The problem with data is that most of it is fictionalized... I learned that the very first day from my Stats prof in college... That was right after he went to the chalk board and proved mathematically that 1 = 2...
Data is so easily skewed that it seems that the side with the most statisticians can win most of the arguments... I mean, there are so many variables in every statistical study that what comes out the pipe is frequently what one side wants to come out the pipe...
So, if one is fairly well read in terms of current events one will find all kinds of conflicting opinions on a vast number of issues based on a stat-man doing what he has been trained to do...
That's why I rarely quote polls here... Yeah, I read them but that's purdy much it...