The Supremes

[Pods 7586]

1 hour ago, Satchel said:

To listen to Supreme Court Justices wring their hands about a state being allowed to potentially decide an election when the Supreme Court allowed a state to decide an election in Bush v. Gore is mind blowing.

 

 

[HenryJames 66142]

What Trump did was bad, but not being 35 and running for President is way worse, imo.

[Homercles 10206]

14 hours ago, David Dennison said:

I feel kinda bad because the older I get, the less I care.

I’m about to turn 44 and was told the older you get, the more conservative you are…the ‘I got mine’ clause.  Frankly, the more confident and financially stable I become, I actually find myself caring more about other’s plights because I have fewer personal existential threats to concern myself with. 

[texasdago 7576]

2 hours ago, Homercles said:

Frankly, the more confident and financially stable I become, I actually find myself caring more about other’s plights

I think as we get older, we get more experience and then you start realize that some of the yelling and screaming about certain things may not be true.

OBAMACARE IS OF THE DEVIL?!?!?!?!

Oh... hey... you're telling me Obamacare now requires my insurance company to cover the entire cost of my colonoscopy?  Hmmm... 

[Gatorubet 30278]

10 hours ago, Satchel said:

To listen to Supreme Court Justices wring their hands about a state being allowed to potentially decide an election when the Supreme Court allowed a state to decide an election in Bush v. Gore is mind blowing.

The Supreme Court doesn’t want to dirty its hands much with voter suppression and gerrymandering issues. Because the red states who do that can allow a single state to swing an election.

But that is different because…….

[David Dennison 18943]

IOKIYAR

[Dnaguy 12025]

52 minutes ago, texasdago said:

I think as we get older, we get more experience and then you start realize that some of the yelling and screaming about certain things may not be true.

OBAMACARE IS OF THE DEVIL?!?!?!?!

Oh... hey... you're telling me Obamacare now requires my insurance company to cover the entire cost of my colonoscopy?  Hmmm... 

 

Biden and Obama came through in telling the insurance companies to shove it up the ass.

 

Promises made. Promises kept.

 

Biden 2024

[atomheartbevo 89771]

9 hours ago, texasdago said:

I think as we get older, we get more experience and then you start realize that some of the yelling and screaming about certain things may not be true.

OBAMACARE IS OF THE DEVIL?!?!?!?!

Oh... hey... you're telling me Obamacare now requires my insurance company to cover the entire cost of my colonoscopy?  Hmmm... 

A twenty something probably doesn’t realize who pays when an uninsured person winds up in the ER for a nasty flu episode.  Those of us who are older realize that we all pay when that happens, and that it would be better and cheaper for all of us if that uninsured person had access to medical care that saw them visiting a doctor’s office and then heading over to a pharmacy for Tamiflu.

[David Dennison 18943]

2 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

A twenty something probably doesn’t realize who pays when an uninsured person winds up in the ER for a nasty flu episode.  Those of us who are older realize that we all pay when that happens, and that it would be better and cheaper for all of us if that uninsured person had access to medical care that saw them visiting a doctor’s office and then heading over to a pharmacy for Tamiflu.

Remember kids, Texas could expand Medicaid whenever it wants. Unfortunately, this state is run by a bunch of assholes.

Edited February 10 by David Dennison

[Horn Dog 9899]

11 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

A twenty something probably doesn’t realize who pays when an uninsured person winds up in the ER for a nasty flu episode.  Those of us who are older realize that we all pay when that happens, and that it would be better and cheaper for all of us if that uninsured person had access to medical care that saw them visiting a doctor’s office and then heading over to a pharmacy for Tamiflu.

Yup.  “Socialized medicine” has always been here, just the stupidist and most expensive kind imaginable.   When I was a medical resident at a county hospital I had a patient who would show up every evening complaining of “10/10 chest radiadiating down my arm”.  You can’t dismiss it so you do the 10k work up each time but after he gets a snack he gets up and leaves AMA. Rinse and repeat.  I finally asked him why he does this every night and he says because he is hungry and its how he gets something to eat.  I finally got him to agree to stop till my month rotation was over  in exchange for $50 and a sack of sandwiches I stole from the cafeteria.  I did it cause I was sick of being woken up every midnight to do a fake chest pain workup, but probably saved the county tax payers 100k that month.

