By Dan Eden for viewzone Recent polls show the popularity of Bush at somewhere below 30% -- an all time low unless we digress to the Carter years. People are quick to condemn Bush for everything from the Iraq war to the economy. He has deserved to be the butt of jokes -- yet, up here in New Hampshire I still find myself behind a slow pick-up with yellow ribbon decals and the infamous "W" bumper sticker. (Hint: nail polish remover will loosen that quickly.) In 2004 I was living in Asia and voted by mailing my absentee ballot. I felt pretty confident that the Democrat, Kerry, would win. After all, there were no weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq. The invasion constituted a genuine war crime. Everyone knew that... at least everyone living abroad, far from Fox, CNN and the televised news that most Americans rely upon to exercise their "informed democratic vote." When Kerry didn't win I was shocked and puzzled. What happened? Upon my return to America I lived in Ruidoso, New Mexico for a couple of years. The conversation I heard in bars and the local Episcopal church was, to put it mildly, shocking. It was common knowledge that Iraq was responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon -- right? The church bulletin even praised troops that had died in Iraq as having "defended us against those terrorists that attacked us on 911." It wasn't just in New Mexico where I encountered this dogma. A poll in 2006 found that 60% of the American population believed that 911 was somehow linked to Saddam Hussein and Iraq. It was one of the top reasons why youth joined the military and shipped off to and died in that desert land. I tried to make sense of this. It troubled me for a long time until, one day, I saw a list of states, matched with the candidate they voted for in 2004 and rated according to average intelligence for the state population. I'll shut up while you have a look (below): [IQ is a numerical measure of intelligence. The "median" IQ -- the intellect of a majority of people -- is set at 100. Above 100 is smarter and below 100 is dumber. So-called "mentally deficient" people have scores of 80 or below. "Genius" scores usually range from 140 and up. It is widely stated that President Bush has an IQ of 91, about average for Texas.] Rank State Avg. IQ '04 Vote 1 Connecticut 113 Kerry 2 Massachusetts 111 Kerry 3 New Jersey 111 Kerry 4 New York 109 Kerry 5 Rhode Island 107 Kerry 6 Hawaii 106 Kerry 7 Maryland 105 Kerry 8 New Hampshire 105 Kerry 9 Illinois 104 Kerry 10 Delaware 103 Kerry 11 Minnesota 102 Kerry 12 Vermont 102 Kerry 13 Washington 102 Kerry 14 California 101 Kerry 15 Pennsylvania 101 Kerry 16 Maine 100 Kerry 17 Virginia 100 Bush 18 Wisconsin 100 Kerry 19 Colorado 99 Bush 20 Iowa 99 Bush 21 Michigan 99 Kerry 22 Nevada 99 Bush 23 Ohio 99 Bush 24 Oregon 99 Kerry 25 Alaska 98 Bush 26 Florida 98 Bush 27 Missouri 98 Bush 28 Kansas 96 Bush 29 Nebraska 95 Bush 30 Arizona 94 Bush 31 Indiana 94 Bush 32 Tennessee 94 Bush 33 North Carolina 93 Bush 34 West Virginia 93 Bush 35 Arkansas 92 Bush 36 Georgia 92 Bush 37 Kentucky 92 Bush 38 New Mexico 92 Bush 39 North Dakota 92 Bush 40 Texas 92 Bush 41 Alabama 90 Bush 42 Louisiana 90 Bush 43 Montana 90 Bush 44 Oklahoma 90 Bush 45 South Dakota 90 Bush 46 South Carolina 89 Bush 47 Wyoming 89 Bush 48 Idaho 87 Bush 49 Utah 87 Bush 50 Mississippi 85 Bush OK? Well it certainly appears that the more intelligent people, in retrospect, made the right decision in the 2004 presidential election, even though they were outnumbered. One would normally assume that the people who voted for Bush in 2004 would have learned that their judgement was poor. According to published polls, a majority of voters now believe Bush took us down the wrong road. Presumably this majority includes about 20-25% of former Bush '04 voters. So did they really learn from their lesson? I'm afraid not. Here's the current list of states that I put together, from smartest to dumbest, listing their current preference for president in 2008 (according to September 2008 CNN polls of polls). Again, I'll let the facts speak for themselves: Rank State Avg. IQ '08 Vote 1 Connecticut 113 Obama 2 Massachusetts 111 Obama 3 New Jersey 111 Obama 4 New York 109 Obama 5 Rhode Island 107 Obama 6 Hawaii 106 Obama 7 Maryland 105 Obama 8 New Hampshire 105 ? 9 Illinois 104 Obama 10 Delaware 103 Obama 11 Minnesota 102 Obama 12 Vermont 102 Obama 13 Washington 102 Obama 14 California 101 Obama 15 Pennsylvania 101 Obama 16 Maine 100 Obama 17 Virginia 100 ? 18 Wisconsin 100 Obama 19 Colorado 99 ? 20 Iowa 99 Obama 21 Michigan 99 ? 22 Nevada 99 ? 23 Ohio 99 McCain 24 Oregon 99 Obama 25 Alaska 98 McCain 26 Florida 98 ? 