# Why does this board lean Democrat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 24, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626 "2013-04-24T23:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/101 "2013-04-26T01:48:19Z")
Well, I would point out that there are a lot of people here who identify as Democrats or liberal in general, but this is just accidental to anything they post. That is, just as one might encounter a board where the predominant tendency of the poster was Christian (or Jewish, or Hindu, or what have you), but that the content of the posts was hardly, if at all, informed by conventional Christian (or Jewish, Hindu, etc.) theology/ethics/history/critique; there is similarly no reason to suppose that just because this board leans Democratic/liberal, that the posts here should be taken as representative of the current state of Democratic/liberal thought. Put another way, there are a lot of people here who identify as Democrats or liberals, who sometimes even posit that they are putting forth Democratic or liberal ideas — and they are totally deluded. They are merely shoehorning their own personal hobbyhorses under a rubric, even though actual Democratic or liberal policymakers or intellectuals would consider them complete non-starters. Put still another way, just because people vote Democratic or liberal and support their politicians doesn’t mean they know the first thing about the principles that actually animate Democratic or liberal politics. There’s no qualifying test at the voting booth. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/102 "2013-04-26T02:29:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The polls here don’t mean very much. But if we take it for granted that the board leans liberal (not exactly Democratic), I think the reason is probably a combination of user demographics and George W. Bush. You don’t think the moderation has anything at all to do with it? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/103 "2013-04-26T03:32:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not sure why so few people seem to recognize that a large reason this board leans left is we have a lot of non-American posting here, and they tend to lean left in any American sense of the term. That’s irrelevant to the issue of why the _American_ population is so heavily liberal, as demonstrated when Obama beat Romney [in an SDMB poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=4444) by 91 to 12. This percentage was roughly reflected in SDMB commentary by Americans, for Americans, about the election. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/104 "2013-04-26T04:10:47Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > If you get banned here, it isn’t because you are conservative or espouse unpopular opinions. You get banned here because you fuck up. You insult people or can’t follow a few simple rules. And I never said differently. Unpopular posters, however, are going to get more Mod notice, since they are going to get more reports against them bringing them to that notice. Also, hostility can be a defensive response to constant attacks from numerous posters ganging up on a single poster and hounding them. I think this board has excellent mods and an admirable rule set. I don’t see much political bias on the parts of the mods, and certainly they aren’t banning folks for their opinions, unpopular or otherwise. DTC was a lefty, and he ended up getting the ban hammer. I’m considered a righty, in these parts anyway, and I’m still here years later…and I’m a fairly prickly poster. So, it’s not a left/right thing, nor even a science/psudo-science thing…but I think my point about the corporate culture and steep learning curve are pretty accurate, at least that’s how I see it. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/105 "2013-04-26T04:51:27Z")
In a related topic, there was recently an episode on the Point of Inquiry podcast that discussed [“Why are Professors and Scientists so liberal?”](http://www.pointofinquiry.org/neil_gross_why_are_professors_and_scientists_so_liberal/) Good food for thought. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/106 "2013-04-26T05:16:03Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > That’s irrelevant to the issue of why the _American_ population is so heavily liberal, as demonstrated when Obama beat Romney [in an SDMB poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=4444) by 91 to 12. This percentage was roughly reflected in SDMB commentary by Americans, for Americans, about the election. What? How do you know only Americans voted in that poll? There were only about 30 posts and over 100 votes. I’m not saying our non-American voters are the only reason this MB leans left, but it’s a significant factor. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/107 "2013-04-26T05:31:07Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > You don’t think the moderation has anything at all to do with it? Really? Do a bit of legwork, show us several convincing examples of obvious bias. Otherwise, you just sound like, “I feel persecuted.” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/108 "2013-04-26T06:46:32Z")
