The Seven Deadly Sins - Presidential Election Results

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS and the 2000/2004* PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS
Correlation discovered between the Seven Deadly Sins and the vote for George W. Bush (Republican) in the 2000 Presidential Election.

*Note: These statistics and analysis are based on the 2000 Presidential elections. However, the 2004 Presidential Elections Results were almost identical to the 2000 results except that John Kerry ran on the Democrat ballot instead of Al Gore and two states in this analysis voted differently, which would not significantly effect the overall results of this correlation.

The Seven Deadly Sins are gluttony, envy, wrath, greed, sloth, lust, and pride. Statistics from the US Census and other government and private resources were used to represent the various sins in this exercise. For example, the statistic of “murders per 100,000 people” is used to statistically represent wrath. The top 15 states (highest 30%) in each category were chosen and then the 2000 Election results were linked to find whether those states voted for George W. Bush (Republican) or Al Gore (Democrat.) The factual sources for each category are hyperlinked and listed below, so if you're going to argue that this is all false simply because it's on a site called "MYTHopolis," that is simply not the case. The correlation exercise is admittedly whimsical in nature, but the results are painfully ironic. These were the findings:

GLUTTONY is an overwhelming desire to consume more than that which one requires.
Measurement: Obesity ranking
Result: 12 of the top 15 gluttonous states voted for BUSH

ENVY is the desire for other’s traits, status, abilities or situation.
Measurement: Acts of larceny/theft per 100,000
Result: 10 of the top 15 envious states voted for BUSH

WRATH/ANGER is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury.
Measurement: Murder rate per 100,000
Result: 12 of top 15 states with the highest murder rate voted for BUSH

GREED is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual.
Measurement: Energy consumption per person
Result: 14 of top 15 states with highest energy consumption per person voted for BUSH

SLOTH is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.
Measurement: Unemployment Rate
Result: 10 of top 15 states with the highest unemployment rate voted for BUSH

LUST is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
Unfortunately, state rankings based on the adult /porn industry were not available, so I took four separate statistics that I felt could be related to lustfulness in some way. Not the most ideal set of measurements, but unfortunately the best I could come up with and find.
Measurement A: Divorce rate
Result: 14 of top 15 states with highest divorce rate voted for BUSH
Measurement B: Teen birth rate
Result: 13 of top 15 states with highest teen pregnancy rate voted for BUSH
Measurement C: STD contractions per 100,000
Result: 9 of top 15 states with highest STD contraction rate voted for BUSH
Measurement D: Forcible rape per 100,000*
*Considered a crime of violence and not sex by many psychologists, this could perhaps fall under the category of wrath.
Result: 10 of top 15 states with highest forcible rape rate voted for BUSH

PRIDE is excessive belief in one’s own abilities, that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God.
Note: As one of the seven deadly sins, excessive pride can lead to arrogance or disdainful conduct and treatment of others. There really was no statistic I could think of to rank the states in terms of PRIDE. However, it's quite obvious that pride has a sure foothold in America, so that vote will have to be split.

Overall score: 11.5 of the top 15 “Seven Deadly Sin” states voted for BUSH and he took the honors in every category that was measured.

Finally, it should be noted that in my statistical searches I found various rankings on education and the “smartest” states. The results were equally interesting.
Measurement: “Smartest” state rankings
Result: 12 of the top 15 states with the lowest educational rating voted for BUSH

Note: I did many comparisons on educational rankings using census information and in all cases the majority of the most educated states voted for Gore, while the majority of the least educated states voted for BUSH.

Of course, this whole exercise is rather whimsicle, even if the findings are somewhat ironic. Everyone is guilty of most if not all the seven deadly sins at some point , or perhaps even on a regular basis. Still, I found it very interesting that in an election that was basically split 50/50, nearly 80 percent of the most “sinful” states voted for the conservative George W. Bush (Republican.)

©2004 Mythopolis.com

Sources:
2000 Presidential Elections Results
http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/2000presgeresults.htm
“Seven Deadly Sins” Historical Context
http://theosophy.org/tlodocs/SevenDeadlySins-1.htm

Online links to the statistics used:
Obesity - http://my.webmd.com/content/article/92/101809.htm
Larceny/Theft - http://www.census.gov/prod/3/98pubs/smadb-97.pdf
Murder - http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/state08.prn
Energy Consumption - http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank30.html
Unemployment - http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank25.html
Divorce – http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/budget/table25.pdf
Teen Birth Rate - http://www.prevention.state.mt.us/resources/healthranks.htm
STD Contractions - http://www.prevention.state.mt.us/resources/healthranks.htm
Forcible Rape - http://www.census.gov/prod/3/98pubs/smadb-97.pdf
Education - http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank19.html
Smartest State Rankings - http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank.htm

Wack (Dubya Wiretap) Video on YouTube: