Why Do Poor Whites Vote Republican?

[LogikAndReazon]

Perhaps they can grasp the concept of something greater than 'self'.

I sure know that democrats can't think beyond whats in it for them.

Study Ayn Rand - the holy godmother of the Libertarian movement. She taught a generation of Republicans that pure selfishness was the highest ethical ideal. As long as someone is doing what they want, it doesn't matter who or what they are destroying. This is why John Galt sank the global economy with an unregulated derivative market. Our great financial innovators knew that they were selling ultra risky garbage that would eventually explode and destroy a lot of people, but they only cared about personal wealth. And this, says Rand, is what makes the economy work. Every man pursuing only his selfish interests, with no concern for anyone else. Indeed, if someone else is stupid enough to buy a derivative from you that you can't cover, **** 'em - your only obligation is to yourself.

And that's how a great nation dies. When a small class of ultra wealthy people get wealthy at the expense of everyone else.

Everybody knows its noble public civil servants who make the country prosperous....lol

 

[Melvin01]

Democrats don't understand economics or the Constitution.
.

We understand that funneling hundreds of billions into the pockets of the wealthy through lower tax rates and borrowing from foreign banks to cover the shortfall is the scheming of Reagan and the Bushes and that Trickle Down was Voodoo Economics as approprately labeled by none other than Bush41 himself. When you don't cut spending a dime giving anybody massive tax cuts is indicative of insanity...either that or they didn't give a damn about the debt.

 

[Stephanie]

Democrats don't understand economics or the Constitution.
.

We understand that funneling hundreds of billions into the pockets of the wealthy and borrowing from foreign banks to cover the shortfall is the schemeing of Reagan and the Bushes and that Trickle Down was Voodoo Economics as approprately labeled by none other than Bush41 himself. When you don't cut spending a dime giving anybody massive tax cuts is indicative of insanity.

you need a box of crackers

 

[GeoLaureate8]

Democrats don't understand economics or the Constitution.
.

We understand that funneling hundreds of billions into the pockets of the wealthy through lower tax rates and borrowing from foreign banks to cover the shortfall

Funneling money from where? Customers voluntarily giving them money in exchange for goods? Or Progressive policies that give subsidies, bailouts, price fixing, and stifling small business competition in favor of benefiting the big corporations?

the scheming of Reagan and the Bushes and that Trickle Down was Voodoo Economics as approprately labeled by none other than Bush41 himself. When you don't cut spending a dime giving anybody massive tax cuts is indicative of insanity...either that or they didn't give a damn about the debt.

Those high spending levels are not Conservative. That's why Ron Paul criticized Reagan and Bush for their bad economic policies.



.

 

[Mustang]

Liberals question why poor voters who use public assistance still vote for Republicans who want to cut those very services. The real story, Gary Younge finds, is much more complicated

Tracey Owings is fighting hard to keep the home that has been in his family for 34 years. In 2000 his mother refinanced. In 2006 she died. In 2009 he lost his job and had no paid work for nine months. He fell behind with the mortgage. The bank moved to foreclose on the house. Gradually the work came back. Less than before. Much less. But just enough. The house is not in negative equity and now he can make the payments. But he can't get the bank to take his money. Attempts to modify the loan and take advantage of a settlement, brokered by the White House, between mortgage companies and the justice department have come to nought. "I don't qualify," he says with exasperation detailing both his efforts to meet each bureaucratic challenge and his frustration at each bureaucratic obstacle.

He stands in the waiting room of Gulfcoast Legal Services offices in Sarasota with an armful of documents and a belly full of bile. "They have failed me," he says. "Obama came in offering hope and change but he's failed. I just want to save my mother's house."

Owings is voting for Mitt Romney. Does he think Romney will improve his lot? "I'm willing to try anything at this point," he says.

