In case anyone's still wondering why 34% of Americans STILL like Bush:
Gallup: More Than Half of Americans Reject Evolution, Back Bible
By E&P Staff
Published: March 08, 2006 10:15 AM ET
NEW YORK A Gallup report released today reveals that more than half of all Americans, rejecting evolution theory and scientific evidence, agree with the statement, "God created man exactly how Bible describes it."
Another 31% says that man did evolve, but "God guided." Only 12% back evolution and say "God had no part."
We are a nation of unthinking idiots, folks, which to a large extent explains Bush's popularity with his base. At this point, if you still like Bush and think he's doing a heckuva job, you're either opportunistic, delusional, or deeply and profoundly stupid. And, judging from this survey, there's clearly no lack of the last two.
More on the flip.
Gallup summarized it this way: "Surveys repeatedly show that a substantial portion of Americans do not believe that the theory of evolution best explains where life came from." They are "not so quick to agree with the preponderance of scientific evidence."
The report was written by the director of the The Gallup Poll, Frank Newport.
Breaking down the numbers, Gallup finds that Republican backing for what it calls "God created human beings in present form" stands at 57% with Democrats at 44%.
Support for this Bible view rises steadily with age: from 43% for those 18 to 29, to 59% for those 65 and older. It declines steadily with education, dropping from 58% for those with high school degrees to a still-substantial 25% with postgraduate degrees.
Newport wraps it up: "Several characteristics correlate with belief in the biblical explanation for the origin of humans. Those with lower levels of education, those who attend church regularly, those who are 65 and older, and those who identify with the Republican Party are more likely to believe that God created humans 'as is,' than are those who do not share these characteristics."
That last quote pretty much sums it up.
It's not about Bush. It's not about the GOP. It's not about conservatism. It's about ignorance, stupidity, blind belief in and obedience to a literalist and unsophisticated reading of a 2000+ year old book that was written when everyone KNEW that the world was flat and stoning was an acceptable form of punishment, and--ironically--utter contempt for the intelligence that "god" supposedly gave us. And it pervades American society to an astonishing and quite scary degree.
Make no mistake about it, stupid, closed-minded, ignorant people make the best Republicans. And just as scary is that a lot of them used to be (and to some extent still are as you can see) Democrats (ever heard of William Jennings Bryan and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial?).
We are, quite literally, a nation of morons, perhaps even more so than ever. (And I'm sorry, but if you believe that "god" literally created man some 5700 years ago and and that our ancestors coexisted with dinosaurs, then you are, by definition, a moron, and should not be allowed to vote, let alone hold public office or teach in publically-financed and accredited schools.)
Until we get our educational system in order and end the cult-like megachurches' control of Americans' minds, they're going to continue to blindly believe in and elect lying and corrupt Republicans (as well as just as useless DINOs) who'll smilingly tell them what they want to hear as they openly steal from them right, left and center.