Harvard Faculty Donate to Democrats by Wide Margin

[lostinblue 1,989]

Harvard Faculty Donate to Democrats by Wide Margin

Eighty-four percent of campaign contributions made by a group of 614 Harvard faculty, instructors, and researchers between 2011 and the third quarter of 2014 went to federal Democratic campaigns and political action committees.

During the three years, the Harvard affiliates represented in analyzed public filings gave nearly $3 million to federal campaigns and candidates. Each of Harvard’s schools leaned to the left in the contributions made by their affiliates, many by wide margins. Ninety-six percent of donations in the data set from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which includes Harvard College, supported Democratic efforts. That figure was even higher—nearly 98 percent—at Harvard Law School. Harvard Business School was the most Republican, with 37 percent of its contributions supporting Republicans and 62 percent going to Democrats.

Faculty from the Law School in the data set gave the second-largest amount of money to political campaigns and committees at $692,792. Almost all—98 percent—of these contributions went to Democratic campaigns. Ninety-five faculty members, instructors, and researchers with primary appointments at the Law School in the data set contributed 24 percent of all Harvard faculty campaign donations.

Government professor and Republican Harvey C. Mansfield ’53 argued that University faculty’s liberal leanings narrow the scope of research topics addressed on campus, as well as the academic conversation in the classroom to a point that does not reflect the political atmosphere in the country.

“The only debate we get here is between the far-left...and the liberals,” Mansfield said. “It gives students a view that a very narrow spectrum of opinion is the only way to think.”

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/5/1/faculty-political-contributions-data-analysis/?utm_source=Email+Newsletter&utm_campaign=45d44e7a2d-News_Alert_2015_04_304_30_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_160d75b318-45d44e7a2d-17498993

“The only debate we get here is between the far-left...and the liberals,” Mansfield said. “It gives students a view that a very narrow spectrum of opinion is the only way to think.”

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Conservatives don't need these stinkin' elitists anyways.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Elitism only applies to universities, not the richest 1%

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Elitism only applies to universities, not the richest 1%

Naturally because elitism is just another word for science. And conservatives know just how bad science is.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Now who would think that

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Think what?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Liberal states are more educated than conservative states.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Liberal states are more educated than conservative states.

And now you know why conservatives hate science.

[decocker 7,198]

point 2 and point 4.

Reliance on quick, efficient, and "low effort" thought processes yields conservative ideologies, while effortful and deliberate reasoning yields liberal ideologies.

"...[P]olitical conservatism is promoted when people rely on low-effort thinking. When effortful, deliberate responding is disrupted or disengaged, thought processes become quick and efficient; these conditions promote conservative ideology… low-effort thought might promote political conservatism because its concepts are easier to process, and processing fluency increases attitude endorsement.

Four studies support our assertion that low-effort thinking promotes political conservatism... Our findings suggest that conservative ways of thinking are basic, normal, and perhaps natural."

Liberals have more tolerance to uncertainty (bigger anterior cingulate cortex), and conservatives have more sensitivity to fear (bigger right amygdala). "In a large sample of young adults, we related self-reported political attitudes to gray matter volume using structural MRI [magnetic resonance imaging]. We found that greater liberalism was associated with increased gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas greater conservatism was associated with increased volume of the right amygdala...

...[O]ur findings are consistent with the proposal that political orientation is associated with psychological processes for managing fear and uncertainty. The amygdala has many functions, including fear processing. Individuals with a larger amygdala are more sensitive to fear, which, taken together with our findings, might suggest the testable hypothesis that individuals with larger amagdala are more inclined to integrate conservative views into their belief systems... our finding of an association between anterior cingulate cortex [ACC] may be linked with tolerance to uncertainty. One of the functions of the anterior cingulate cortex is to monitor uncertainty and conflicts. Thus it is conceivable that individuals with a larger ACC have a higher capacity to tolerate uncertainty and conflicts, allowing them to accept more liberal views."

http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004818

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

...conservatives have more sensitivity to fear...

So we're saying that conservatives are a bunch of scared little sissies. That's not really a revelation is it?

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Wait wait wait -- so what I'm taking away from this is that strict meritocracy is only for student applicants to the Ivies, but there needs to be affirmative action for conservative faculty applicants.

Huh.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Wait wait wait -- so what I'm taking away from this is that strict meritocracy is only for student applicants to the Ivies, but there needs to be affirmative action for conservative faculty applicants.

Huh.

Well, yes. They're a persecuted minority.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Why would the Harvard faculty donate to the Republicans since they are against education?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Why would the Harvard faculty donate to the Republicans since they are against education?

They're not against all education. Bible study is strongly encouraged.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Liberal Folks of higher learning