To begin, I have held the belief for some time that liberals, and more specifically Democrats, are vastly more intelligent than republicans. Ones intelligence and more importantly ones understanding of science is a direct marker and determining factor of social and political views.
We all know that no two degrees are equal, even two degrees from the same institution. Obtaining a degree in Molecular Genetics from Stanford requires more prowess, mental agility, and raw pure intelligence. In contrast, a degree in political science from Stanford is far more easily obtained. Of course, nobody would deny that the political science student is in fact educated, however intelligence and education are not one in the same. To add more complexity, I would argue that someone with a physical or life science education is "more educated," this statement may seem to be in direct contrast to the prior, but read it carefully and a distinction does exist.
It is no secret that a degree in science, not only requires greater intelligence, but also requires much more raw dedication, time, and hard work. While political science students go home and party after lecture, the physical and life science students are walking to lab, to fulfill hours of required laboratory time after lecture.
Now exceptions due exist, exceptions due apply, I don't need someone reminding me of this. With that said, the following trend in higher education typically holds true. Physical and life science Professors, top physical and life science researchers, and students with a strong science background tend to hold more open-minded, understanding, liberal views. Additionally these same science professors, researchers and students tend to identify as democrats. On the other extreme, professors and students with non-science backgrounds have more conservative, and closed minded views, many identifying themselves as republican. Again, this may seem like a blanket statement, however I have already acknowledged that exceptions due apply.
Why are intelligent people more liberal, more understanding, more openminded, more prone to identify as democrat? The answer again comes down to intelligence and an understanding of science.
A republican will argue that taking the morning after pill is murder of a baby. An intelligent person will separate religion from science, and realize that a mass of dividing cells is not a baby, but nothing more than cells that are replicating their DNA, chromosomes are aligning at the equator and a complex network of cellular components begin to separate chromotids in a a masterful fashion. This is not a baby, yet republicans do not have the intelligence or the understanding of science to make this distinction.
A republican(the person with less intelligence) will argue that being gay is a choice, is not bound by nature, and gays are eventually going to burn in hell. An intelligent person will be more understanding, more open-minded, and actively explore the possibility that homosexuality is an outcome of either ones genetic code or epi-genetics. I personally believe that homosexuality will eventually be determined to be an outcome of epi-genetics, involving not one or two genes, but hundreds of genes that are regulated by epi-genetics.
Republicans have actively taken steps to hold this country back in so many ways, due to their lack of intelligence and understanding of science. Also the ability to separate religion from science has proven to be detrimental, again republicans can be thanked.
The Bush administration administered a huge blow, when they announced that federal funds would not be used to fund research based on embryonic stem cells. Again, someone with intelligence would realize the negative impact such a decision would have on millions of people. Fast forward 8 years, had federal funding of stem cell research been actively supported, we would be on the cusp of treatments for a vast array of diseases, especially neurological disorders. Although not an absolute, the general trend is that adult neurons do not replicate, this is why damage to these precious precious cells is so devastating and holds many negative implications.
A republican will say "homeless people are lazy, it's their fault they are homeless, who cares about them, they don't need social programs, the economy is down, screw the homeless" An intelligent person will see the big picture. Many homeless people suffer from some type of psychological disorder. Again, if your hardware is not working properly, how are you expected to function in society? How are you expected to maintain a job? This may be a poor analogy, but think about a homeless person with a mental and psychological disorder being similar to your Android phone which insists on force closing and crashing. There is something wrong in the programming or hardware, unless you try to fix it, it will continue to crash.
The same applies with many homeless people. The brain is a complex organ, such delicate tissue, a tube which has folded upon itself through evolution to result in what we call a brain. How can you blame a schizophrenic person for being homeless? HOW? This individuals hardware does not function, it is out of their control, it is sad to see a human in this state. They are plagued by auditory and visual crashes, they hear voices, and see things that are out of their control. The parts of their brains responsible are physiologically different from those of a normal brain. The brain of a schizophrenic person is actually smaller in volume in many key structures. How can you blame this person for being born this way? Republicans are ruthless, while a democrat will push for social reform, will push to have social programs to treat, provide medication and counsel these human beings who were unlucky and born with a physiological defect that is OUT OF THEIR CONTROL. If you are an unintelligent republican with no understanding of science, you will never have compassion for mentally disabled people.
Now lets go beyond science, lets just talk about compassion, and the ability to have an understanding for the bigger picture. Some republicans are ruthless, they are unable to think deeply and see the big picture. A republican gets angry, gets mad when someone suggests equal opportunity programs. A republican will make the statement "why should someone who is black get into a university and not me, my SAT's are perfect, my grades are perfect, the black student is dumb." Yes these are words I've actually heard many republican youth mumble. An intelligent person will realize that the minority student is NOT inferior, is NOT stupid, but is a product of their environment, a product of poverty, a product of a cycle that for many poor people continues to cycle generation after generation.
The republican student, generally comes from a family with a higher income. (Again, I do realize exceptions do apply). This student from a family with money is able to afford a 3 thousand dollar Princeton Review SAT course, of course this student's SAT scores will be higher than a black child growing up in the ghetto. The student from a financially secure family goes home to a nice warm home, with dinner waiting, their own bedroom, and a beautiful calm environment to study. The student living in a ghetto comes home to no father, mother who is working 3 jobs, and must take over the role of a parent to 5 crying babies. How is this student suppose to compete equally on paper? This is why we must take a stand, look at the big picture, and take active steps to stop the cycle, to give the minority student from a disadvantaged background the opportunity to succeed. If we don't open the door for these minority disadvantaged students, it will remain shut! The rich student has 10 doors waiting to open for every door that shuts.
I could go on for ever, I could give a million examples, but I won't. Hopefully, someone reading this was able to grasp what idea I was trying to convey.
Reading this, it is clear I am a democrat. Growing up I had many friends who were republican, and even as a high school student my opinions clashed with many of my republican friends. I will not beat around the bush, I tend to believe many republicans lack the intelligence that is required for an individual to be understanding and have compassion for another fellow human being. I will go as far as to say some republicans disgust me, their stupidity continues to surprise me on a daily basis.