Edited February 10 by Horn Dog

[gmr548 16590]

12 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

A twenty something probably doesn’t realize who pays when an uninsured person winds up in the ER for a nasty flu episode.  Those of us who are older realize that we all pay when that happens, and that it would be better and cheaper for all of us if that uninsured person had access to medical care that saw them visiting a doctor’s office and then heading over to a pharmacy for Tamiflu.

Honestly I think it is the opposite. The complete inability to think critically about how the common good and the individual interest can be aligned is almost exclusively a trait of older folks in my experience. At some point your views are just too hardened. Of course, that is anecdotal. 

[gmr548 16590]

23 hours ago, Homercles said:

I’m about to turn 44 and was told the older you get, the more conservative you are…the ‘I got mine’ clause.  Frankly, the more confident and financially stable I become, I actually find myself caring more about other’s plights because I have fewer personal existential threats to concern myself with. 

I've gotten more practical in my progressivism now in my 30's vs 10-15 years ago at UT, more willing to see the virtue of incremental progress or compromise.

My core views have not changed and if anything I feel stronger that the vast majority of this country is getting turbofucked by the system in place having really gotten in on the fun myself. If anything my biggest policy shifts are predominantly in realizing there are places where major change is needed that I hadn't really considered when I was younger (land use, policing, etc).

[texasdago 7576]

Ive definitely moved more to the center and you can thank the 2016 election for that.

 

As for socialized medicine, seeing how treatment worked when dealing with injuries in Austria and France told me maybe our system here sucks.  That and people make medical decisions based on cost and not health because everything costs an ass load of money. 

[Captainant 27720]

6 minutes ago, texasdago said:

That and people make medical decisions based on cost and not health because everything costs an ass load of money. 

"Insurance" companies make medical decisions for their customers on the basis of what is most profitable for their shareholders. Our system is fundamentally broken, and it will remain that way for as long as our medical system answers to shareholders demanding infinite quarterly growth

[texasdago 7576]

42 minutes ago, Captainant said:

"Insurance" companies make medical decisions for their customers on the basis of what is most profitable for their shareholders. Our system is fundamentally broken, and it will remain that way for as long as our medical system answers to shareholders demanding infinite quarterly growth

Yup.  And it's amazing that people fight to keep the system and by people I don't mean corporations or lobbyists

[safe sex 11739]

Well, it improves the lives of those less fortunate, so..

[Brisketexan 105192]

The complete inability to think critically about how the common good and the individual interest can be aligned is almost exclusively a trait of older folks in my experience.

FANTASTIC short form statement, and I will be stealing it. I don’t agree that it’s exclusively old folks, but it’s heavily weighted that way.
And I share your utter confusion and frustration about the phenomenon. Good public education is a great example. Yes, it benefits little Johnny or Jose if we spend money educating him: teaching him to read, do math, basic critical thinking and problem solving. And heaven forbid we should spend MY tax dollars helping…you know….THEM. But FFS, investing those tax dollars in Johnny and Jose make them into more productive members of society, helping our GDP which ultimately helps me. And it keeps them from resorting to stealing my car. And it keeps me from having to spend 10 years of prison costs on them.
Spend a dollar today, yielding $1.50 in returns, AND avoiding $5 in losses/costs later for each $1 spent? It’s a fucking no-brainer. But we can’t get there. Not even close.

[David Dennison 18943]

4 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Honestly I think it is the opposite. The complete inability to think critically about how the common good and the individual interest can be aligned is almost exclusively a trait of older folks in my experience. At some point your views are just too hardened. Of course, that is anecdotal. 

I'd like to think Gen X will be different, but whatever.

