Yesterday’s Baltimore Sun What Maryland Thinks online poll question was:
Are plans to cut the Charm City Circulator’s service route and hours preferable to implementing a fee to ride the bus?
My predicted answers weren’t as accurate as they’ve been earlier in the week:
Yes 61%
No 34%
Not Sure 5%
(67 votes cast)
The poll results:
Yes 15%
No 79%
Not Sure 6%
(53 votes cast)
How to explain getting it so wrong? I suspect that non city residents probably believe that their tax dollars are supporting the Charm City Circulator — there may be some state level grants involved but, as far as I know, the Circulator is funded by Baltimore City. This would explain why so many people think that a fare should be charged. At best, though, this is a guess.
At least I got the general level of interest correct predicting 67 votes versus the actual 53 participants.
Today’s question borders on the trite and silly:
Are you more or less likely to visit and support Baltimore entertainment venues because of the recent unrest?
More
Less
Not Sure
What sort of people would claim that the riots in Baltimore last month would make them more likely to patronize Baltimore entertainment venues? I suppose that there are some people who think that supporting the city businesses that supply jobs, etc. is a rational response to the looting and unrest following the death of Freddie Gray. While the sentiment may be laudable, logic is lacking. The structural problems that sustain a permanent underclass in Baltimore cannot be addressed by supporting the capitalist class that ultimately excludes that underclass.
I’d be hard pressed to say that I’d be less likely to patronize Baltimore businesses in the wake of the recent unpleasantness. For one thing, I live in the city. For another, admitting that one is less likely to visit Baltimore because of the riots (one sustained afternoon and evening of mayhem, arson and looting), is to admit that one fears the city because of the wild animals running around. Basically, it is tacit, coded, racism.
“Not Sure”. What sort of option is this in a poll where the other choices are “more” and “less”? Far more appropriate would be “Neither More Nor Less”. People like me, who live in the city and who move about rather fearlessly in the varied neighborhoods that comprise Baltimore, could safely answer “Neither More Nor Less”. After all, my view is that the events of that Monday afternoon and evening will have no effect on my habits.
My prediction:
Are you more or less likely to visit and support Baltimore entertainment venues because of the recent unrest?
More 17%
Less 77%
Not Sure 6%
with 211 votes cast.
If you want to vote, despite the silliness of this particular poll, you can do so here.