Are republicans truly happier than Democrats?

[begin_within]

"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"

http://pewresearch.org/social/pack.php?PackID=1

[donco6]

1. Democrats find it difficult to be happy when . . .

. . . all around we see people being treated unfairly.

[David Zephyr]

2. Well, ignorance is bliss, they say.

;-)

[sandnsea]

4. That's what I was looking for

Happiness is alot easier when you don't give a crap about anybody but yourself.

What's really sad is we live in a country where over 50% of the people AREN'T happy. :(

[Marr]

3. Not this week, buddy.

I'd say they were up until last Tuesday. They're going to get sadder and sadder from here on out.

[LSparkle]

5. "Ignorance is bliss"

I think more Repugs go on "faith" and don't "bother their pretty minds" with analyzing things the way Dems do. (GROSS GENERALIZATION I know, but that's been my experience.) Rethugs stay in their echo chamber, only hearing their own version of "reality," whereas Dems are more curious about getting the other side, even if it may make them uncomfortable.

[begin_within]

Most republicans that I have known are always grumbling, not smiling.

Even when they were in full power, they were still bitching and grumbling and complaining. "Those f-ing liberal democrats bla bla bla..."

[KittyWampus]

6. Have seen research that GOP'ers have more nightmares. They repress stuff

so their happiness is probably rooted in denial...

[Island Blue]

13. I heard that on NPR a couple of years ago.

There had been a study done on the subject, and I wish I could remember more but I was driving at the time and couldn't write down the name of the guest who was talking about it.

From personal experience I find it to be true. I usually have happy (but strange) dreams while a right-wing friend of mine almost always has really bad dreams which border on being nightmares.

[gollygee]

7. I don't understand why happiness would be related to political party

but who knows.

I thought of something. Are Republicans wealthier on average? The fewer money problems you have, the higher you might self-evaluate on a survey like that.

[Richard Steele]

8. No. Their claims of "happiness" are just part of their DELUSION.

Mean people are not happy.

People who want to control other people's lives, are not happy.

People who think that war and violence are the answer to every problem, are not happy.

People who are obsessed with proving how SUPERIOR they are, are NOT happy.

I could go on and on, but it's really not necessary.
Their words and actions make it very clear that
they are some SERIOUSLY unhappy people.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Yes. Ignorance is bliss. LOVE your Younger Eleanor avatar! nt

[FormerDittoHead]

10. I'm kind of wondering how happy they are NOW. :-) n/t

[opihimoimoi]

11. They whine more than most...that should give a clue...alway grumbling about shit

always negative unles there is something in it for THEM

[mrcheerful]

12. Define happiness. Republicans are made up of 2 types, 1) the rich who define

happiness in the amount of material things they have or can buy, who lie about their feelings or 2) people who lie to themselves by thinking they are more moral then everyone outside their religious sect, those are the fundie types. If you ever noticed happy people do not worry about who is doing what with whom. Nor does a happy person care if 2 guys are getting married or about anothers soul or who had an abortion or who might be getting free government money through the welfare system for the poor.

[Alacrat]

14. Sounds plausible

Whe you are rich, and the gov has given you more tax breaks, increasing your wealth.
When you are a ceo or management, and don't have to worry about out sourcing.
When you aren't persecuted for you sexual orientation.
When you live in a virtualy crime free suburb.
When you can afford to buy a house at the beach as an investment, and tax break.
When you are driving a 50k dollar car, and gas prices and pub trans are not a problem.
When your child goes to a great school, with all of it's advantages, instead of a failing inner city school, with crowded class rooms, and inferior or non existant labs, computers, etc.
When you worry about which Ivy league school your child will attend, instead of how you are going to pay for their college education, if it's even an option.
When you worry about which specialist will care for your illness, rather than being able to afford health care.
When you pay a small co pay for meds rather than splitting pills to make them last.

The list is longer than this, these are the easy reasons.

When the majority of repubs have these advantages, they have a lot to be happy about.
I am fortunate enough for most of these to apply to me and my family, and I am a happy Democrat, but I feel sad for so many Americans both Dem and repug, who don't have these advantages or rights, and hope one day some of these disparities will be corrected, and all can enjoy the American dream, without some of these worries.