Politics by Profession

Guest Post by John Stossel

 

Politics by Profession

Why are you a conservative?

Or a libertarian, Republican, Democrat, socialist?

Ok, if you read my column, you’re probably not a socialist …

But how do people come to such different conclusions? We like to think that our politics are formed by rational analysis. We analyze what conservatives and liberals write, weigh their ideas, and form conclusions based on facts and evidence.

But it turns out something else is probably going on. I can predict your political party pretty accurately if I just know what you do for a living.

Here’s why I say that:

When you give money to a political candidate, the government requires that candidate’s campaign to ask you what your profession is. That information is turned over to the Federal Election Commission.

Verdant Labs took that data and made an infographic that shows how people’s professions predict their politics.

Eighty-nine percent of people who work in the fossil fuel industry donate to Republicans. Teachers mostly (79%) give to Democrats.

Sixty-four percent of flight attendants give to Democrats, but pilots (62%) prefer Republicans. Why?

In my new video, Rob Henderson, who studies the psychology of politics at the University of Cambridge, tries to explain.

For pilots, he says, “Their job is whether they take off and land and everyone’s alive. Whereas for flight attendants, their job is more reliant on, ‘How do people feel about you?'” Those differences lead them to different political parties.

The job differences go on and on. Bartenders mostly give to Democrats (89%), while truck drivers favor Republicans (69%). Business owners lean right (62%). Artists lean left (86%).

“People who lean left tend to be sort of more open, more creative, more interested in abstract ideas,” says Henderson. Maybe that explains why most artists support Democrats.

“People on the right tend to be more conscientious, more interested in punctuality,” says Henderson. That could explain the pilots and business owners.

Psychologists overwhelmingly give to Democrats (91%), while people in the military favor Republicans (60%).

Henderson has lived in both of those worlds.

“I’m a doctoral candidate in psychology in Cambridge,” he says. “Before, my life was a lot different.”

Henderson served eight years in the Air Force. There, he says, most of his colleagues were conservative, and he was sometimes teased for holding a liberal position.

“It was all good-natured,” he says. “Someone can hold different views but still be a good person.”

But now in academia, he says the politics is not good-natured. He sees lots of hatred. He thinks it’s because increasingly, the left and the right don’t mix. Recent surveys do show that now, 80% of us have few or no friends across the aisle.

It is hard to be friendly with people you never meet. At colleges today, there are few conservatives. One study of professors found 12 Democrats per Republican. In sociology departments, it was 44 to 1. In communications, 108 to zero!

“People have no Republican colleagues, no conservative or libertarians that they interact with day to day,” Henderson says.

Spending no time with people who think differently does make it easier to hate them.

To understand the other side, shouldn’t we talk to each other more?

That’s what I try to do with my videos — bring both sides together to argue. Then they learn a little about the other side.

Many still hate each other anyway.

Eighty-nine percent of bartenders donate to Democrats, but beer wholesalers (78%) prefer Republicans.

Taxi drivers (85%) give to Democrats, truck drivers (69%) to Republicans.

Pediatricians (79%) favor Democrats, but urologists (76%) prefer Republicans.

Why? I have no clue.

Architects (74%) prefer Democrats, while home builders (77%) prefer Republicans. That one I get; builders hate dealing with Democrats’ stupid regulations.

Carpenters (64%) give to Democrats; plumbers (60%) to Republicans. Episcopal priests (91%) like Democrats; Catholic priests (73%) like Republicans.

Can you explain it? If so, please explain it to the rest of us.

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cS
cS

“Why are you a conservative?”

because nothing’s free, the old ways work, and there is a god.

because the left has nothing to offer but perversions posing as “freedom”, free stuff taken from someone else, and jealousy posing as righteousness.

Colorado Artist
Colorado Artist

Why am I a “Man Of The Right?” (I hate the ‘conservative’ definition .)
Because I’m a realist and I want to be left the fuck alone
to live my life as a free man unencumbered by lesser beings who think
they know more about how I should live my life than I do.

IWantYourDOR
IWantYourDOR

Just a perfect explanation!

bucknp
bucknp

“the old ways work”

Correct, still defending “freedom” across the globe…old ways.

cS
cS

“People who lean left tend to be sort of more open, more creative, more interested in abstract ideas”

statistically, “abstract ideas” tend to be random, speculative, insubstantial, ill-conceived, goal-seeking, and personal. it’s not that the left is attracted to “abstract ideas”, it’s that they’re not interested in accountability or reality or success but rather in “self-expression”, usually childish. for the most part they’re as creative as a five-year-old throwing mud at a wall.

