Are Germans and English people the problem?

From the right-wing perspective, the problem with America is that black people want handouts, feminists want to destroy families, gays want to pervert children, Arabs are terrorists, Jews are suspect, and so on.

A long time ago, I read that that 55% of Americans who have German or English backgrounds are Republican. Do you think people of that background are predisposed towards bigotry and selfishness?

White people are more likely to have money, and people with money are disproportionately Republican.

I don't know if it's as important an issue now because, well, through religion, rich people have often, throughout history, found common cause with people who are much worse off, but who crave the most visible signs of wealth (think SUV's, and how often we hear about SUV's in the third world where they're the gold-plated Cadillacs of our era)

Jews and Catholics used to be demographically the poorest people according to their religion in the US. Back then Jews and Catholics were overwhelmingly liberal or socialist and tended to vote Democrat consistently. Now Jews and Catholics are demographically the richest religious groups in America (don't ask me for a source, I read it 3 years ago, I believe in the NYT), and although they are still largely Democrats, more and more are voting Republican.

I don't believe anyone is genetically predisposed to be conservative or liberal or socialist or fascist or whatever. I do think cultural and religious factors can be very important, they can sometimes even trump economic factors. But you always have to keep the economic factors in mind. Only the most ignorant and stubborn will allow culture or religion to trump their own economic interests.

45% of Americans who have German or English backgrounds aren't repubs. You provide no information on where you got that number, who did the polling, what they based it on, etc. So, in a word, to answer your question, no.

I can't remember where I read the statistic. I read it about 10 years ago and have not been able to find it anywhere since. It's interesting to me that polling organizations will often report on how gays, blacks, Jews, and other groups vote, but will never report on how white ethnic groups groups and seldom does a serious breakdown of how Christian groups vote. In this way, the media perpetuates certain stereotypes of about minority groups, while avoiding pinning a stereotype on the majority.

It's always seemed weird to me that the media reports at all on how a group is polling... I mean, yeah, if you're running for an office, you'd want to know, so you'd get your staff to find out, or meet with those groups yourself. If you're an average person, you have no need to do that, except to be influenced to follow whatever group trend is currently trendy.

Oh, and in response to the post several down, I agree that most germans I've met were quite left of the average US citizen, and think most of us are pretty uninformed :( Sad, but true...

say something very interesting to me on that subject. I tried guilting him into something and he responded "Guilt doesn't work on me, I'm a white anglo-saxon protestant. We're the most guilty people in the world, but we never feel it"

What do you think?

My father's background is German (they were Repubs), and my mother's is English (they were also Repubs). But I'm a mix of the two, and I'm very much a Democrat. I think people sometimes follow along with what their parents believed politically (my family DID exhibit some bigotry and selfishness), and others think for themselves and choose their own path. I think education helps people to start thinking more rationally.

or any of the other Anglo-Saxons who have their heads screwed on right. Race isn't the only reason people are Republicans. I think money and social status is a much bigger factor. They've successfully duped rural voters in to thinking Republicans are "moral" and support gun rights.

Being English I have to say that, plus most Germans I have ever met are far left of even DU!

Many people and families that left England and Germany over the years, moved to the USA because of greater opportunities in free enterprise.

The thing is that these stats are meaningless because over sveral generations the English or Germna background means very little.

To me 55/45 is a fairly close split.

A long time ago, I read that that 55% of Americans who have German or English backgrounds are Republican. Do you think people of that background are predisposed towards bigotry and selfishness?

Um! Isn't this a case of the post calling the kettle black?

I truly find your question offensive. No, I am not English, even though my ancestors on my mothers side are from there. No, I am German, even though my ancestors on my fathers side hailed from there.

You want to know what the problem is? Try GREEDY PEOPLE! People who value money and material possessions above all else.

Clearly the Welsh are responsible for all society's ills.

Seriously though, I certainly think it's down to culture, not racial background.