> [@For You](#): > > Do a bit of legwork, show us several convincing examples of obvious bias. Otherwise, you just sound like, “I feel persecuted.” Read my first post in this thread for two good examples. Recall Marley’s “gun grabber” fiasco from a few weeks ago for a third. There was another one in the Elections forum just last week…maybe the week before. I gave generic liberals some well deserved grief over the great victory for gun rights that was the defeat of the unneeded background check bill, and Marley decided that was somehow off topic…then a page or so later, he refused to enforce his own instruction…and yes, I did report the posts quoting my post that drew the instruction. But it was liberals taunting conservatives, so he couldn’t be bothered with even trying to be fair about it. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/109 "2013-04-26T12:22:34Z")
In other words, he has no examples. Just more delusions and paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![Saraya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Saraya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saraya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/110 "2013-04-26T12:47:25Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > In all seriousness, no pitting intended, there seems to be a direct correlation between free, open and intelligent discussion and political leaning. I have never found a board where the discussion was sincere, intelligent and accommodating that had obvious right-leaning participants. The boards on which a rightward leaning is evident seem more concerned with protecting certain ideas against all challenges than discussing them. Which fits my overall perception: conservatives have been in a highly defensive/protective mode for the last two decades. While you said that in a very gentle and diplomatic way (very leftist politician of you), it’s nonsense. Protecting ideas does not result in a zero tolerance policy towards debate. If anything it’s particularly more tolerant because you’re dealing with minds that are solid in their beliefs and while have no intention of letting them be swayed, they’ll still engage in the communication for the sport of it or for your courtesy. Opposite that, being left has nothing to do with “free, open and intelligent discussion and political leaning.” The amount of cultist behavior that results in ‘our way or the highway’ mentality that The simple reason Dope is left, is because many things these days are. It’s merely a law of averages ..or is that probability.. hmm. You see the same thing with college campus administration. The staff has a left to right ratio of 6:1. As for moderator notice.. we’d be naive to think that it doesn’t play ANY part. However I’d like to think the moderators have something better to do than show obvious defeat at the hands of some anonymous person online. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/111 "2013-04-26T13:08:50Z")
Has anyone come up with a estimate of the percentage of international posters on the SDMB ? My extremely rough guess would be around 35-40 percent. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/112 "2013-04-26T13:50:36Z")
Thudlow Boink: > [@](#): > > > [@bup](#): > > > > left and right mindsets are fundamentally different, and one’s mindset is congenital. Left mindsets tend to accept partial answers, allow for uncertainty, and place less emphasis on authority > > I’m not sure that’s correct. At least, it may be only somewhat true. Besides, who says so? **golf clap** ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/113 "2013-04-26T13:55:40Z")
RTFirefly: > [@](#): > > Perhaps, but Rush Limbaugh’s massive audience demonstrates that there are tens of millions of conservatives with plenty of free time during the day. Hardly. Radio is a very handy medium for background entertainment while working; it fills your ears without demanding anything of your eyes and hands. Heck, I subscribe to MLB Audio rather than upgrading to MLB TV for that very reason. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/114 "2013-04-26T15:51:47Z")
I am pretty centrist according to the Political Compass test previously mentioned. I am _very_ slightly Right/Libertarian.\* On this board I tend to see not just a liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican split but also an extremist split. I’ve seen a preponderance of posts from the left-leaning members that are anti-military, anti-religion (to the point of extreme rudeness), environment over humans, anti-business and so on. Maybe it’s because they are more vocal and active and so attract more attention, I don’t know. From the right, as far as I’ve seen, there have been a few posters who lean slightly to the right of Glenn Beck but mostly they seem to be more nuanced in their postings. Sure, there are a few who are 100% anti-abortion, anti-immigration, anti-gun control and pro-business. But I they seem to be the exception to the rule. I would actually characterize the remainder of posters as more Libertarian than conservative, looking for variance in their responses and not being “all or nothing”. Again, this is IMHO. As someone who appears to be more conservative on some topics than many of the board members I do find it disheartening to see the vitriol being spewed from people who claim to be so intelligent, tolerant, patient and good-looking (YMMV). I try to stay out of the political discussions because the bile flows pretty heavily. Religious threads tend to devolve when the chosen few jump in with their “invisible sky fairy” comments. People who post that they want stronger immigration control are immediately racists. If you want the current gun laws enforced you are a “gun nut” and probably a potential murderer. You want the government to display some restraint in its spending or involvement in the lives of citizens you are immediately a Neanderthal Tea Partier who wants to evict widows and orphans and put the poor in workhouses. \*I think it would be interesting if everyone on this board took the test and put their results into their signature line. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/115 "2013-04-26T15:55:41Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Not only that, but all of the mods are shamelessly liberal, and moderate according to that bias. **Rand Rover** got suspended over a group “insult” that liberals never get sanctioned for, as the most recent example. In the Boston Marathon thread, Tea Partiers were smeared on the first page, with no mod sanction, but as soon as someone took a shot at liberals, all of a sudden here come the jackboots and mods are all over it. That sort of clear favoritism is routine here, and the mods deny it happens. It’s pretty clear the mods wish all conservatives would leave this board, and they’ll do whatever they can to make things unpleasant for us here. I love a good conspiracy. Please continue. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/116 "2013-04-26T16:29:30Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > In other words, he has no examples. Just more delusions and paranoia. **Mod Note** If you need to hash it out with another poster, **Blank Slate** , take it to the Pit. This is not an appropriate venue and you are out of line. - Gukumatz, IMHO Moderator ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/117 "2013-04-27T03:04:06Z")
I’m gonna stick with “exposure to Cecil Adams tends to skew toward people who read alternative weeklies,” and “the reading of alternative weeklies tends to skew toward Democrats (or at least away from Republicans).” I don’t see why it needs to be considered more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/118 "2013-04-27T05:56:03Z")
BTW Cecil Adams himself is pretty centrist-if anything I’d call him a Clinton Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/119 "2013-04-27T13:26:59Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I’m gonna stick with “exposure to Cecil Adams tends to skew toward people who read alternative weeklies,” and “the reading of alternative weeklies tends to skew toward Democrats (or at least away from Republicans).” > > I don’t see why it needs to be considered more complicated than that. Join date 1999 says ii all. I don’t think that’s true anymore. Heck, I joined in 2002, and I’ve still never read any of his stuff nor even heard of him until after I joined. ---
**Author:** ![Among\_Liberals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Among\_Liberals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Among_Liberals)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/120 "2013-04-27T15:08:42Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > This is just plain untrue. the General Social Survey has shown that the Average republican has an estimated IQ of 100, the average democrat has an estimated IQ of 97.3, and the average independent an average IQ of 94.4. Further the average IQ of conservatives and liberals are identical at 99.4 and 99.2 respectively. However the GSS overstates liberal and democratic IQ because the IQ scores are converted from Wordsum. [Cite](http://anepigone.blogspot.com/2008/11/politics-and-iq-conservative-democrats.html) > > As Reagan said, “It is not that our liberal friends are ignorant, it is that they know so much which isn’t so” IQ tests do not in any way reflect one’s overall ability to reason. There are a number of different arguments (correctly) reasoned by people on both sides why the split might be that is _not_ based on reasoning skills, but putting that aside for the moment because it doesn’t pertain to this particular line of thought, one’s IQ score [does not necessarily](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9755929/IQ-tests-do-not-reflect-intelligence.html) predict one’s ability to reason. [Side note: If you have a citation that focuses solely on reasoning skills, then please show it. It would be more germane.] This is important because if we’re assuming this board has a tendency to attract people who do have a higher-than-average ability to reason (which it may not, to be fair), then IQ score is irrelevant to that fact. To imply that “there is a political imbalance of IQ scores, therefore, there is a political imbalance of reasoning skills” is plain wrong. Now, if you were just simply refuting **rhubarbarin** ’s claim without intending to bolster or refute one overall argument or another, or if you’re simply not claiming anything about a correlation between reasoning skills and board demographics at all, and thus my response is an illogical one to yours, then I apologize for misreading you. Independent of all that, however, it’s important for everyone ( **rhubarbarin** included) to note that it’s a logical fallacy to say IQ=reasoning skills. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626.md?page=7)