Dangerous Variant

Glad you skewered this old trope. Aberrant is more apt. Like their aberrant DNA that has them predisposed to becoming spiteful mutants. What gets mistaken for “abstract ideas” and “creativity” is more often the kind of narcissistic and nihilistic insistence of their id upon the rest of us than it is a generative act of creation.

It is more often their rejection of the truth, natural order, and any notion of the universal and objective that inspires them to act out against what they see as the confines of some power of the normal world that keeps them down, keeps the multitude of their aberrant discivic and antisocial ideations from finding purchase.

If only there were more expressions of sh*t smeared on canvas we could all ‘evolve’ beyond the terrible confines of normalcy.

In that, the leftist is not creative at all but rather a blunt instrument of destruction. All of their creations can be traced to an act of destruction. In fact, they pride themselves on this and employ an entire vernacular to self-affirm this as an act of good within their ever-devolving moral universe.

As an artist I have spent years drifting in and out of their so-called “community”, which is nothing more than a cult of decay and detritus that has been etching away at all that is good and right for eons.

Our side needs to reject any notion that affords leftist thinking authority over what qualifies as abstract ideas or creativity; if they are allowed to be the arbiters of a culture or a people it can lead only to ugliness and death.

Truth & Beauty is the way. The fetid lie that they huff to quell the perpetual dissonance of their dark arts is that all is subjective, relative. But we know – and they know we know because they know too – that the recognition of Truth & beauty is innate.

Anonymous
Anonymous

“Aberrant is more apt”

and more succinct.

dlrg
dlrg

“Why are you a conservative?” Because I believe the Bible that is why. Though Conservatism’ has changed. I got hooked on Rush Limbaugh years ago then they forced him off the air in Oregon years ago. Is America a ‘Christian’ nation? No. I am a Christian (Christ follower). The Bible declares killing innocent children or any innocent is murder. But it is not murder to put a murderer to death as the Bible declares should be done. I believe marriage is between one man and one woman (male and female) and that adultery is sin. Flee fornication says the Bible, flee idol worship (Catholic Church anyone?) I believe if a person does not work neither should the person eat. Minding our own business, preaching the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), take care of your own kids and spank them when they need it. If they commit a crime turn them in to the police. Children who murder should be treated as adults that murder. Life for life. We are to live honest lives, pay our taxes, respect our elders and pray for our government. There is much more but there are very few of us left.

cS
cS

“if a person does not work neither should the person eat”

yeah paul says that, but the rest of the bible says otherwise.

psalm 127
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

and job puts it eloquently:

job 29:5-6
5 “When the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were around me;
6 When my steps were bathed in butter,
And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!”

bucknp
bucknp

You’ve read Romans 13:1-7? Another subject not to do with eating.

Stucky

“Why are you a conservative?” Because I believe the Bible that is why.”

In perhaps the only conversation Jesus had about politics he said “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”. In modern language and if Jesus was from New Jersey that would equate to “fuck politics”.

So, I find it amazing that you believe conservatism is a biblical teaching.

If Christ’s teaching were any kind of “ism” it would be Communism — and that’s a fact.

TampaRed
TampaRed

no stucky,
jc was not a commie–he made a clear distinction between govt & private giving–
people who do not share w/the poor may be in 4 a rude awakening when they hit the pearly gates but jc did not tell govt authorities to confiscate the young rich man’s wealth to give to the poor,he told him to give it away himself–

Marky
Marky

If Christ’s teaching were any kind of “ism” it would be Communism — and that’s a fact.

Jesus is a communist? Thats your opinion of him? Not just a complete distortion but idiotic. Maybe when you sober up tomorrow morning you’ll have a different opinion.
comment image&f=1&nofb=1

Marky
Marky

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”. In modern language and if Jesus was from New Jersey that would equate to “fuck politics”.

No dim wit. In modern language and in CONTEXT it would be “PAY YOUR TAXES” Do us all a favor and stop interpreting scripture for us. You just make yourself look stupid.

