This should literally be a textbook example of how phrasing and context affect polling

Talking Points Memo discusses how two polls given in the same week can get starkly different results:

Last week, a Gallup poll showed that 60% of Americans would rather see a budget compromise than see members of Congress who represent their interests hold out for their ideal budget, if it means the government would shut down. That phrases the current debate in Washington fairly concisely.

Compare that to Rasmussen, which framed the question much differently:

5* Would you rather have Congress avoid a government shutdown by authorizing spending at the same levels as last year or would you rather have a partial government shutdown until Democrats and Republicans can agree on what spending to cut?

That frames the budget showdown as an either or: either the government continues spending at current levels, or it shuts down until cuts are made. In response to that, 58% of likely voters said they preferred a government shutdown.

Rasmussen is, of course, something of a special case. To understand just how special, take a look at Nate Silver's excellent analysis,"When ‘House Effects’ Become ‘Bias.’"

Bad polls, good polls, better polls

You might have expected Nate Silver to sleep through the rest of the week after the elections, but the Red Bull must flow freely at 538. Anyone who is serious about polls should read these two recent posts:

Rasmussen Polls Were Biased and Inaccurate; Quinnipiac, SurveyUSA Performed Strongly

and

When ‘House Effects’ Become ‘Bias’

Even more interesting is Mark Blumenthal's article on the remarkable accuracy of both camps internal polling in Nevada.

Not All Polls Were Wrong In Nevada

Candidate Rorschach will not be running

Nate Silver has an excellent post that implicitly makes a point that slips past most analysts: in a campaign where an incumbent faces an undetermined or little-known opponent, polls can be difficult to interpret. This doesn't mean that the polls at don't have useful information; it means you need to have someone competent (like Silver) to put them in the right context and properly analyze them.