At the KNUS News/Talk Rally I attended last Monday, Dennis Prager cited a research study that found out some interesting things about the correlation between political affiliation and self-rated happiness. The Pew Research Center performed an objective survey of just over 3,000 Americans, 34% of which rated themselves as very happy. Regular churchgoers ranked happier than non-churchgoers, dog and cat owners rated the same, African Americans were the least happy race of all minorities, and married people were surprisingly happier than the single. But what I found most interesting as I looked closely into this study was the difference between Republican and Democrat happiness.

Only 30% of Democrats called themselves very happy, compared to 45% of Republicans.
Statistically, we’re the more joyful party. A Democrat may accuse that that’s because we’re the ones swimming around in our pools of blood and oil money or that we feel euphoric stomping our big, greedy feet all over the impoverished or that ignorance really is bliss.

I don’t particularly like any of those theories. Prager summed it up nicely: Republicans, he said, are happier because we feel we are in control of our own lives. We are not the puppets of big government or the victims of too much control. Democrats feel that their happiness is out of their own hands. They vote for over-taxation and restrictions on the market and less choice in health care and education and don’t realize that these are the things that contribute feeling like nothing but a passenger. Republicans are in the drivers’ seats. We vote against giving the government the final word on everything, and thus, we know that destiny is ours to create. It’s extremely liberating.

I know in past posts I’ve come across as angry. But that’s when I think about becoming a liberal nation. Just the thought of liberalism ticks me off, and I can see why only 30% of you can find elation in your lives. When I think about my own views, I’m satisfied. I can honestly say that I’m among that 45% of very happy Republicans. I have a bright plan for my future and, should the government not interfere, it will be actualized, and I will be genuinely happy for the rest of my life. I like the person I am and have a great group of friends who accept me, Democrats among them. My family is great, and, as Republicans, I think they’re all really happy, too. I don’t know a lot of people who can say that.

Even now, when the Democrats are supposedly on the brink of presidential victory, they’re angry. All I hear from them is irate screaming whenever McCain shows up on TV or the scribbles of nasty vandalism on the other side of my door. They can’t stand that anyone disagrees with them, and instead of trying to rationalize with us or being civil, they just yell. You’d think they’d be happy that Obama is doing so well, but instead they’re angry that he’s not winning over all 100% of us.

I’m a Republican and I’m happy. I’m not saying if you’re a Democrat you’re unhappy; you could well be in that 30%. But if you’re feeling blue, maybe you should consider going red.