Have you hugged a liberal lately?

Question

Some 45% of all Republicans report being very happy, compared with just 30% of Democrats and 29% of independents. This finding has also been around a long time; Republicans have been happier than Democrats every year since the General Social Survey began taking its measurements in 1972. Pew surveys since 1991 also show a partisan gap on happiness; the current 16 percentage point gap is among the largest in Pew surveys, rivaled only by a 17 point gap in February 2003.
Could it be that Republicans are so much happier now because their party controls all the levers of federal power? Not likely. Since 1972, the GOP happiness edge over Democrats has ebbed and flowed in a pattern that appears unrelated to which party is in political power.
For example, Republicans had up to a 10 and 11 percentage point happiness edge over Democrats in various years of both the Carter and Clinton presidencies, and as small as a three and five percentage point edge in various years of the Reagan and first Bush presidencies. Also, we should explain here a bit about how our survey questionnaire was constructed. The question about happiness was posed at the very beginning of the interview, while the question about political affiliation was posed at the back end, along with questions about demographic traits. So respondents were not cued to consider their happiness through the frame of partisan politics. This question is about happiness; it is not a question about happiness with partisan outcomes.
Of course, there's a more obvious explanation for the Republicans' happiness edge. Republicans tend to have more money than Democrats, and -- as we've already discovered -- people who have more money tend to be happier.
But even this explanation only goes so far. If one controls for household income, Republicans still hold 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.
Might ideology be the key? It's true that conservatives, who are more likely to be Republican, are happier than liberals, who are more likely to be Democrats. But even controlling for this ideological factor, a significant partisan gap remains. Conservative Republicans are happier than conservative Democrats, and moderate/liberal Republicans are happier than liberal Democrats. Hmmm, what other factors might be at play? Well, there's always...
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/301/are-we-h...

Answer 1

yes. isn't it strange how some say polls aren't credible until a poll says something they want to hear

Answer 2

Two reasons:

1. the way they look at life: for example, repulbicans belive overall that you are a result of your own actions... so if they were "unhappy" that would mean that they, themselves were a failure in producing an unhappy life for themselves...

even if they "weren't happy"... they would say that they are, because if they didn't, it would be admitting their own failures...

liberals have a different view on those isssues of course...

2. Republicans don't care about anyone else... at least, not enough to affect their own mood... I've seen some talk about the "Saddam's horrors" but two miniutes latter they have a smile on their face...

I've seen SO MANY conservatives on here that claim things in America are great... and their evidence... "Because my life is good"...

As long as they think they have a good life... they are happy... and they don't seem to really care about anyone else...

so my second explaination would be their own narsicism... they are so busy looking at their own "fantastic life"... they don't even notice anyone else... and I don't even think they notice when their lives aren't even very "fantastic"...

on the other hand: I know a liberal who will be bummed out for a day over Darfur... just down... and sad... and the reason has nothing to do with him and it's half a world away...

Answer 3

Yes, I have hugged a liberal. My friend Abby when she graduated today =)

I think part of it is that Republicanism is very religiously influenced. I didnt say that was bad. However, christianity is a very happy religion for the most part. And also, conservative viewpoints choose to deny the existence or avoid things they disagree with (Gays, Illegal immigrants, etc). Therefore, they find more joy in life. They're optimistic

Democrats = pessimist.

Answer 4

This is too easy.

Most Republicans run off of stereotypes to ease the daily decision making process. They literally think less than more liberally minded individuals in order to avoid the stress of having to evaluate each unfolding situation that life presents. Different Bad, Nascar Good, If I don't understand them, they must be gay.

Answer 5

There are different strokes for different folks. always has been, always will be. Seems like Republicans are richer. So who said money doesn't buy happiness! Must have been a liberal!

Answer 6

How can the republicans be happy when they lost their edge in the senate and the war is near complete failure?

Answer 7

I don't know if I believe in polls. But actually, yes I've hugged a liberal. Though he has different beliefs than me (I'm conservative) we are still happy. I don't think a political party has anything to do with happiness.

Answer 8

I think its because Republicans don't let the government determine their life. Instead they go out and make their own life. Where as a lot of Democrats are dependent upon the government, to take care of them, which leads to unhappiness because we all know the government is doing a bang up job.,

Answer 9

Good lord that was long.
But very interesting data.
I sure can't explain the difference, and I am a liberal!

Answer 10

I'll keep it short. There is no such thing. Rarely do you find anyone as spittle - emitting dictatorial as a so called liberal.
The beauty of that name is altogether trampled in the mud.

Answer 11

Very happy here. I have no idea what this supposed poll is talking about.