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2016 Postmortem

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eridani

(51,907 posts)
Sun Jul 28, 2013, 07:03 AM Jul 2013

Robert Reich | Why Republicans are Disciplined and Democrats Aren’t [View all]

http://www.nationofchange.org/why-republicans-are-disciplined-and-democrats-aren-t-1374845972

Republican discipline and Democratic lack of discipline isn’t a new phenomenon. As Will Rogers once said, “I’m not a member of any organized political party. I’m a Democrat."

The difference has to do with the kind of personalities the two parties attract. People who respect authority, follow orders, want clear answers, obey commands, and prefer precise organization and control, tend to gravitate toward Republicans.

On the other hand, people who don’t much like authority, recoil from orders, don’t believe in clear answers, often disobey commands, and prefer things a bit undefined, tend to gravitate to the Democrats.

In short, the Republican Party is the party of the authoritarian personality; the Democratic Party is the party of the anti-authoritarian personality.

In "Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics" (Cambridge University Press, 2009), Jonathan Weiler, professor of international studies at UNC Chapel Hill and his co-author, Marc Hetherington, use statistical models to determine whether someone is a Republican or Democrat. It turns out that the best predictor of party affiliation is someone’s score on an authoritarian personality scale that measures many of the traits I mentioned above.

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republicans like to be beaten wilt the stilt Jul 2013 #1
The beauty of the republican party Cosmocat Jul 2013 #2
You've nailed it. When you try to point this out to them, Arkansas Granny Jul 2013 #4
yeah Cosmocat Jul 2013 #13
Yup. Their hypocrisy runneth over. RBInMaine Jul 2013 #5
Good summary... KansDem Jul 2013 #6
yep Cosmocat Jul 2013 #12
Grabbing the "morality" rights by naming the protests in NC "Moral Mondays" mnhtnbb Jul 2013 #7
Good stuff Cosmocat Jul 2013 #8
Wow ... 1StrongBlackMan Jul 2013 #9
Funny isn't it Cosmocat Jul 2013 #11
No, not really ... 1StrongBlackMan Jul 2013 #14
I must admit Cosmocat Jul 2013 #17
+1 JoePhilly Jul 2013 #20
k&r for exposure. n/t Laelth Jul 2013 #3
Republicans/conservatives like to categorize the world into good and bad. DCBob Jul 2013 #10
That explains all JoeyT Jul 2013 #15
Republicans keep their eyes on the prize. Local races, gerymandering bklyncowgirl Jul 2013 #16
I've said this before tabbycat31 Jul 2013 #18
I agree to a certain extent because I've met some dems who like to be told how to think too. JRLeft Jul 2013 #19
I guess one could call teabaggery "disciplined." I just call it "teabaggery." yellowcanine Jul 2013 #21
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