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The two tend to go together, though it is far from a hard and fast rule. Joel Send a noteboard - 04/02/2012 11:50:03 PM
Social conservatism may be linked to lower IQ in some cases, but I think it's probably unfair to say that there is no merit to social conservatism as a result. I'm not a social conservative, but it doesn't mean they can't have compelling arguments.

Anything is possible, but, unless they are very biased, an argument that fails to sway most intelligent people is not very compelling.

As for fiscal conservatism, the article says nothing about it, but certainly the more fiscally conservative one tends to be, the more wealthy one tends to be...

The articles silence on fiscal conservatism is surely no coincidence. That said, I disagree fiscal conservatism tends to wealth. In the US, not only are most fiscal conservatives not wealthy, but I dare say the percentage of wealthy Americans who are fiscally liberal exceeds that percentage among the middle class (and greatly exceeds it among the lower class.) The more fiscally conservative one is, the more likely one is POOR, but voting against ones interests due to ignorance/bigotry.

Wealth often fosters fiscal conservatism, not the reverse. Freedom of choice is predicated on freedom of means; "choice" without means is simply desire denied, Fords "any color you like as long as it is black." Absent exceptional growth in national wealth, widespread upward mobility is mathematically impossible without proportional wealth redistribution. Whether natural or artificial, those with great existing wealth understandably tend to find that threatening.

Fiscal conservatism encourages social; the only question is whether the latter is intentional or incidental. In fact, it is often hard to separate fiscal and social liberalism, because the social policy is usually impractical without fiscal backing. Thus many wealthy social conservatives support local laws against various behavior they routinely travel elsewhere to indulge. The classic example has been discussed enough the past few days, so I will revert to my personal favorite: Arthur Finkelstein made a career electing NY Republicans who tirelessly fought gay marriage, but married his 20 year boyfriend in MA, where they and their adopted children live.

When closely examined, the culture and class wars are almost inextricable because, whatever nominal freedom exists, EXERCISING it is usually more a matter of assets and income than of law. Unfortunately, those fairly liberated by that system rarely confront and therefore rarely see its flaws, and calls for more opportunity are met with concerns for their wallets. Nothing illustrates that better than people who have insisted for decades that taxes are too high recently demanding tax hikes for the 50% of America owing (and consequently paying) no income tax. Working class America did not start the class war; they are just trying to survive it.

Ultimately, we return to the question we thought answered in 1865: Do property rights trump human rights, and should they take precedence when their inception created a conflict? Since ITS inception the GOP has side-stepped that question, making the Civil War about limiting states rights and the unions insolubility (anathema to all Founding Fathers, including Jefferson and Madison.) I do not know how—or if—they will answer it. Since 1964 the answer has increasingly been that sufficient wealth ensures members of any minority de facto liberty, and they can be blamed for the disenfranchisement of white males thereby induced to slit their own throats.
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This message last edited by Joel on 05/02/2012 at 12:01:03 AM
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Intelligence Study Links Low I.Q. To Prejudice, Racism, Conservatism - 03/02/2012 08:58:00 PM 1429 Views
I think ... - 03/02/2012 09:28:02 PM 911 Views
I agree. - 03/02/2012 10:48:25 PM 1656 Views
Yeah, I am unsure whether to be impressed or disappointed. - 05/02/2012 02:38:05 AM 1839 Views
That is a logical and reasonable assessment. - 04/02/2012 08:59:59 PM 1827 Views
You think very well. - 05/02/2012 04:12:11 AM 1671 Views
note: "social conservatives", not "fiscal conservatives" - 03/02/2012 09:37:18 PM 1684 Views
I've wondered: - 03/02/2012 09:55:14 PM 1695 Views
It bothers the living fuck out of me - 03/02/2012 10:59:01 PM 1653 Views
Just wait ten years - 03/02/2012 11:21:25 PM 1559 Views
Oh, I still vote Republican. - 04/02/2012 01:49:43 AM 1579 Views
Re: Oh, I still vote Republican. - 04/02/2012 01:15:10 PM 1660 Views
Re: Just wait ten years - 04/02/2012 05:16:16 AM 1588 Views
The two tend to go together, though it is far from a hard and fast rule. - 04/02/2012 11:50:03 PM 1717 Views
By referencing it… - 03/02/2012 10:50:59 PM 1557 Views
That's an odd idea. - 03/02/2012 11:10:31 PM 1628 Views
It was a mostly facetious comment…. - 03/02/2012 11:49:28 PM 999 Views
Clearly you endorse it. - 05/02/2012 02:23:41 AM 745 Views
Only endorsing its validity, not its soundness. *NM* - 04/02/2012 02:24:24 AM 462 Views
Tempting... - 03/02/2012 11:17:43 PM 884 Views
I expected no less. - 05/02/2012 12:25:14 AM 919 Views
Still fun though - 05/02/2012 01:30:26 AM 1026 Views
Well, that is the main thing. - 05/02/2012 02:25:36 AM 1044 Views
Well, racists are dumb. What's to discuss? - 04/02/2012 01:23:27 AM 732 Views
I think that generally agreed, though we need a study PROVING what we already know. - 05/02/2012 12:41:26 AM 1002 Views
Proving is something you do in maths, not science. - 05/02/2012 09:05:30 AM 736 Views
So the Moon might still be made of green cheese? - 05/02/2012 10:20:57 AM 841 Views
Yes. It is not very likely, though, since no measurement we have done so far indicates that it is so - 05/02/2012 02:28:18 PM 679 Views
Oh, let us not go THERE. - 05/02/2012 02:54:30 PM 912 Views
Bad comparison - 05/02/2012 03:36:12 PM 790 Views
Well, that last part will make sure this gets ugly.... - 04/02/2012 02:05:11 AM 621 Views
Do you not think it's true then? - 04/02/2012 07:32:13 AM 928 Views
Same here *NM* - 04/02/2012 12:13:44 PM 371 Views
Not in my experience. - 04/02/2012 04:17:01 PM 824 Views
Granted, you do move in different circles than I (or Jens, for that matter.) - 04/02/2012 10:24:52 PM 789 Views
Corfirmational bias much? - 04/02/2012 04:25:24 PM 797 Views
I did mention that I didn't care enough to look into it. - 04/02/2012 10:22:09 PM 823 Views
As a few others have noted, it is important to preserve the causality chain. - 05/02/2012 02:35:02 AM 802 Views
I dont see that it matters. - 13/02/2012 01:40:45 AM 998 Views

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