27 Missouri 98 ? 28 Kansas 96 McCain 29 Nebraska 95 McCain 30 Arizona 94 McCain 31 Indiana 94 McCain 32 Tennessee 94 McCain 33 North Carolina 93 McCain 34 West Virginia 93 McCain 35 Arkansas 92 McCain 36 Georgia 92 McCain 37 Kentucky 92 McCain 38 New Mexico 92 Obama 39 North Dakota 92 McCain 40 Texas 92 McCain 41 Alabama 90 McCain 42 Louisiana 90 McCain 43 Montana 90 McCain 44 Oklahoma 90 McCain 45 South Dakota 90 McCain 46 South Carolina 89 McCain 47 Wyoming 89 McCain 48 Idaho 87 McCain 49 Utah 87 McCain 50 Mississippi 85 McCain Democracy only works if the voters are well informed and, dare I say, smart enough to detect lies from the truth. Sadly, the statistics do not speak well for America. Every four years we end up with elected officials who don't serve our interests and who lead this once great country down a path that most people think is wrong. This is true because some voters apparently don't want the candidate who can discuss the S-300 Missile Defense System that Dr. Putin is going to sell to Iran. They don't want affordible health care for everyone or an end to a curtailing of their constitutional rights. No. They would rather elect someone who would be good to "drink a beer with" or "bake a cake." It's ironic that the least intellectually endowed citizens are typically those with the least incomes and who suffer most from Republican "trickle down" economic policies. These same citizens are the first ones who offer up their sons and daughters to serve in the military and protect big money oil interests. Is it because their lower IQs prevent them from understanding how they are being used in this most cruel political game? If your family earns more than a quarter-million a year, you may benefit from a Republican administration. Otherwise, the Democrats offer a tax break and incentives for you. A "no brainer"? With the race leaning towards Obama, the McCain campaign has focused its efforts on the remaining 8% who, according to poles, have not yet decided. With such contrasting policies, it's kind of hard to understand how anyone could not have formed an opinion at this late date; however, these "undecided" people are almost certainly the people with challenged IQs. And so it makes sense that McCain has resorted to "dumbing down" his campaign with his "my friends" mantra and verbal loops like, "I've been fighting for America for 17 years (pause) and I have the scars to prove it (wait for applause and force smile)." Add to that the idiotic idea that Obama is a "socialist" and you can see the level of intellect that he is appealing to in his last desperate days. McCain has even made brainless crowds boo at the mention of redistributing the wealth to the middle-class! The pathetic crowds fail to realize that this benefits them! Senator Obama has pledged to give tax breaks -- that means LOWER TAXES -- for families earning under $250,000. Odds are this is YOU and I (and most people I know). The median family income in America is about $48,000 a year. There are 300-million people living in the USA -- only 2.4% earn over $250,000 annually. This tax cut will help a huge chunk of people with the lower IQs. So why do these citizens vote Republican? Does it make any sense? Who do we have to blame for this? What do YOU think? Or better yet, DO you think? UPDATE:Political Views Affect Firms' Corporate Social Responsibility, Study Finds ScienceDaily (Sep. 19, 2008) -- A new study in The Financial Review establishes a relationship between political beliefs of corporate stakeholders and the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of their firms. Companies with a high CSR rating tend to be located in Democratic states, while companies with a low CSR rating tend to be located in Republican states. Amir Rubin of Simon Fraser University analyzed the 2004 presidential election results of communities in which corporate headquarters are located. The results from the election provide relevant data to analyze the correlation between political views of individual communities and the CSR ratings of firms located in those communities. Results show that firms with high CSR ratings are more likely to be located in states with Democratic majorities, and firms with low CSR ratings are more likely to be located in states with Republican majorities. Corporate executives tend to reside near a firm's headquarters. It seems logical that corporate decision makers would align their policies with the views of their stakeholders in order to reduce conflict and create value for the firm. "The study provides evidence that is consistent with political views playing a role in corporate decision making," Rubin concludes. "Even though political