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans. Their very existence rankles. It turns their world on its head and their assumptions inside out. The effort to explain them is understood not just as a political paradox but a psychological disorder. They have been duped. They must have been. How else would one explain putting your cross next to the man who derided them as "victims" among the 47% "I don't worry about". To many liberals these are turkeys voting for Christmas or lemmings off for a leap; the condemned tying the noose for their own execution.

At times the contradictions are striking. In August 2009, when opponents of Obamacare were disrupting town hall meetings with claims of death panels, Kenneth Gladney and other members of St Louis tea party got into a fight with Democrats at a public meeting. He had to go to the emergency room with injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face and ended up in a wheelchair. It turned out Gladney, who had recently been laid off, had no health insurance. He appealed for donations.

Trace a map highlighting government dependency and those most reliant on benefits live in Republican states and often Republican counties. In Floyd county in Eastern Kentucky, 40% of the income comes from the government. In 2008 Floyd, where almost 20% live below the poverty line and the median income is almost 20% lower than the country, voted for McCain – a 27 point swing against the Democrats and the first victory for Republicans in living memory.

Working class voters: why America's poor are willing to vote Republican | World news | guardian.co.uk

You should read some Thomas Frank if you haven't already. "Whatever Happened to Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" would be a good place to start. I've also read "Pity the Billionaire" and "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule."

Frank grew up in Kansas, btw.

 

[Stephanie]

Liberals question why poor voters who use public assistance still vote for Republicans who want to cut those very services. The real story, Gary Younge finds, is much more complicated

Tracey Owings is fighting hard to keep the home that has been in his family for 34 years. In 2000 his mother refinanced. In 2006 she died. In 2009 he lost his job and had no paid work for nine months. He fell behind with the mortgage. The bank moved to foreclose on the house. Gradually the work came back. Less than before. Much less. But just enough. The house is not in negative equity and now he can make the payments. But he can't get the bank to take his money. Attempts to modify the loan and take advantage of a settlement, brokered by the White House, between mortgage companies and the justice department have come to nought. "I don't qualify," he says with exasperation detailing both his efforts to meet each bureaucratic challenge and his frustration at each bureaucratic obstacle.

He stands in the waiting room of Gulfcoast Legal Services offices in Sarasota with an armful of documents and a belly full of bile. "They have failed me," he says. "Obama came in offering hope and change but he's failed. I just want to save my mother's house."

Owings is voting for Mitt Romney. Does he think Romney will improve his lot? "I'm willing to try anything at this point," he says.

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans. Their very existence rankles. It turns their world on its head and their assumptions inside out. The effort to explain them is understood not just as a political paradox but a psychological disorder. They have been duped. They must have been. How else would one explain putting your cross next to the man who derided them as "victims" among the 47% "I don't worry about". To many liberals these are turkeys voting for Christmas or lemmings off for a leap; the condemned tying the noose for their own execution.

At times the contradictions are striking. In August 2009, when opponents of Obamacare were disrupting town hall meetings with claims of death panels, Kenneth Gladney and other members of St Louis tea party got into a fight with Democrats at a public meeting. He had to go to the emergency room with injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face and ended up in a wheelchair. It turned out Gladney, who had recently been laid off, had no health insurance. He appealed for donations.

Trace a map highlighting government dependency and those most reliant on benefits live in Republican states and often Republican counties. In Floyd county in Eastern Kentucky, 40% of the income comes from the government. In 2008 Floyd, where almost 20% live below the poverty line and the median income is almost 20% lower than the country, voted for McCain – a 27 point swing against the Democrats and the first victory for Republicans in living memory.

Working class voters: why America's poor are willing to vote Republican | World news | guardian.co.uk

You should read some Thomas Frank if you haven't already. "Whatever Happened to Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" would be a good place to start. I've also read "Pity the Billionaire" and "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule."

Frank grew up in Kansas, btw.

well we are happy to know you believe every thing you read..But that is how you think so why wouldn't you agree with it
maybe we should richie rich comic books so we can hate on all the people who are rich

 

[Melvin01]

Democrats don't understand economics or the Constitution.
.