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

49 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

FANTASTIC short form statement, and I will be stealing it. I don’t agree that it’s exclusively old folks, but it’s heavily weighted that way.
And I share your utter confusion and frustration about the phenomenon. Good public education is a great example. Yes, it benefits little Johnny or Jose if we spend money educating him: teaching him to read, do math, basic critical thinking and problem solving. And heaven forbid we should spend MY tax dollars helping…you know….THEM. But FFS, investing those tax dollars in Johnny and Jose make them into more productive members of society, helping our GDP which ultimately helps me. And it keeps them from resorting to stealing my car. And it keeps me from having to spend 10 years of prison costs on them.
Spend a dollar today, yielding $1.50 in returns, AND avoiding $5 in losses/costs later for each $1 spent? It’s a fucking no-brainer. But we can’t get there. Not even close.

Some time ago there was a fellow who ran for city council where I live. He was of the 'no taxes, I'm a fiscal conservative, no social benefits for the community unless there is a fiscal ROI' variety. His platform was quite austere and he wanted no money to go into the parks department, despite the rapid growth of the community. One of the city's requirements for developers was setting aside some land for a park (I think it depended upon subdivision size) and this guy objected because parks have to be maintained and he didn't think residents should have to pay for parks all over town, etc. Well, I happened to look up this guy and guess what? He lived across the street from a park, a very nice park that was well maintained by the city. But two miles away in a neighborhood where some apartments were being constructed--well those residents were going to be SOL if he got elected--just some green space with no equipment for the children like this guy's neighborhood had because we'd already paid for his. I might've put the word out about that and was relieved that a slightly different fiscal conservative got elected. One who didn't mind funding parks that benefit all of the citizens but also kept an eye out against wasteful spending in areas such as hiring the retired  friend of one of the other members as a "consultant" when reviewing building plans when the city had its own architect. LOL.

[Chad Fuck 17713]

I'd like to think Gen X will be different, but whatever.

Maybe, but even so, there aren’t enough of us.

[abuelo gringo 321]

5 hours ago, gmr548 said:

I've gotten more practical in my progressivism now in my 30's vs 10-15 years ago at UT, more willing to see the virtue of incremental progress or compromise.

My core views have not changed and if anything I feel stronger that the vast majority of this country is getting turbofucked by the system in place having really gotten in on the fun myself. If anything my biggest policy shifts are predominantly in realizing there are places where major change is needed that I hadn't really considered when I was younger (land use, policing, etc).

I feel similarly, only it's been over 50 years since I was at UT.  Yes, I'm a boomer, but not one of those with an "inability to think critically about how the common good and the individual interest can be aligned."

At times, I get angry and revert to the borderline radicalism of my youth.  I guess what has changed the most is my opinion on how to go about effecting change and how quickly we can expect it.  (If ever.)

[Fudge Nuggets 19210]

1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Maybe, but even so, there aren’t enough of us.

The younger end of Gen X may be ok, but the older end is just as bad as the boomers.

[Satchel 6939]

6 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Honestly I think it is the opposite. The complete inability to think critically about how the common good and the individual interest can be aligned is almost exclusively a trait of older folks in my experience. At some point your views are just too hardened. Of course, that is anecdotal. 

Chuckle, the common good is so 1960s

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

1 minute ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

The younger end of Gen X may be ok, but the older end is just as bad as the boomers.

I think it varies, I really do. Brett Kavanaugh is at the older end but Josh Hawley is at the younger end. Yet I know Gen X of various ages that are way to the left of those two. Gen X seems to march to their own beat but no one pays any attention regardless which could explain some of the disaffected MAGA types that went to DC wanting to be seen. As a whole, though, and perhaps moreso in middle America you're probably more correct than my own anecdotal experience.

[grazinhorn 472]

2 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

Some time ago there was a fellow who ran for city council where I live. He was of the 'no taxes, I'm a fiscal conservative, no social benefits for the community unless there is a fiscal ROI' variety. His platform was quite austere and he wanted no money to go into the parks department, despite the rapid growth of the community. One of the city's requirements for developers was setting aside some land for a park (I think it depended upon subdivision size) and this guy objected because parks have to be maintained and he didn't think residents should have to pay for parks all over town, etc. Well, I happened to look up this guy and guess what? He lived across the street from a park, a very nice park that was well maintained by the city. But two miles away in a neighborhood where some apartments were being constructed--well those residents were going to be SOL if he got elected--just some green space with no equipment for the children like this guy's neighborhood had because we'd already paid for his. I might've put the word out about that and was relieved that a slightly different fiscal conservative got elected. One who didn't mind funding parks that benefit all of the citizens but also kept an eye out against wasteful spending in areas such as hiring the retired  friend of one of the other members as a "consultant" when reviewing building plans when the city had its own architect. LOL.

