pm:
===but also need NO MORE MALES, only females===
Says a lot about your readership, doesn’t it Rich? Lol. Just kidding brah.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 5, 19 @ 5:09 pm:
1) Women legislators only (if you want things to get done)
2) Ten yr term limits each office
3) Ten yr ban on legislators becoming lobbyist
4) Permanent ban on legislators working for cannabis, gaming or any legislation they sponsored —let’s start here…