re: Are Democrats just not as smart as Republicans?

The hardcore liberals I know will confront you from a position of undeserved, smug, moral and intellectual superiority because they're "educated" (indoctrinated). They just absolutely know that they're "smarter" than you, so there's no point in debate.

If you do manage to even temporarily carry on civil discourse with them without them raising their voice and screeching about the topic, they ultimately got to the old reliable, "You support _____ists, so that makes you a _____ist!"

Then there's the retroactive "whataboutisms". The very few liberal family members I have, take this route. You discuss politics, and they get angry because you argue from a point of logic and not emotion, and it deflates their munitions. They walk away when the conversation ends, and come back 10-15 minutes later after stewing on your valid points and start with the "well, what about _____ and _____?"

You simply cannot have civil debate with someone who looks at you as a lesser being. You're dealing with someone who thinks their liberal arts degree makes them a smarter person, than your 139 IQ and "school of hard knocks" education makes you.