Where I live there is a long history of terrible treatment of the minority areas, including things like upkeep or improvements to parks.  So guess who was taking advantage of the nice parks in the nicer parts?

More recently there has been a clear effort to spread the wealth, so to speak, by the parks department.  For years I have run past this one particular park in a rough part of town, especially on longer runs on the weekends.  Happy to say that the last couple of years I see not just a lot of people but huge parties/events/cookouts at the improved facilities.  Like, I want to stop and see if they'll let me hang out, the food smells amazing.

The cynical side of me wonders about the motivation to spend $$$ to improve those certain parks.

[David Dennison 18943]

14 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

Sorry brothers and sisters, but Gen X is literally the most Republican/Trumpiest generation.  https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/1217878506/gen-x-conservative-disapprove-biden

Of course we know Gen X people who aren’t - it’s 60/40, not unanimous - but we have actual data on this.

I'm always curious what percentage of "disapprove" comes from left leaning and progressive voters.

[Brisketexan 105192]

Sorry brothers and sisters, but Gen X is literally the most Republican/Trumpiest generation.  https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/1217878506/gen-x-conservative-disapprove-biden

Gen X is the most Republican of the generations," said Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of the book Generations, which examines what drives generational differences.
NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist pollingunderscores that point: By generation, Biden has the highest disapproval rating from Generation X (62%), compared with the Silent/Greatest Generation (48%), baby boomers (48%) and Generation Z/millennials (50%). Biden also has the highest "strongly disapprove" rating from Gen X (52%), compared with the Silent/Greatest Generation (41%), boomers (39%) and Gen Z/millennials (35%).

Of course we know Gen X people who aren’t - it’s 60/40, not unanimous - but we have actual data on this.

The thing is, that article really doesn’t support the idea that Gen X is more Republican. We have a high disapproval of Biden, but as noted plenty of times, a lot of folks who disapprove of him will still vote for him.
Also, we’re a bit schizophrenic - we were the first generation to push back on hypertensive political correctness, and the article also notes that we push back against current conservative book banning shit.
Layer on the fact that it’s the ultimate “left behind” generation, and you also have a feeling of being excluded from this American dream that everyone told us was right there, easy to grab (and it was…right up until the moment we reached an age where we could start achieving it, and then the ladder kept getting pulled up.)
So, the point I got is that we are likely the most vociferously “fuck all of these fuckers” generation.

[DixonHur 11347]

On 2/9/2024 at 8:13 AM, Homercles said:

I’m about to turn 44 and was told the older you get, the more conservative you are…the ‘I got mine’ clause.  Frankly, the more confident and financially stable I become, I actually find myself caring more about other’s plights because I have fewer personal existential threats to concern myself with. 

I feel the same way, but have also noticed that the older I get (just turned 53) the less I'm inclined to do anything about it.  

When I was younger I used to be out there volunteering and trying to save the world.  Now I just bitch about things on Surly.

[DixonHur 11347]

6 hours ago, texasdago said:

As for socialized medicine, seeing how treatment worked when dealing with injuries in Austria and France told me maybe our system here sucks.  That and people make medical decisions based on cost and not health because everything costs an ass load of money. 

It's really mind bottling.  I remember hearing how horrible socialized medicine was and how the Canadians and Europeans got shitty care.

Then I moved to Prague and the reality was totally different.  Sure the facilities a little drab...no fountains in the lobby or receptionists to greet you, but I had to go to the ER once when I threw out my back and it cost $3.  

That was inclusive of an MRI, and 3 weeks of rehab which included massages, PT and specialized whirlpool treatments.

My national health insurance was about $120/month.  Here I pay $700 a month with $60 specialist co-pays.

Americans have been so duped.

[David Dennison 18943]

1 minute ago, DixonHur said:

It's really mind bottling.  I remember hearing how horrible socialized medicine was and how the Canadians and Europeans got shitty care.