views affect corporate decisions, they represent an important part of the drive to maximize firm value." Journal reference: 1. Amir Rubin. Political Views and Corporate Decision Making: The Case of Corporate Social Responsibility. Financial Review, 2008; 43 (3): 337-360 DOI: -end- Viewzone || Comments? Reader's Comments: I think you are on to something. Poor people and people with below average intellects usually confine their sphere of interest and awareness to their immediate goals of survival, including their family, their work and their entertainment. They have only limited interests in politics and rely upon news commentators or public figures to tell them what they should believe and do. This is why false campaign ads (like the current McCain TV and radio campaign) work so well and why talk radio shows have such power. Simply put, these "salt of the earth" don't think for themselves but rather follow the lead of role models. It's why we see blind patriotism, nationalism and consumerism. It's also why the mainstream media "entertainment" news doesn't report the real news, but rather panders to the unintellectuals who will continue to maintain the status quo through pundits who tell us how we should feel about various stories. A good exampke of this is the Georgian invasion and genocide of the S. Ossettian civilians and the Russian military reaction which has been portrayed as an "invasion." The unintelligent are controlled by "buzzwords" and slogans to a degree that cannot be overcome by intellectual or logical arguments. It's quite hopeless and, as you have pointed out, is the reason why democracy is not always best for an unsophisticated civilization. Alex Z. Great article Dan. I am not a Republican or Democrat but do appreciate these statistics. I guess whats scares me the most about Obama, and don't get me wrong, both of these individuals scare me, is the thought of Jesse Jackson as Secretary of State..OMG! That even scares those dummies in Mississippi. If anyone knows his TRUE motive they do. (will somebody please get that pebble out of Obama's shoe for him). MB AZ I don't think intelligence is related to this. I think its belief in Jesus Christ as our savior and knowing which candidate is against abortion and supports the state of Israel. Even people who are not smart know that these things are important and that is why many support McCain. Bless you, Sarah G. Yeah. That pretty much says it all. The unfortunate thing is that there are more unintelligent people than smart. So democracy will always be thwarted by the motives and wishes of the dumber class of people. It kind of supports having a smart elite class of leaders doesn't it? T. Bradley Good work, Dan. I wish this chart was viewed by everyone... but then again maybe a majority of people wouldn't understand it! go2skt One only has to drive on the roads and highways of America to understand the truth of this chart. It's frightening. HR The sheeple are now buying eye glasses that look like Sara Pallin wears! God help us all if the fate of the free world is in the hands of the American public. We truly DO deserve the government we elect. It's all over, I'm afraid. TKD San Diego Hi Dan, Great article. But there is hope if you look at the undecided states in orange. We only need a few of them to slide over to Obama and then perhaps he will win. Of course the Republicans probably have their Diebold computer voting scheme installed in those districts. Chin up... RD, St. Louis I am married to a man with an IQ above 140 -- he's a doctor. He studied hard and went to school for many more years than the average mouth breather. He works 12 to 14 hour per day, sometimes even saving lives (he's a cardiologist). He does not see patients that do not need to be seen. People do not have to wait weeks or months when they really need to be seen. All of that is about to change if Obama gets elected!!! In Ohio, under Obama's plan, our family will pay 62.5% in combined Fed, State and Local taxes -- (not counting property and sales tax) for every $1 over $250,000. So what to do???? Well if we only get to keep 37.5 cents for every dollar we earn, you can take his job and shove it! We will just cut back -- work only half the year treating half the patients. And guess what else... we will only need half of the staff (who really need the work) -- Yea I guess that makes us greedy little pricks not thinking of the little guys or the poor suffering patients. It's not that we don't want to help our employees, we love them, It's simply not be fair to steal that much of our wages. We can live on 250k per year or less. Its still a large wage compared to the masses. It may even be a