Are American Conservatives Stupid and Ignorant?

Listening to leftist journalists, academics and political pundits, one can get the impression that conservatives are stupid. But, is it true? Are conservatives really ignorant?

You've heard the claims....

Conservatives are against education. They're ill informed, unenlightened and border on being illiterate.

The implication of course being that smart people tend to vote for democrats. The pitch being made is that if you're smart, you'll vote like the other smart folks.

But is that true? Are conservatives actually simpletons that refuse to vote in their own best interest?

Probably not. In fact, the argument that conservatives are stupid says more about the folks forwarding the argument than those targeted by the insult.

In fact, data supplied by that bastion of conservatism known as the New York Times says otherwise.

Are Liberals Better Educated?

Are Conservatives Ignorant I suppose that a case could be made that the higher the level of education, the more likely one is to vote democratic. However, that's a tenuous case at best.

In fact, here is what New York Times exit polling has to say about it. During the last eight presidential elections, those with college educations vote as follows:

They Voted for the Republican THREE Times: In 1980, 1984 and 1980

They Voted for the Democrat THREE Times: In 1992, 1996 and 2008

They split between the parties TWICE: In 2000 and 2004

At best, there is a trend that seems to indicate that the better educated among us are increasingly more likely to vote for a democrat.

Fair enough. The data suggests what the data suggests.

Who Do The Least Educated Vote For?

How the Ignorant Vote The insult directed towards the intelligence of conservatives is a two pronged one.

You're smart and/or educated if you vote democrat and two steps dumber than dirt if you don't.

Having already addressed those with higher education, lets see what New York Times exit polling says about those of us who did not complete High School.

This is how the uneducated among us voted during the last eight presidential elections:

They voted for the Democrat SEVEN Times: 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008

They split between the two ONE time: 1984

This really needs to be put another way.. .During the last eight election cycles, the Republicans have NEVER won among those who don't possess a high school diploma.

Unlike what the exit polling says about those with college educations, the data here is quite clear. IF you don't have a high school diploma, you're likely to vote for the democratic candidate.

So You're Smart if You Vote for a Republican?

Nope. Not at all.

You're smart if you inform yourself and do the best you can to make a choice between candidates that often don't differ all that much. You're smart if you ignore the partisan prattling and choose what you think is best for the nation.

Voting any other way is just plain stupid.

As for me?

My test is simple. Which candidate brings us closer to my ideal of freedom and the ideals of our Republic?

Updated: 09/23/2012, capnfatz

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capnfatz on 09/24/2012

Dustytoes.. You're right. That said, I think the majority of those voting in any demographic tend to vote for what they believe is in their own particular best interest.

dustytoes on 09/23/2012

Since colleges are populated mostly by radical and or democrat leaning professors it is no wonder that so called "educated people" aka college graduates, vote for a Democrat.
Likewise for the "uneducated" who most likely have trouble finding good jobs without a high school diploma and may have to depend on government handouts to live. They would obviously vote for a democrat, especially like the one in office now who wants to hand them everything - forever.
The thing that is ruining this still wonderful country is the ill-informed, uninformed, and close-minded people who do not discover facts for themselves and who listen to the biased media outlets who refuse to be fair in reporting actual news that will affect us all for years to come.

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