More Thoughts on Why Republicans are Happier

I commented earlier on the poll which showed yet again that Republicans, as a group, are generally happier people than Democrats. As I was driving around today (smiling, of course) I thought a little more about it. I believe the reasons lie in the basic difference in political philosophy between the two parties. Here is my theory on why that is true, and has been since they started polling in 1972.

Republicans believe in limited government and low taxes, so that the individual is free to work hard and rise to whatever level his skill and hard work will take him - all without the government's hand in his pocket or getting into his personal business. People who work in an environment like that are going to be happier, because they get to see...and keep...the benefits from their work.

Democrats, on the other hand, have a completely opposite philosophy. Government is the end-all and be-all of their world. Why? It's either because:

1. Government is smarter than you are and you are not capable of achieving on your own, or;
2. You are the victim of some great conspiracy which only government can fix.

If you go around all day thinking you're a victim and you can't do things on your own, you're going to be unhappy, and it's that unhappiness that the Dems feast on when promising the moon with all kinds of government programs. When those program fail to provide the promised results (as they nearly always do), unhappiness increases. No wonder so many Dems are so miserable.

As long as this continues to be true, those poll numbers will never change.