Question

Under which circumstances would a politician be most likely to ignore the results of a public opinion poll on a particular subject when making policy regarding that subject?

Answer 1

It's possible a private group is funding him to make a certain decision in their best interest.

Answer 2

wrong

Answer 3

I would say, if the poll is likely not to be reliable, especially if it is biased, then the politicians can safely ignore them. A very simple example is a poll sponsored by a group with a known interest in the question (e.g. imagine Lufthansa sponsoring the poll on "should the U.S. Government subsidize Lufthansa's flights in the us

Answer 4

The poll indicates that public opinion on the subject is volatile (liable to change).
The poll indicates that the public is well-informed on the subject.
The poll indicates that the subject is only important to a very small, but vocal group.
The poll indicates that the politician's position is unpopular with the public.