Are Republicans, on average, less intelligent than Democrats?

Question

And is George (the decider) Bush, as bright as he appears to be?

"Now consider the correlation's from 2000. Keep in mind that IQ scores are based on a mean IQ being 100. There are 18 states whose population had an average or above IQ (3 digits). Only two of those states-- New Hampshire, where the election was tampered with by Republican operatives who are now serving prison sentences, and Virginia-- voted for Bush. On the other hand the dozen states with the lowest average IQ (and the correspondingly lowest average incomes) all voted for Bush. Connecticut has the highest average IQ (113) and the highest average income ($26,979) and it voted overwhelmingly for Gore-- just as overwhelmingly as Mississippi, with the lowest average IQ (85) and the lowest average income ($14,088), voted for Bush."

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/01/do-republicans-tend-to-be-dumb-and.html

I'm well aware of the distinction, Pete. But your arguement is tantamount to saying that less seed is likely to produce more grain. On average, that's not the case.

"Voting is based on ideology which is independent of intelligence."

Sometimes voting is independent of intelligence. And you're suggesting that's a 'good' thing? :)

Answer 1

I agree with Pete. Your method is flawed. Bush is not really all that bright. He does, however know the right people to influence. He isn't all that intelligent, but he is pretty smart. How else could he convince people to vote for a guy who ran several businesses into the ground, lied, cheated, stole, and evaded responsibility for his actions on many occasions, and has a proven track record of only including the facts that fit his favorite conclusions? Income and intelligence have little to do with your results. That's where your method is flawed. You are not taking into account the income and intelligence of those who didn't vote and the inaccuracy of the tallies. Give Bush some credit. He does have charisma, but then again, so did Hitler...

Answer 2

This in no way proves that Democrats are smarter than Republicans. Connecting average IQ scores of a state with the party of the candidate that won that state may be the most misleading thing I've ever seen. Voting is based on ideology which is independent of intelligence. You should start a web site where you and your fellow narcissistic hippies can raise more irrelevant questions.

Answer 3

You are evidently ignorant of the difference between "IQ", and "intelligence". Your question says "intelligence", but your Comment says "IQ". "Intelligence" is commonly understood to mean how "smart" one is; "IQ" stands for "intelligence quotient" which is a test score. You obviously want to equate the two, but this is a narrow approach. "IQ" can't take into account one's experience and common sense born of experience. The classic meaning of "intelligence" is "information", and without all the basic academic "information" that the authors of IQ tests assume is standard, one will inevitably get a low score. This has nothing to do with innate mental acuity, or, as you imply, "intelligence". Before you continue to demean residents of Mississippi (God bless 'em) and other Red states, you should go meet some of them and see how well you fair in a political argument. They voted for President Bush not because they didn't go to Harvard, but because their experience, unencumbered common sense, and patriotism led them to do so.

Answer 4

I find it very hard to believe that there are any reliable numbers for the average IQ of a state.

But I gotta wonder about anyone who doesn't see that both parties are just two sides of the same coin.

Answer 5

If you wanna give stats give the average for the whole country not just high and low maks, that could be misleading. also with higher IQ can come a larger void between reality and the individual. so just because people with high IQ's like something it doesnt mean its good.

Answer 6

I prefer Democrats, but thats because I am a democrat. I don`t think it has anything to do with intelligence. Bush may be book smart, but as far as common sense goes, no way! Also, notice that all of a sudden the oil industry is doing very good. Hmm....I wonder why......

Answer 7

i'm getting what you're asserting. i think like the IQs of the races ought to do with their way of existence quite yet, after all, i don't have the prefer to make assumptions approximately total communities of human beings like that. i think of that folk who're extra clever tend to be extra socially liberal. that would not somewhat mean democrat. Libertarians are socially liberal too. Tolerance particularly is something I characteristic to extra clever human beings.

Answer 8

You web site is not empirically supported. You may be correct, but you have not made a good case by using such a biased source.

Answer 9

Not only are Republicans less intelligent, they're no longer in control and that's the really important thing.

Answer 10

Those who are most vocal in the current incarnation of the party are not so much less intelligent as they are intellectually lazy and dishonest.