The_Dunedan

No.

Yes, I have both watched and experienced this process within my own life. I have seen the switch go both ways, btw: there is much truth in the adage that "A Conservative is a Liberal who's just been mugged, while a Liberal is a Conservative who's just been arrested."

No more than there is a "catholic gene."

It leads me to believe that the persons authoring or funding the study had a predetermined, desired outcome in mind (ie; Conservatives Are Stupid -AND- Cowards!) and set out to prove it. There have been several such dubious "studies" come out recently, all purporting to show that non-Leftists are cowardly, stupid, uninformed, lacking in compassion and generally Nasty People: oddly enough all of these "studies" seem to do nothing more than support asinine Leftist stereotypes. I wonder if we'll ever see a "study" by a major University which purports to confirm all the nasty stereotypes Rightists bandy about in regards to liberals?

When "The Bell Curve" came out, it was rightly panned for engaging in this kind of "research." But then again, The Bell Curve purported to show that Blacks are stupid, oversexed, criminally-inclined numpties, while these latest such works purport to show that non-Leftists are greedy, stupid, cruel, and cowardly.

If anyone can point out to me a difference between these two cases besides the fact that Black Americans usually vote Democrat, I'd love to see what it is.

__________________
"I personally think that America's interests would be well served if after or at the time these clowns begin their revolting little hate crime the local police come in and cart them off on some trumped up charges or other. It is necessary in my opinion that America makes an example of them to the world."

--Strange Famous, advocating the use of falsified charges in order to shut people up.