TampaRed
TampaRed

stucky did a great job of summarizing most of the bible several years ago–
it was so accurate that most of the bibilical scholars on tbp had to concede that stucky is probably a modern day prophet–

bucknp
bucknp

As Romans 13:1-7 states. Why is it many Christians skip this?

ProtestantRevisionism
ProtestantRevisionism

Perhaps because “Christians” know nothing about the history of the bible. Translations beginning with the King James bible, and every protestant bible since, have inserted “governing powers” to replace “higher powers” utterly changing the meaning. The change was made to justify the Kings divorce and remarriage against the teaching of the Catholic Church that divorce was anathema.

bucknp
bucknp

The apostle…By “the higher powers”, he means not angels, sometimes called principalities and powers; for unto these God hath not put in subjection his people under the Gospel dispensation; nor ecclesiastical officers, or those who are in church power and authority; for they do not bear the temporal sword, nor have any power to inflict corporeal punishment: but civil magistrates are intended, see ( Titus 3:1 ) ; and these not only supreme magistrates, as emperors and kings, but all inferior and subordinate ones, acting in commission under them, as appears from ( 1 Peter 2:13 1 Peter 2:14 ) , which are called “powers”, because they are invested with power and authority over others,

https://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/romans/13-1.html

governing authorities (ESV)

bucknp
bucknp

Titus 3:1
3 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, (KJV)

Titus 3:1
3 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, (ESV)

dlrg
dlrg

It depends on if you are a Calvinist/Reformer or if your Biblicist or are in a ‘Christian’ cult. Most churches follow men’s interpretations of what the Bible means and in Romans 13 it is hotly contested. “LET every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” Romans 13:1. God made the rules, he set up how nations should be governed, and it is the word of God that contains the commandments and that is how they are to rule by obeying HIS laws. Every person has been given a conscience by God, and for the most part the 10 commandments has been replaced by ‘do what thou wilt’. Because in Romans 13:9 it says, “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment in this say, namely, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself.” All of our rulers are guilty of disobeying these and they do claim for the most part to be Christian and if you haven’t noticed their flavor of ‘Christianity’ is Roman Catholicism. All by 2 of our Supreme Court Justices are Roman Catholic. The only religion that has members who do what they wilt until they are on their death bed and call a priest to do the last rights. This is not Christianity! It is a different god and Jesus Christ all together! A sham!

bucknp
bucknp

I like the comment.

Stucky

” In modern language and in CONTEXT it would be “PAY YOUR TAXES”

Duh. NO SHIT SHERLOCK!!

But, that wasn’t my main point now, was it? No, it wasn’t. My point was this was the ONLY time Jeebus talked directly about politics.

Now, why do you suppose that is, you dumbass know-nothing Christian buffoon? It’s because Jeebus didn’t give a flying fuck about politics.

Yet, massively ignorant fuktards like you will claim you can make a case that JEEBUS IS A REPUBLICAN!!!!” … or what-the-fuck ever YOUR political leanings are. Yes, indeedy!! Jeebus would vote just like you do! bwahahahahaha!!! You know what’s tragic about that? It’s that you have no goddamned idea how truly ignorant you truly are.

======

And to you knee-jerk jagoffs who voted down or whined like a bitch ……. I did NOT say Jeebus was a commie!! You stupid fucks have shit for brains. I said IF Jeebus had an “ism” …. IF … didn’t you see the big fucken IF ??? I mean, the command to go sell everything and give it to the poor, well, that sounds more like Bernie Sanders than Donald Trump.

Nevertheless, Jesus had no political “ism”. And you trying to pigeonhole him to fit your political agenda clearly shows you know neither Jack nor Shit about the Prince Of Peace. So, please just shut the fuck up.

Anonymous
Anonymous

You’re the dimwit. With respect to that particular verse, Stuck is 1000% correct, and you are as wrong as it is possible to be.

cS
cS

“If Christ’s teaching were any kind of “ism” it would be Communism — and that’s a fact”

yep. ‘cept you leave out one little detail. it’s communism with HIM in charge. that works. with anyone else in charge it doesn’t work.

cS
cS

“Psychologists overwhelmingly give to Democrats”

most psychologists are that because they have intense personal problems and drives that they are seeking to understand, control – and propagate. people who are sane, balanced, and integrated see no need for or purpose to “psychology”.

