Response to Morning Call’s Skewed Poll

“… that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment — the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution — not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply “give the public what it wants” — but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion…” – President John F. Kennedy

Today the Morning Call newspaper released a skewed poll and – as a result of not exceeding a 5% threshold – has banned myself from their debate co-sponsored with PBS-39 and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.   It is important to note that way back in June, I accepted an invitation from the Morning Call to the October debate, but in early August this offer was rescinded.  In late July, the incumbent, Mr. Dent, stated he would boycott debates where I was invited.  (He later backed down due to a public outcry.)

Saturday I released this statement to the Morning Call:

“I believe this poll misrepresents my true level of support, and creates an unfair bias by forcing voters to pick one of the Republocrat candidates in a fabricated election scenario before giving voters the option to show support for my candidacy.  Only 11% of those polled were under the age of 40, which grossly misrepresents a demographic where I have strong support.  I respectfully ask the Morning Call to allow me to participate in their debate and let the voters decide on the best candidate, rather than a skewed poll.

“Independents do have issues with name recognition, which the campaign is addressing with a yard sign blitz for the past week and an intense radio ad campaign commencing this week. The country is in a time of economic crisis and limiting political discourse to the two failed parties is not only an insult to democracy, but the consequence is economic suppression of the electorate.  The chances of an upset on November 2nd have never been greater.”

Here are issues with the poll that bias its results:

• Question #9 predisposes voters to vote Republican or Democratic prior to even asking about the race.
• Q10 asks voters to pick a Republocrat candidate in a totally fabricated election scenario since I am already on the ballot.  The voter is not given a chance to select me until later.
• Only 11% of those polled were under the age of 40 in Q1.  While it’s true that those less than 25 are less likely to vote, those under the age of 40 represent close to 40% of the electorate.  This grossly misrepresents a demographic where I have strong support due to my own age, internet appeal and ideas.
• The number of married or widowed voters is 84% in Q20.  This is significantly larger than the district’s demographics of married and widowed voters, which is about 62%.
• The above two points hint that the pollsters did not poll cell phones users.
• The percentage of independents and third party voters are just half of the figures published by the counties in Q3, which of course understates my support from yet another key demographic.
• The poll’s margin of error is 5%, which means statistically there may be no difference between results ranging from 0-10%.  Ironically, The Morning Call reports the 5% threshold came from following the standard of the Commission on Presidential Debates.  However, one of the key reasons that non-Republocrat candidates are never included in presidential debates anymore is because the CPD is a debate cartel run directly by the Republican and Democratic parties!!  In 1988, this group removed the non-partisan League of Women Voters who protested this move by saying, “the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter.”

Mr. Dent’s own poll showed that I was polling at 8% of the vote way back in January.  To suggest my level of support has dropped after a successful ballot access drive with nearly 7,000 signatures collected and tens of thousands contacted on the streets, neighborhoods, and at community events since January is ridiculous.   The overwhelming majority of people I have spoken with feel betrayed by the Republocrats and the country economically is moving in the wrong direction.

Without lobbyist or party funding for TV commercials and paid campaign staff, I more heavily rely on public debates to communicate the campaign’s message of liberty, peace, and prosperity. Independents do have issues with name recognition, which the campaign has been addressing with a novel “Who is Jake Towne?” yard sign blitz for the past year.  A new phase 2 Yard Sign blitz began last week.  Also, due to another $2,200+ raised from 46 donors last week, the campaign’s radio ad campaign will intensify this week.  The first debate was only held last week to a fully-packed room that had to turn away people, and of course I was the clear winner as one can judge from the footage.

It is also noteworthy that since the campaign began, this campaign website has dominated Mr. Dent and Mr. Callahan’s websites in web traffic, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and the campaign’s YouTube videos have been watched >43,000 times as opposed to less than 3,000 each for the Republocrats.  Freedom is popular!  I am also excited to announce I will be on WAEB-AM 790′s Gunther Show this Thursday at 8:40 AM which is the district’s most popular political talk show.

Regardless, I will of course honor any organization’s decision to invite or not invite candidates to events.  In fact, the freedom to not associate should be defended as vigorously as the right to freely associate.  However, in JFK’s spirit, blocking and hindering political discourse should hardly be the objective of a free press as I learned all too well while living abroad in communist China.  I returned home to prevent the same fate to my home country, the country I love, and I will banish the thought that I may be too late.

Supporters of my campaign are encouraged to write a letter to the editor to the Morning Call or Express-Times.  Please note the Express-Times has made it clear their debate has no preconditions.  If you would like to call the Morning Call, their phone directory is here.  If you would like a yard sign, please leave your name, address, and phone number here.  Please redouble your efforts to help elect me and I will do the same!

The campaign’s update debate schedule is below:

• Delta Kappa Gamma/League of Women Voters Candidate Forum, this Friday, September 24th, 2010 at Cedar Crest College, 6-9 PM, Harmon Hall of Peace next to Lees Hall at Cedar Crest College.  Open Q&A from public.  6 PM doors open, 6:30 PM coffee/tea/desserts, 7 PM debate starts.
• Tea Party of the Lehigh Valley Candidates’ Night, Monday, October 11, Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, 6 PM.  325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229-2811.  Directions.  I will probably be speaking around 7:00 PM.
• WFMZ-69 Debate to be televised live, October 13 on WFMZ-69, 8 PM.
• Morning Call Debate on  Thursday, October 14th.  Towne for Congress is BANNED from this event!!
• Pen Argyl Area Concerned Citizens Debate, Wednesday, October 20, evening, exact time/place to be announced.
• De Sales University Debate, Thursday, October 21, 7:30-9 PM in Center Valley, PA.  Located in the Commonwealth Room in the University Center (Building #48 in this map).  Open Q&A from the audience.
• Express Times Debate, Monday, October 25 at the State Theatre in Easton, 7 PM.  Open to public.
• TBA – Northampton Community College, Date/Time/Place to be announced