Yesterday I noted some nationwide statistics that— for me— help explain how so many people could vote for Trump specifically and Republicans in general. A,ccording to the Literacy Project, the average American reads at the 7th- to 8th-grade level. Remember how Trump went out of his way to thank the “poorly educated” when he claimed victory in 2016? It’s more politically correct than saying, “I thank all the morons and illiterates who voted for me.” Anyway, I got some pushback today from people who claimed I had no proof that quasi-illiterates vote Republican. It’s true; it’s just a gut feeling. But I decided to publish a list of states based on what percent of the population has a bachelor’s degree or beyond and see if there was any correlation between that level of educational attainment and the propensity for voters in the state to believe obvious bullshit/vote for Trump.
Massachusetts- 44% (32.1% Trump)— D+15
Colorado- 41% (41.9% Trump)— D+4
Maryland- 40% (32.1% Trump)— D+14
New Jersey- 40% (41.4% Trump)— D+6
Connecticut- 39% 39.2(% Trump)— D+7
Virginia- 39% (44.0% Trump)— D+3
Vermont- 38% (30.7% Trump)— D+16
New Hampshire- 37% (% Trump)— D+1
New York- 37% (37.7% Trump)— D+10
Minnesota- 36% (45.3% Trump)— D+1
Washington- 36% (38.8% Trump)— D+8
Illinois- 35% (40.5% Trump)— D+7
Utah- 34% (58.1%% Trump)— R+13
Oregon- 34% (40.4% Trump)— D+6
Rhode Island- 34% (38.6% Trump)— D+8
California- 34% (34.3% Trump)— D+13
Hawaii- 33% (34.3% Trump)— D+14
Kansas- 33% (56.2% Trump)— R+10
Montana- 32% (56.9% Trump)— R+11
Maine- 32% (44.0% Trump)— D+2
Nebraska- 32% (58.2% Trump)— R+13
Delaware- 32% (39.8% Trump)— D+7
Pennsylvania- 31% (48.8% Trump)— R+2
North Carolina- 31% (49.9% Trump)— R+3
Georgia- 31% (49.2% Trump)— R+3
Alaska- 30% (52.8% Trump)— R+8
North Dakota- 30% (65.1% Trump)— R+20
Wisconsin- 30% (48.8% Trump)— R+2
Florida- 30% (51.2% Trump)— R+3
Arizona- 30% (49.1% Trump)— R+2
Texas- 30% (52.1% Trump)— R+5
Iowa- 29% (53.1% Trump)— R+6
South Dakota- 29% (61.8% Trump)— R+16
Michigan- 29% (47.8% Trump)— R+1
Missouri- 29% (56.8% Trump)— R+10
Idaho- 28% (63.8% Trump)— R+18
Ohio- 28% (53.3% Trump)— R+6
South Carolina- 28% (55.1% Trump)— R+8
Wyoming- 27% (69.9% Trump)— R+25
Indiana- 27% (57.0% Trump)— R+11
Tennessee- 27% (60.7% Trump)— R+14
New Mexico- 27% (43.5% Trump)— D+3
Oklahoma- 26% (65.4% Trump)— R+20
• Alabama- 26% (62.0% Trump)— R+15
Nevada- 25% (47.7% Trump)— R+1
Kentucky- 24% (62.1% Trump)— R+16
Louisiana- 24% (58.5% Trump)— R+12
Arkansas- 23% (62.4% Trump)— R+16
Mississippi- 22% (57.6% Trump)— R+11
West Virginia- 21% (68.6% Trump)— R+22
As you can see, it’s very blue at the top, where the educational attainment is highest, and very red-- or whatever color that is-- at the bottom, where the educational level is lowest. Doe that prove beyond any doubt that every single person who voted for Trump is a moron and incapable of abstract thought? Oh absolutely. There can be no doubt. And unpatriotic.
Hillary blundered politically to called Trump supporters "deplorables." It may have swung Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin away from her, maybe even Florida and Iowa. But if voters are supposed to like straight-talkers... that might have been the first time in her political career.