good thing for our family -- less is more -- Dad can spend more time with his kids. The impact to our economy will be staggering if other providers making under 1 mill decide to do the same thing -- They just might. Watch the unemployment rate -- oh you will blame it on Bush of course! OBAMA'S Socialist regime -- Take from the rich and give to the poor!! Those evil undeserving bastards! Under our current 66,0000 page tax rules: 1% pays 30% of all Federal Tax, 5% pays 50% of the all Fed taxes. And 40% pay nothing -- any tax refund to the 40% is just a hand out -- if you don't pay tax how can u get a rebate?????? Thanks for being so generous with our money. We really did not need to pick our charities by ourselves we needed Obama to do it for us!!! It was time to take a break from work anyway so thanks for the help. Love Pate You pompous son of a bitch! Yeah, I know, you expected that from me because I live in one of the "dumb" states. The facts are that the "dumb" states have more people that are more independent than the people from the "smart" states. We don't look for handouts or expect the government to do everything for us. We also don't believe all the drivel that comes out of the mouth of politicians or over the airways or online political rags. The fact is we don't want some jerk for president that wants to take us down the socialist road ala Cuba, Venezuela, Britian, France, Germany, etc. etc. If you want to live in a socialist country, by all means, pack your bags and get your sorry ass out of the USA and into one of these socialist countries. And if you get cancer or some other dreaded disease, go to your doctor there and get him to cure you -- that is if you can get scheduled for treatment or surgery before you die. And if you believe that crap about no one making under $250,000 will see their taxes raised, you're an idiot. If you tax a doctor or a lawyer or a businessman more, what's he going to do? Why, he's going to raise his prices and pass the tax along to his customers -- that's us folks in the "dumb" states and a hell of a lot of them in the "smart" states also. Ok, my taxes weren't raised but my cost of living sure as hell went up didn't it?! When you were doing interesting topics on this site, I enjoyed perusing it. But now that you have stooped to publishing political drivel to drive your left wing agenda, I'm exercising my right to remove this site from my bookmarks -- once your silver tongued devil gets in office, I may not be allowed to. Vearle Bible Ole dumb "Bubba" from Tennessee Hello Mr. Bible, One would imagine that your family name stems from a familial history of morality, based on the Holy Scripture. Specifically the teachings of Jesus. One wonders what Jesus would think of your use of such foul language, simply because you did not agree with an article you read. One also wonders if it is not a fact that Jesus himself was what you would call a "socialist." I lived for three and a half years in the Republic of Vietnam -- a socialist and communist country with free medical care and no taxes on middle class income. The hospitals were efficient and treated everyone, regardless of income. Sure, they could use some improvement in hygiene but the population density is almost 8 times that of America. Unhealthy things -- like sugary food, alcohol and cigarettes -- were highly taxed as a preventative measure. Socially, Vietnam had a strict morality against pornography, violence and corruption. I often was upset when my government controlled HBO network censored shows like "Six Feet Under" (which featured a homosexual relationship) or would black out portions of the Animal Channel when various animals were mating. This seemed strange to me but then the society was greatly improved by a strong family and family values (i.e. No nursing homes in Asia -- they cried when I told them what a nursing home was and could not conceive of putting away their elder family members). We are now entering socialism in America -- it is inevitable with the financial crisis caused by free-market greed. On the other hand, the communistic society in Vietnam now has Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises and even their own stock exchange. The meaning of such terms as "socialism" and "capitalism" is changing. Eventually the world will meet somewhere between the two. In the meantime, you must open your mind and allow people to express their free speech or else it is YOU who should leave this country and live in a more repressive and less free land. The blood of soldiers has been shed so that magazines like viewzone can publish their opinions. Shame on you for being against this freedom. Dan Eden / viewzone