Then I moved to Prague and the reality was totally different.  Sure the facilities a little drab...no fountains in the lobby or receptionists to greet you, but I had to go to the ER once when I threw out my back and it cost $3.  

That was inclusive of an MRI, and 3 weeks of rehab which included massages, PT and specialized whirlpool treatments.

My national health insurance was about $120/month.  Here I pay $700 a month with $60 specialist co-pays.

Americans have been so duped.

It's infuriating.

[Neonmoon 38130]

2 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

It's really mind bottling.  I remember hearing how horrible socialized medicine was and how the Canadians and Europeans got shitty care.

Then I moved to Prague and the reality was totally different.  Sure the facilities a little drab...no fountains in the lobby or receptionists to greet you, but I had to go to the ER once when I threw out my back and it cost $3.  

That was inclusive of an MRI, and 3 weeks of rehab which included massages, PT and specialized whirlpool treatments.

My national health insurance was about $120/month.  Here I pay $700 a month with $60 specialist co-pays.

Americans have been so duped.

This right here. 

[DixonHur 11347]

19 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Of course we know Gen X people who aren’t - it’s 60/40, not unanimous - but we have actual data on this.

The thing is, that article really doesn’t support the idea that Gen X is more Republican. We have a high disapproval of Biden, but as noted plenty of times, a lot of folks who disapprove of him will still vote for him.
Also, we’re a bit schizophrenic - we were the first generation to push back on hypertensive political correctness, and the article also notes that we push back against current conservative book banning shit.
Layer on the fact that it’s the ultimate “left behind” generation, and you also have a feeling of being excluded from this American dream that everyone told us was right there, easy to grab (and it was…right up until the moment we reached an age where we could start achieving it, and then the ladder kept getting pulled up.)
So, the point I got is that we are likely the most vociferously “fuck all of these fuckers” generation.

Great point.  I'm Gen X and don't want Biden as President either, but I'm sure as hell going to vote for him given the alternative.  

[jimmyjazz 46012]

13 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

It's really mind bottling.  I remember hearing how horrible socialized medicine was and how the Canadians and Europeans got shitty care.

Then I moved to Prague and the reality was totally different.  Sure the facilities a little drab...no fountains in the lobby or receptionists to greet you, but I had to go to the ER once when I threw out my back and it cost $3.  

That was inclusive of an MRI, and 3 weeks of rehab which included massages, PT and specialized whirlpool treatments.

My national health insurance was about $120/month.  Here I pay $700 a month with $60 specialist co-pays.

Americans have been so duped.

Not to disagree with the general sentiment, but how did your other taxes compare?

[DixonHur 11347]

7 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Not to disagree with the general sentiment, but how did your other taxes compare?

The tax rate in the CR is 15% up to 36x the average wage, and then moves to 23% for anything above that....in other words, less.

[jimmyjazz 46012]

Just now, DixonHur said:

The tax rate in the CR is 15% up to 36x the average wage, and then moves to 23% for anything above that....in other words, less.

Well, shit.  I should have moved a long time ago.

[jimmyjazz 46012]

Sure would be nice if Gen Z voted.

[DixonHur 11347]

18 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

Y’all can try to project your own feelings onto the rest of Gen X all you want, but it’s not because they’re so objective and above it all that they disapprove of Democrats but plan to vote D anyway.  Gen X is solidly Republican according to virtually every poll.  And markedly more Republican as they’ve gotten older, just like Boomers (and actually more R leaning than Boomers in 2022 midterms).

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/first-read/poll-gen-x-gen-z-take-different-political-paths-rcna66264

Your generation is MAGA.  Deal with it.  It doesn’t reflect on you individually.

Do we know were these polls conducted? 

I'm just not buying the swing right over the past 10 years.  Perhaps I'm just in denial, but I'm inclined to believe there is a flaw in the poll's methodology.  

[Fudge Nuggets 19210]

1 hour ago, DixonHur said:

It's really mind bottling.  I remember hearing how horrible socialized medicine was and how the Canadians and Europeans got shitty care.

Then I moved to Prague and the reality was totally different.  Sure the facilities a little drab...no fountains in the lobby or receptionists to greet you, but I had to go to the ER once when I threw out my back and it cost $3.  

