Conservatism in the US. Social Sciences Assignment. (Essay Sample)

What is the relationship between the percentage of the state that consider themselves conservative and the percentage of the vote Obama received in his first presidential election?
Introduction
Certain states are more conservative than others, and that had been reflected in the voting behaviour and Obama support during the 2008 presidential election. Historic events have shaped the values and perceptions of voters across the America. In this paper, we will explore the current values in the 16 most conservative states and their impact on voting behaviour during the presidential elections. Lastly, we will measure whether the is a significant relationship between the number of self-perceived conservatists and Obama’s achieved vote.
Conservatism in the US
Conservatism in the US can be characterized as an ideal that promotes American traditions, morals, Christianity and religious values, anti-communism, and pro-capitalism, whilst being against the ideals of communism and socialism (Carter, 2000) In 2008 poll, over 38% of Americans considered themselves as either very conservative or conservative, whilst 34% considered themselves moderately conservative (Gallup, 2008). Only 24% considered themselves either very liberal or liberal, therefore we can argue that over 72% of American voters in 2008 were conservative to a degree.