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Poll of academic types

Todd Zywicki, on the Volokh Conspiracy, links to a pdf of a survey of political attitudes of over 1200 academics. As would be expected, (1) they are overwhelmingly left and Democrat and (2) this has increased significantly since 1970. (Surveys in 1972 indicated Demos outnumbered Repubs in academia by 3.5 to 1; this study indicates today it's 8 to 1).

The survey appraised left-right by asking whether respondents favored or disfavored certain legislative measures. Strongly support = 1, strongly oppose = 5, so the lower the score the more the support.

The most striking response was related to laws restricting gun ownership. Demo faculty gave that a 1.3 (meaning virtually all "strongly support" it) and the minority Repub faculty gave it 3.14 (basically a tie).

Compare that to support for laws against heroin, cocaine and hard drugs. Demos gave them 2.3, Repubs 2.0, basically both giving mild support.

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