Let's Move On

Yes, the title of this post is deliberately meant to rile those in the opposition, in the hope of increasing their chances of developing strokes, heart attacks, or at the very least, atherosclerosis. But wishful thinking aside, I'm posting this to call attention to the latest SWS survey, which finds that 58% of our countrymen want, as you may have already surmised, to move on.

Of course, the oppo already has that covered, having pre-emptively come out with analyses disputing the reliability of surveys, just when the tide of public opinion was turning decisively against their favor. It's a double-edged sword, one that I'll be more than happy to use should circumstances ever reverse themselves, so I won't begrudge them what little consolation they can get. Still, whether you prefer your polls with grains of salt on the side or not, this one will either perk you up or pull you down, depending on your political persuasion. Or maybe not; as some in the opposition have amply demonstrated, they just don't give a damn what the rest of their fellow citizens think.

As the Philippine Star doesn't have permalinks, here are the relevant excerpts from the report:

"More than half of Filipinos want the country to move forward from the political crisis hounding President Arroyo since last year over accusations of electoral fraud, according to a commissioned opinion poll.

Fifty-eight percent said they agreed that the opposition 'should start helping the country and stop too much politics,' according to a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Fifteen percent of the 1,200 people questioned said they disagreed, 24 percent were undecided and three percent were unaware of the issues or refused to answer.

Fifty-one percent said it was time to forgo bitterness over the May 2004 presidential elections, in which Mrs. Arroyo allegedly cheated her way to victory, and let her 'focus on the real problems of the nation.'

Twenty-three percent disagreed, 24 percent were undecided and two percent had no answer.

Forty-two percent agreed that Mrs. Arroyo 'has the right plan for the nation and the economy but it is not moving fast enough as expected by the average citizen.'

Twenty-six percent disagreed and 29 percent were undecided. Three percent were unaware of the issues or refused to answer."

If you haven't already done so, feel free to start ostracizing those who are obdurately in the opposition. Do not invite them to social gatherings, do not fraternize with them, put them in your Snubster list, make them feel that they are dead to you. Perhaps we'll get lucky and they'll all leave the country. Let them go to Venezuela or Cuba or wherever they think they'll be appreciated. Then we can finally get some work done.

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Analyses on the reliability of surveys, among other things, can be found in Philippine Commentary:

Public Opinion Polling as a Genre of Journalism
How the Surveys Have Lost Their Sting
"SWS" Survey: Fallacy of the Leading Question In Aid of Propaganda

SWS' media release of their March 2006 survey can also be found in their website.