Anonymous
Anonymous

It’s worse than that.

cS
cS

“He sees lots of hatred”

by the left. the right lives in reality and makes real things happen, but the left has only “abstract ideas” and needs the right to make anything happen at all. the left feels its incapacity and resents it and blames the right for it. “if only you wouldn’t hold us back, if only you would do the work to realize our dreams!”

Stucky

97% of people who said “Yes” to the question “Are you mentally retarded?” voted Democrat.

TampaRed
TampaRed

bottom line,people who disagree w/me are either idiots or aholes,often both–
especially you guys–

Anonymous
Anonymous

“Hmmm… How many times did I collect storm damage insurance?
WHY do I “think” there is ANY difference between the 2 parties, whatever shade of gray they call themselves?
They ALL legalized insider trading, exempted themselves from the Kill/Sterility shots, etc.
CAN’T wait to VOTE. HARDER!”
WHEN will I realize it was ALL a sham Shit-Show from the Git-Go?
WHEN will enough people simply refuse to participate in “Voting”, So that it will become “mandatory”? Too.”

Anonymous
Anonymous

Cancel your voter registration and you may lessen your chances of getting called for jury duty.

bucknp
bucknp

Possibly. In Texas if you are listed as a tax paying property “owner” , or at least the tax rolls say you “own” the property regardless you pay the taxes, there is still a chance you will receive jury summons notices. I’ve gotten them in years that I actually did not vote “for” or “against” anyone at any level of government.

Anonymous
Anonymous

This guy figured out how to predict political leaning by whether or not one is disgusted by seeing disgusting images:

https://vtx.vt.edu/articles/2014/10/103114-vtc-politicalideology.html

Democrats are not disgusted by seeing disgusting images. His work explains alot. Democrats can destroy everything around them and think everything is just fine.

Anonymous
Anonymous

That is because d-rats never produce anything tangible or of value.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Most of those can be summed up into female and male professions. By temperament if not sex.

I wonder what profession has the most National Socialists?

David
David

I guess I am odd. I actually do not understand why dems pursue the policies they push. I do not accept the idea that normal is “right wing”. Normal is normal. People want to have decent jobs that pay a decent wage, they want to live in safe communities, they want to be left alone by the government, they want their kids to get good educations without indoctrination, they want criminals who are unable to control themselves to be locked up, they do not want millions of illegal people flooding into the country, they want a strong military to protect them, they want an even justice system based on the law, they want the TV news channels to tell the truth, and they want to be free to pursue their dreams. That is all normal. It is not right wing. It is normal. And yet, it is pushed as crazy right wing nonsense every day in the legacy media. It must come to an end somehow. Normal is normal and there is no way to escape that.

Art Vandalay
Art Vandalay

But your qualifier for “people” seems to be they have a job. Unfortunately these days a lot do not have a job and many choose it that way.

Anonymous
Anonymous

You need to rethink your comment in light of the actual definition of the word “normal”.

Ken31
Ken31

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Ken31
Ken31

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Ken31
Ken31

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Art Vandalay
Art Vandalay

Whenever I infrequently take a survey and inappropriate (IMHO) questions are asked they get bogus responses. African American, female, doctoral candidate, $200K-$250K, no children, 3+ adults, etc. Fuk ’em.

Tony LV
Tony LV

The constitution was written by moral God fearing people for a moral spiritual society. We aren’t that as a country anymore because the marxist socialists have taken over the gooberment and have successfully destroyed the past way of life of a family unit consisting of a father (man), mother (woman), and offspring that are raised with morals.

Absent that, the rest just falls apart and goes the way of all deviant indoctrinations

Machinist
Machinist

“The constitution was written by moral God fearing people…”

Got any good jokes?

Ken31
Ken31

Exactly. The Constitution was a bait and switch pulled ON the moral and God fearing people.

bucknp
bucknp

We aren’t that as a country…

People?

Walter
Walter

Colorado Artist cuts to the chase with ‘…I want to be left the fuck alone.’ Regardless of how ‘well’ I perform in this life I want the freedom to so perform. This implies a lack of legal constraints on my actions within a framework of common law, Roman, English, or more importantly, God’s. Those who are or believe they are weak, without real agency in life, look to others for support and validation. They join already made programs and seek to dominate them. They also look at people who apparently have agency and strength as frightening. Thus their incessant unending need to control others.

cS
cS

“a lack of legal constraints on my actions within a framework of common law”

you don’t see the contradiction here? or by “common law” do you just mean “laws that suit me”?

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