[N8 v2.0]

!!!

Republicans Happier than Democrats
Robert Roy Britt
LiveScience Managing Editor
LiveScience.com
Wed Mar 15, 7:00 PM ET


Overall happiness among U.S. residents has not changed much over the years, according to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center that finds 34 percent of adults are very happy.

Among 3,014 telephone respondents, half reported being pretty happy, and 15 percent said they are not too happy.

The survey, released this week, points out several disparities based on lifestyle, beliefs and political persuasion:

Republicans are happier than Democrats. People who worship frequently are happier than those who don't. The rich are happier than the poor. Whites and Hispanics are happier than blacks. Married people are happier than the unmarried. Dog owners and cat owners rate the same. Sunbelt residents are happier than everyone else.

About 45 percent of Republicans said they were very happy, compared with 30 percent of Democrats. Republicans have been happier in surveys going back to 1972, the Pew study notes.

The reason might seem obvious, since "Republicans tend to have more money than Democrats, and—as we've already discovered—people who have more money tend to be happier," the report states.

But even after adjusting for income, poor Republicans are happier than poor Democrats, and rich Republicans are happier than rich Democrats.

What about religion?

Forty-three percent of people who attend religious services weekly or more say they're very happy) compared to 26 percent of those who go seldom or never. The Pew analysis does not answer the question of how religion, Republicanism and happiness might be related, however.

 

[jimmydean]

That's great!

 

[Westy]

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Zark]

Ignorance is bliss.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[jimmydean]

Ignorance is bliss.

That was my thought.

 

[jimmydean]

New Poll Finds 86 Percent Of Americans Don't Want To Have A Country Anymore

March 13, 2006 | Issue 42•11

WASHINGTON, DC—A Gallup/Harris Interactive poll released Monday indicates that nearly nine out of 10 Americans are "tired of having a country."

Among the 86 percent of poll respondents who were in favor of discontinuing the nation, the most frequently cited reasons were a lack of significant results from the current democratic process (36 percent), dissatisfaction with customer service (28 percent), and exhaustion (22 percent).

"I don't want to get bogged down in the country anymore," Wilmington, DE accountant Karie Ashworth said. "I'm not up in arms or anything, I'm just saying it'd be a lot easier for everyone if we just gave it up."

Of those who were against maintaining an American nation, 77 percent said they believe that having a country is "counter to the best interests of Americans." Twelve percent said "the time and effort citizens spend on the country could be better spent elsewhere," and 8 percent said they just didn't care.

Roughly 3 percent said we ceased to have a country years ago, and explained that they had been stockpiling weapons to protect their independent compounds.

According to study organizer David Griffith, poll respondents were surprisingly uniform in their opinion that the nation is too much of a hassle.

"I already belong to a health club, a church, and the Kiwanis Club," Tammy Golden of Los Angeles wrote. "I'm a member of the Von's Grocery Super Savers, which gets me a discount on certain groceries. These are all well-managed organizations with real benefits. None of them send me a confusing bill once a year and make me work it out myself, then throw me in jail if I get it wrong."

Olympia, WA student Helen Berg expressed frustration with the country's voting process.

"I was gonna vote, but it rained," Berg wrote. "It wasn't for the president anyway, so what difference does it make? The president is the only one that matters, and you don't even get to vote for him."

Most citizens said they did not wish to abandon such American traditions as parades, fireworks, and national holidays.

"I'm for saluting flags and pledging allegiance to them, but nothing beyond that," Tampa, FL mechanic and former Marine Doug Pauls said. "I like singing the anthem before the game, but I can't keep up with the news every day. I have three kids."

Pauls added: "I love America, but what's that got to do with having a country?"

Some critics, including the leadership of both parties, have attacked the methodology of the poll, saying that questions like "Do you want a country anymore?" are poorly worded. Casey Mark, a fellow at the Brookings Institute, characterized the question as leading.

Said Mark: "What you must consider is that respondents often don't have the time or energy to devote to answering five questions about their country, which they consider themselves to be remotely involved with, at best."

Griffith pointed to Cheyenne, WY banker Jeff Wheldon's response.

"I think we've come far enough as a nation that we don't need to have one anymore," Wheldon wrote. "It's not like we're Somalia, where the warlords run everything, or Russia, where it's all organized crime. We've had over 200 years of being Americans. I don't think we still need the United States of America to show us how to do it."

 

[Secret Squirrel]

42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

 

[Changleen]

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." Ernest Hemingway.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Good quote sir!

 

[laura]

Ignorance is bliss.

ah, beat me too it. that's my mom's favorite saying.




and she's super republican.

 

[DaveW]

Took the words right out of my mouth.

And mine.

 

[valve bouncer]

The kids on the short bus are always happy.

 

[kinghami3]

Ignorance is bliss.

took the words right out of my mouth.
N8, consider the reasons why liberals tend to devote themselves to social justice and then re-analyze your numbers.

 

[rooftest]

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." Ernest Hemingway.

You mean a guy who killed himself was unhappy? wouldn't have guessed it!

 

[pixelninja]

I think that all good, right thinking people in this country are sick and tired of being told that all good, right thinking people in this country are fed up with being told that all good, right thinking people in this country are fed up with being sick and tired. I'm certainly not, and I'm sick and tired of being told that I am.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I think that all good, right thinking people in this country are sick and tired of being told that all good, right thinking people in this country are fed up with being told that all good, right thinking people in this country are fed up with being sick and tired. I'm certainly not, and I'm sick and tired of being told that I am.

My head hurtz now...and I'm unhappy about that...