Do The Presidential Polls Really Reflect The Outcome?

Throughout the years, I've often paid attention to the various pre-election poll results--i.e., the compilation of statistically filtered and "weighted" answers, to questions such as, "Which presidential candidate would you vote for if the presidential election were held today?" I am, by no means, an expert in political polling--however, I'm familiar with the ingredients that make up a poll and I have somewhat of a background in statistics along with a hobbyist's interest and knowledge of American politics and history. In other words, I'm no one to question the professional pollsters--I'm merely an American citizen that makes a sincere effort to ascertain the political facts. On the basis of those facts I go into the voting booth and pull the lever (or touch the screen or punch the card) and hope that I made the right decision. What disturbs me , however, is that my vote is more often than not based on which candidate I believe will have less of a detrimental impact on the future of our nation. In other words, my vote is cast for the lesser of two evils. Obama will, therefore, be America's first minority president. I have many concerns about both presidential candidates and the effect that their leadership( or lack thereof) will have upon the future of the nation. One of my concerns is one-party rule. In other words, if Obama wins the election, the future of the country is, virtually, in the hands of the Democrat party. I'd be just as concerned if the Republican party held the presidency and majorities in the house and senate.

One of my hopes is that the next president of the U.S. takes heed of the many blunders (some of those blunders continue to be deadly) that have occurred during the past and present administration's watch--especially in regard to present and future "wars". Another of my hopes is that members of the house and senate make a sincere effort to put party politics aside and start thinking in terms of what's best for America, instead of focusing on getting re-elected. Indeed, members of the U.S. congress have a lower "approval rating" than does President George Bush. To say that my "hopes" are not realistic would be an understatement . . . however, I'm entitled to my fantasies.