How did these post graduate majors vote? (2012)
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  How did these post graduate majors vote? (2012)
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Author Topic: How did these post graduate majors vote? (2012)  (Read 7106 times)
barfbag
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« Reply #25 on: August 08, 2013, 07:13:56 PM »

Scientists strongly lean Democratic, according to this Pew study.
http://www.people-press.org/2009/07/09/section-4-scientists-politics-and-religion/
55% of scientists are lean democrats; 6%(!) are republicans. Counting in leaners, the figure is about 81% democratic.

As such, I would expect science postgrads to have strongly supported Obama.

Some reasons for this:

a) A large proportion of scientists work in the public center
b) They are disproportionately agnostic; almost none are evangelicals (see chart at bottom).
c) Scientists of today (as opposed to say, 150 years ago) are much more interconnected throughout the globe. There is much less nationalistic rivalry as opposed to that between Germany and Britain in the early 20th century. Thus, they are strongly internationalist (and therefore do not take kindly to anti-UN rhetoric).
d) They spend longer getting degrees, therefore more time is spent in predominantly liberal postgrad cities.

e) (Much of the) Republican party's support for anti-scientific views: Support for ID/YE Creationism, scepticism/denial of global warming. When President Bush declared his support for teaching ID and evolution as "competing theories", it really showed the problems Republicans have with science. Scientists are probably less likely to vote for such a party.

The more likely answer is that their funding comes from Democrats. Both parties and their factions are driven by income. That's how the world works.
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MalaspinaGold
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« Reply #26 on: August 08, 2013, 07:53:53 PM »

Hmmm... if all the scientists'funding came from democrats (which it doesn't) that would de facto make the Republican party the anti-science party would it not?

And one's income does not dictate how one will vote; or else the republicans wouldn't win elections. Also, the fact that the states that get the most money from the federal government are Republican states, and vice versa for Democratic states (poignantly shown by the Christie-Paul feud).

Many of these states (including West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi) are among the country's poorest. The reason they vote for republicans is because of social issues.
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barfbag
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« Reply #27 on: August 08, 2013, 11:22:55 PM »

Hmmm... if all the scientists'funding came from democrats (which it doesn't) that would de facto make the Republican party the anti-science party would it not?

And one's income does not dictate how one will vote; or else the republicans wouldn't win elections. Also, the fact that the states that get the most money from the federal government are Republican states, and vice versa for Democratic states (poignantly shown by the Christie-Paul feud).

Many of these states (including West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi) are among the country's poorest. The reason they vote for republicans is because of social issues.

No because what you're referring to is Republican rhetoric from the campaign trail as opposed to what really happens in congress. I don't know what this has to do with income. Just because a state gets money from the federal government doesn't mean they want it. The correct measurement would be to ask voters if they want the federal government involved so much. I agree they vote Republican because of social issues too, but people who are socially conservative tend to favor lower taxes and the right to work. Very few people hold views outside of their own party.
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #28 on: August 18, 2013, 12:32:31 AM »

Doctors, however, do not seem to be as liberal. I see more of a liberal trend occurring over several decades, in part a result of the general educational elite moving towards the democrats. However, doctors are more conservative than scientists probably because they operate in a more corporate setting; there is less public sector influence.

Doctors aren't as liberal as lawyers or academics, but they are far less Republican than they were 40 years ago.

But physicians are, on the whole, terrible with money. Most of them will never take an accounting or management course in their lives. That's why they tend to let the billing service they outsource their accounts to do the worrying about the money. My father has had years of post-doctoral training from some of the top teaching hospitals in the country. But if I try to go over his retirement accounts with him, basic math and financial terminology go completely over his head. If I ask him what medical procedures have the highest profit margins for him or what patient demographic generates the most revenue for his practice, he can't tell me. And most doctors can't. It's part of the reason they're such easy marks for pharmaceutical reps and people selling medical equipment.

I attribute that to the reason that most physicians, when they opt for public office, tend to be truly awful legislators and administrators.
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barfbag
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« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2013, 01:08:26 AM »

Doctors, however, do not seem to be as liberal. I see more of a liberal trend occurring over several decades, in part a result of the general educational elite moving towards the democrats. However, doctors are more conservative than scientists probably because they operate in a more corporate setting; there is less public sector influence.

Doctors aren't as liberal as lawyers or academics, but they are far less Republican than they were 40 years ago.

But physicians are, on the whole, terrible with money. Most of them will never take an accounting or management course in their lives. That's why they tend to let the billing service they outsource their accounts to do the worrying about the money. My father has had years of post-doctoral training from some of the top teaching hospitals in the country. But if I try to go over his retirement accounts with him, basic math and financial terminology go completely over his head. If I ask him what medical procedures have the highest profit margins for him or what patient demographic generates the most revenue for his practice, he can't tell me. And most doctors can't. It's part of the reason they're such easy marks for pharmaceutical reps and people selling medical equipment.

