Scott Rasmussen on the importance of figuring out what premises voters share when devising a poll:

The division of Americans into these groups has real significance for the way polls are conducted and how their results are interpreted, according to Mr. Rasmussen. One reason some polls offer misleading results, he says, is that the premise behind questions asked isn't always shared by those queried. "Many pollsters have asked voters whether policy makers should spend more to improve the economy or reduce spending to cut the deficit. But I found that 52% of Americans think more government spending hurts the economy and only 28% think it helps," he says. "The trade-offs pollsters offer voters often don't make sense to them. How you frame the question often obscures the results you get."

John Fund, "America's Insurgent Pollster," 21 Aug. 2010. Wall Street Journal, 21 Aug. 2010 <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703579804575441330559553568.html>.