POLL: IS THE COUNTRY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

I've felt for a long time that the generic "right direction/wrong direction" polls inflate Bush's negative numbers because many people on the Right are unhappy with Bush because he's been too weak, and not hawkish enough; (for example he pushed for a cease-fire between Israel and Hizballah - something he would never accept between the USA and al Qaeda). In other words, "compassionate conservatism" - which got Bush elected in the first place - is not conservative enough for many in the public.

Many of us who think that Bush is wimping out in the GWOT, and feel that we are now going in the wrong direction, could honestly answer the generic version of the "right direction/wrong direction" poll in the negative, but we are sure as heck not going to vote Democrat in the up-coming election.

The vagueness or ambiguity of the poll question causes all those who are unhappy with Bush to be lumped together, when we should not be lumped together. This ambiguity is the reason why Bush negatives are high. This ambiguity can easily be eliminated from the polls. Here's an example of how I think this type of poll question should be asked:

In foreign affairs, is the country going in the right or wrong direction? In the wrong direction - and too far Left; the country needs to go further to the Right. In the wrong direction - and too far Right; the country needs to go further to the Left. The country is going in the right direction

Similarly less ambiguous poll questions could be asked on a whole range of issues. And they should be. Perhaps I will in the coming days.