That was inclusive of an MRI, and 3 weeks of rehab which included massages, PT and specialized whirlpool treatments.

My national health insurance was about $120/month.  Here I pay $700 a month with $60 specialist co-pays.

Americans have been so duped.

My aunt was in a car wreck in Germany and wrecked her shoulder.  She had to have surgery and recovered in the hospital for a few days.  Total out of pocket bill was like $200.

The doctors over there gave her a packet of info on what all they had done and told her to follow up with a doctor when she got back home.  The doctor here said there were only about five surgeons in the US qualified to perform the same surgical technique she received.

[David Dennison 18943]

29 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

Y’all can try to project your own feelings onto the rest of Gen X all you want, but it’s not because they’re so objective and above it all that they disapprove of Democrats but plan to vote D anyway.  Gen X is solidly Republican according to virtually every poll.  And markedly more Republican as they’ve gotten older, just like Boomers (and actually more R leaning than Boomers in 2022 midterms).

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/first-read/poll-gen-x-gen-z-take-different-political-paths-rcna66264

Your generation is MAGA.  Deal with it.  It doesn’t reflect on you individually.

Looking at those numbers, Millenials will prefer Republicans as they age, too. My guess is, so will Gen Z.

And so it goes.

[David Dennison 18943]

1 minute ago, longhornmatt said:

It’s Hart Research, who has been doing the polling for NBC News and the Wall Street Journal for 30 years.  The quoted ones from the NBC News link were national polls.

I’m not sure there is a more polite way to say it:  you are in denial.  Are we really doing “fake news” to NBC now?  And because - of all things - the idea that 40-60 year olds could not possibly be Trumpy?

Yeah but it doesn't seem like a generation thing. Those numbers indicate it's an age thing. Gen X is old.

Edited February 10 by David Dennison

[HenryJames 66142]

You should lose the right to vote when you reach a certain age. No more votes from people who have already lived their lives and only want to prevent younger people from living theirs.

[Neonmoon 38130]

Gen X being MAGA is not surprising at all. I’m Gen X. We were raised by people that grew up in segregation. 

[David Dennison 18943]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

You should lose the right to vote when you reach a certain age. No more votes from people who have already lived their lives and only want to prevent younger people from living theirs.

Also, no more driver license.

[David Dennison 18943]

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

Gen X being MAGA is not surprising at all. I’m Gen X. We were raised by people that grew up in segregation. 

Hoo boy, Gen Z would cry real tears if they were exposed the jokes our fathers told when we were children.

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

5 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Also, no more driver license.

Make a driving test mandatory after a certain age for renewal but get outta here with just taking it away.

[David Dennison 18943]

11 minutes ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

Make a driving test mandatory after a certain age for renewal but get outta here with just taking it away.

I'd be fine with that. 

[DixonHur 11347]

3 hours ago, longhornmatt said:

It’s Hart Research, who has been doing the polling for NBC News and the Wall Street Journal for 30 years.  The quoted ones from the NBC News link were national polls.

I’m not sure there is a more polite way to say it:  you are in denial.  Are we really doing “fake news” to NBC now?  And because - of all things - it’s unfathomable that 40-60 year olds could possibly be Trumpy?  

Not fake news, I'm just suspicious of modern polling.  Polling has long been a land line thing.  I'm just wondering how they are collecting the data.

[NWBuck 8577]

6 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

We were raised by people that grew up in segregation. 

Speak for yourself. I was raised by the television, like any good American 

[elfenix 34331]

13 hours ago, DixonHur said:

Not fake news, I'm just suspicious of modern polling.  Polling has long been a land line thing.  I'm just wondering how they are collecting the data.

text poll invites are a thing.  got one the other day for the harris county democratic primary. 

[safe sex 11739]

I got called by Gallup for the first time ever, and it even came up as Gallup on my caller ID (which is the only reason I answered). So I guess I'm officially an old now. I was asked so many questions on so many different topics. The whole process was about twenty minutes (which they didn't tell me before we got started), so I imagine they even lose a good number of people that do agree to be polled just because they get bored/tired of engaging. And the questions are also often frustratingly binary/discrete.