I attribute that to the reason that most physicians, when they opt for public office, tend to be truly awful legislators and administrators.

Since when are legislators good with money? 99% of voters are more qualified to be in congress than your average congressman today.
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tallguy23
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« Reply #30 on: September 05, 2013, 08:10:19 PM »

I worked in hospital administration for a few years (including during the 2012 election) and all of the top executives were Democrats. I walked into the office one day and they were all laughing about Palin's comments about Libya. I think the anti-science/anti-intellectual wing of the GOP really turns off people in the medical field. They should be voting Republican based on their income levels, however it's hard to pull the lever for a candidate who stands for everything that your profession doesn't.
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barfbag
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« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2013, 09:34:49 PM »

I worked in hospital administration for a few years (including during the 2012 election) and all of the top executives were Democrats. I walked into the office one day and they were all laughing about Palin's comments about Libya. I think the anti-science/anti-intellectual wing of the GOP really turns off people in the medical field. They should be voting Republican based on their income levels, however it's hard to pull the lever for a candidate who stands for everything that your profession doesn't.

I bet I can't stand uninformed people either. Overall I'd think the medical field is divided though.
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Badger
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« Reply #32 on: September 05, 2013, 11:12:32 PM »

E
I bet I can't stand uninformed people either.

Someone with better cut and copy capacity than I do on my phone please get this to the irony ore mine post-haste.
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barfbag
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« Reply #33 on: September 05, 2013, 11:19:25 PM »

E
I bet I can't stand uninformed people either.

Someone with better cut and copy capacity than I do on my phone please get this to the irony ore mine post-haste.

I bet George Voinovich could do it.
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TJ in Oregon
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« Reply #34 on: September 05, 2013, 11:24:06 PM »

What's your obsession with my favorite retired senator?
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Person Man
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« Reply #35 on: September 06, 2013, 01:34:32 PM »

Actually, here in Laramie, I know of at least 3 or 4 Math or Cosci PostDocs and Professors whose opinions at times read off of the 2012 Republican Party Platform almost verbatim. I know this because one repeatedly makes jokes in class about the budget being so high, another one talked about union busting, "getting the Government off the backs of scientists" and about how wrong it was not to call illegal immigrants, illegal immigrants.  Another one just talked about busting unions. Another one put on defensive body language and said "I don't want to talk about it" when I mentioned Obama's debate performance. He's probably a staunch anticommunist because he's from the Eastern Bloc.  Then again, this is Wyoming and I even know a Poli Sci professor who made jokes about Sen. Simpson being pro abortion when she said, "they like to be called pro-choice" and a religion professor who said Barack is Arabic for "curse".

I mean,  STEM fields (outside of Astrophysics and Biology) aren't as policy dominated as humanities majors and many Math, Engineering and Cosc profs  do consulting and have start ups.
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barfbag
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« Reply #36 on: September 06, 2013, 07:06:08 PM »

What's your obsession with my favorite retired senator?

I don't know, but I tease him about it because he has an obsession with being harder on Republicans than Democrats.
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Flake
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« Reply #37 on: September 26, 2013, 05:52:32 PM »

I worked in hospital administration for a few years (including during the 2012 election) and all of the top executives were Democrats. I walked into the office one day and they were all laughing about Palin's comments about Libya. I think the anti-science/anti-intellectual wing of the GOP really turns off people in the medical field. They should be voting Republican based on their income levels, however it's hard to pull the lever for a candidate who stands for everything that your profession doesn't.

I bet I can't stand uninformed people either. Overall I'd think the medical field is divided though.

Barfbag, the gentleman has been with medical executives who clearly didn't like the Republican  Party. Some of it is because of the anti-science views of most Representatives of this party, some of it is because they are left in their political views. The only people that you could think could be divided are the religious (attends church weekly) group of medical professionals, but they are a much smaller segment of doctors and nurses than the U.S. populace.
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sg0508
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« Reply #38 on: November 03, 2013, 09:57:50 AM »

Accountants are typically more conservative and thus, the GOP usually does well with accountants.  However, in NY especially and in NJ and FL, a large chunk of accountants are jewish and thus, the democrats eat up a lot of that support.
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pbrower2a
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« Reply #39 on: December 20, 2013, 11:03:26 AM »

Physicians? It depends on who pays the bills. If their payers are insurance companies, they might trend Republican. If Medicare and Medicaid -- then they are likely to be Democrats.

Is the government a source of income or a drain through taxes?

Engineers? Those in the oil business almost certainly trend Right. Civil engineers? If their income depends upon government contracts they might tend liberal.
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