File this under "DUH!"
Who are the happiest people in America?
Conservative Republicans are among the most joyous, according to a survey released yesterday by the Pew Research Center for the Public and the Press, which found that 47 percent of respondents who were both conservative and Republican said they were "very happy."
The survey was specific. This isn't just ho-hum happy. This is emphatically happy.
The group was eclipsed only by well-heeled Republicans with more than $150,000 in annual incomes -- 52 percent were very happy -- and people who attend church at least once a week, with incomes of more than $50,000 a year. Half of them also said they had a happy mind-set.
Nationwide, the overall happiness quotient was a "so-so" 34 percent, according to the survey, which annually plumbs the feelings of demographic groups. This time, 3,014 adults were polled from Oct. 5 to Nov. 6.
The poll suggests there may be something to popular observations of an "angry" Democratic Party; a distinct happiness gap is afoot.
The findings revealed that the Republican Party has an upbeat history: Republicans have been consistently happier than Democrats every year since the survey began in 1972, with up to a 17 percentage point lead. Republicans topped their rivals by 11 points even during the Carter and Clinton presidencies, according to Pew.
"The GOP happiness edge over Democrats has ebbed and flowed in a pattern that appears unrelated to which party is in political power," the survey said, noting "a significant partisan gap."
Twenty-eight percent of liberal Democrats were in the "very happy" group; the figure was 31 percent among conservative or moderate Democrats and 45 percent among moderate or liberal Republicans.
Good feelings don't seem to hinge on money, either. Considering household income, "Republicans still have a significant edge: that is, poor Republicans are happier than poor Democrats; middle-income Republicans are happier than middle-income Democrats, and rich Republicans are happier than rich Democrats," the survey stated.
For example, 30 percent of Republicans who made less than $30,000 a year were very happy -- compared with 19 percent of Democrats in that income bracket. Among those with annual incomes of more than $75,000, the figures were 52 percent and 38 percent, respectively.
The survey revealed other trends. "Married people are happier than unmarrieds. People who worship frequently are happier than those who don't," it stated.
Among married people, 43 percent were very happy, compared with 24 percent of those who were single.
Who is the unhappiest? Men who are ages 18 to 29 were at the bottom of the heap, with 26 percent saying they were very happy.
The survey, which has a margin of error of two percentage points, can be read online at http://people-press.org.
HT: Washington Times
Of course nobody on the left stows the gear necessary to prove it wrong. No. They'll just go ape on Pew and the Washington Times. All of which will prove the poll even more correct.
Not also that they can't play the economic card here, not honestly anyway. I predict responses will include referrences to personal income levels, race, corruption etc. NONE of the replies will make ANY attempt to prove Pew wrong. I'd almost bet a paycheck on it.
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I saw this from Pew a few weeks back. It's interesting, but not surprising to me either. Why would we try to prove Pew wrong? They always to good research.
Pew didn't explain the cause and effect behind this though. Does being conservative make you more happy? Or does being happy make you more conservative? Or is there some other factor that they couldn't control for that occurs more in conservatives than others?
Here's my theory: Conservatives are heartless beings who only care about themselves. Thus, as long as they are happy with their own situation, they can be happy. Progressives and other non-conservatives are compassionate and empathetic. Thus, we have a much larger job to make ourselves happy. We need to both be happy with our own lives, and be confident that things are going to work out well for everyone else.
How's that?
Do you know what makes these guys even happier? Guys like you TGC. You amaze me! The only thing this article shows you is being rich makes you happy!!! The majority of rich people in this country are Rich White Conservatives - hense they are happier!!! Ignorance is bliss too. How could anyone that gives a sh*t about this country and the American people be happy?Really!!!Especially if you are involved in our Government. The Conservative Republicans care about capitalism and corporate growth, as well as christian domination. that's all happening - surprise they are happy about it!!! Wake up man, the people who make this country great, the ones who work there ass off day in and day out, the ones who trust that someone in our government has to be doing something for them, they are UNHAPPY! We are UNHAPPY! Them biening happy makes them even more distant from reality and even more pathetic as moral human beings!!!!!
I want to be led by people that SERVE the People. Not happy, self serving people. Be happy when you smell change, be happy when hope is on the horizon, be happy when everyone has a chance to be happy! These statements aren't reserved for republicans only - the democrats are just as guilty!!!!!!
and don't give me this crap about the people polled who make less than 30k a year!!! I'm not going to argue with Pew but you have to put the pool that was polled into perspective and the questions themselves. I make less than 40k and I'm happy with my life, but unhappy with the direction of this country. The Republicans think everything is just peachy (which is utterly insulting to the common american), and the Dems hate life because the Reps are in charge(which is just pathetic and childish).
I read this in time magazine just a few weeks ago. Its very interesting, but why does is matter? One statistic I read that was similar to this, was democrats were more scared of tragic events then Republicans.
Let's see, you mean of course rich Conservatives like DuPont, Gates, Rockefeller, Pelosi, Kennedy, Soros, Heinz-Kerry etc. etc. etc.?
The fact of the matter is that conservatives look out on the country and see a booming economy, all kinds of potential and people who can make something of themselves if they want to. Liberals look at the country and see soup lines, a depressive economy and people who are too damn stupid to make something of themselves so they have to have help from the libs and endless welfare.
Who is it that has a positive outlook right now? All we see is hate, negativism, and doom and gloom from the left. Which party was it that tried to create a Carter-esque "misery factor" during the last election? Which pary is hell bent on revenge and can't even come up with a campaign platform for '06? Which party has to hide what they stand for for votes and which party proudly proclaims what they stand for? Which party has to constantly "move toward the center" and pretend to be what they aren't to get votes? Which party has to pretend that they care about national security in an election year, but spends the rest of the time making the president out to be the biggest threat?
TGC, you are not listening!!!! Both parties are corrupt. Both parties have hidden agendas. Both parties are selfish. And both parties are Friggin RICH!!!! Both parties are plying the average american citizen like a well tuned fiddle. You have to quit sticking up for one and bashing the other, they don't give a shit. In fact they welcome this type of behavior because it securs their lock on american politics. Be liberal, be concervative, be American, just don't be a puppet for these two power hungry, corrupt parties!!!
Don't you see the laws they put in place to secure their stranglehold on America. Don't you see how they control the media. Don't you see how this back and forth show they put on for us is a smoke screen. Pull the curtain back and you'll see the truth. They are causing a division amongst the people so great that the only way to fix it is to get rid of both of them. Be Concervative! Be gay for all I care! Just quit beeing a friggin pawn in this crap game and stand up for the truth!!!!