Quinnipiac Ohio Poll Shows Conservative Bias

Ten of the fifteen questions asked in a poll about "illegal immigration" were framed favorably to the conservative political agenda. Only two questions focused on the root of the Northern Migration- our "illegal employer problem". Republicans would prefer that the "criminals" covered in the press are working people, and that corporate and CEO criminals not get discussed. Most of the poll questions focused on what government services and priveleges undocumented people should get.

The two questions about "illegal employers" found that more than 80% of Ohioans support stricter enforcement and stiffer penalties against employers who hire illegal workers AND that the government should require that employers verify the validity of worker's social security numbers used to gain employment. Some states, such as Arizona, have recently passed laws that hold employers more responsible for the problem.

Many reports in the media ignored the Quinnipiac poll questions about illegal employers and instead led with how the immigrant issue could hurt Democrats in 2008. Left unreported was that the ultra-conservative Wall Street Editorial Board and the Bush wing of the Republican Party favor keeping undocumented people (who don't have the right to vote) in the workplace.

Focusing on illegal immigration and not illegal employers is bad enough. But there were no Quinnipiac poll questions about how NAFTA and Most Favored Nation Trade Status with China have effected the economy. Neither were there questions about the tax benefits that corporations utilize when they outsource jobs from the U.S.

Let's hope that citizens are smart enough to see through the conservative bias of pollsters and the media. Nativists such as Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh bash illegal immigrants daily. But they recreate in places such as Hilton Head, SC aka Millionaire's Island, which have undocumented workers aplenty doing construction and golf course maintenence.

Progressives have a long tradition of protecting the supply of labor from being unfairly expanded. Cesar Chavez marched to the border because undocumented workers were being used to bust up labor unions and pull down wages.

Democratic politicians should do a better job shining a light on illegal employers even threatening jail terms for CEOs and owners of lawbreaking companies. Maybe then pollsters and the media will stray from the right-wing framing.