We understand that funneling hundreds of billions into the pockets of the wealthy through lower tax rates and borrowing from foreign banks to cover the shortfall

Funneling money from where? Customers voluntarily giving them money in exchange for goods? Or Progressive policies that give subsidies, bailouts, price fixing, and stifling small business competition in favor of benefiting the big corporations?

the scheming of Reagan and the Bushes and that Trickle Down was Voodoo Economics as approprately labeled by none other than Bush41 himself. When you don't cut spending a dime giving anybody massive tax cuts is indicative of insanity...either that or they didn't give a damn about the debt.

Those high spending levels are not Conservative. That's why Ron Paul criticized Reagan and Bush for their bad economic policies.



.

That's easy....this nation had always managed it's debt pretty well before Ronald Reagan cut taxes to rates lower than at any time in more than forty years. He never cut his spending a dime. Then to cover the shortfall caused by his tax cuts he proceeded to borrow three trillion dollars from foreign banks to cover the shortfall. What an idiot:

Total U S Debt


09/30/2009 $11,909,829,003,511.75(80% Of All Debt Across 232 Years Borrowed By Reagan And Bushes)

09/30/2008 $10,024,724,896,912.49(Times Square Debt Clock Modified To Accomodate Tens of Trillions)

09/30/2007 $9,007,653,372,262.48
09/30/2006 $8,506,973,899,215.23
09/30/2005 $7,932,709,661,723.50
09/30/2004 $7,379,052,696,330.32

09/30/2003 $6,783,231,062,743.62(Second Bush Tax Cuts Enacted Using Reconciliation)


09/30/2002 $6,228,235,965,597.16

09/30/2001 $5,807,463,412,200.06(First Bush Tax Cuts Enacted Using Reconciliation)


09/30/2000 $5,674,178,209,886.86(Administration And Congress Arguing About How To Use Surplus)

09/30/1999 $5,656,270,901,615.43(First Surplus Generated...On Track To Pay Off Debt By 2012)

09/30/1998 $5,526,193,008,897.62
09/30/1997 $5,413,146,011,397.34
09/30/1996 $5,224,810,939,135.73
09/29/1995 $4,973,982,900,709.39
09/30/1994 $4,692,749,910,013.32

09/30/1993 $4,411,488,883,139.38(Debt Quadrupled By Reagan/Bush41)

09/30/1992 $4,064,620,655,521.66
09/30/1991 $3,665,303,351,697.03
09/28/1990 $3,233,313,451,777.25
09/29/1989 $2,857,430,960,187.32
09/30/1988 $2,602,337,712,041.16
09/30/1987 $2,350,276,890,953.00
09/30/1986 $2,125,302,616,658.42
09/30/1985 $1,823,103,000,000.00
09/30/1984 $1,572,266,000,000.00
09/30/1983 $1,377,210,000,000.00

09/30/1982 $1,142,034,000,000.00(Total Debt Passes $1 Trillion)

09/30/1981 $997,855,000,000.00

 

[Mustang]

Liberals question why poor voters who use public assistance still vote for Republicans who want to cut those very services. The real story, Gary Younge finds, is much more complicated

Tracey Owings is fighting hard to keep the home that has been in his family for 34 years. In 2000 his mother refinanced. In 2006 she died. In 2009 he lost his job and had no paid work for nine months. He fell behind with the mortgage. The bank moved to foreclose on the house. Gradually the work came back. Less than before. Much less. But just enough. The house is not in negative equity and now he can make the payments. But he can't get the bank to take his money. Attempts to modify the loan and take advantage of a settlement, brokered by the White House, between mortgage companies and the justice department have come to nought. "I don't qualify," he says with exasperation detailing both his efforts to meet each bureaucratic challenge and his frustration at each bureaucratic obstacle.

He stands in the waiting room of Gulfcoast Legal Services offices in Sarasota with an armful of documents and a belly full of bile. "They have failed me," he says. "Obama came in offering hope and change but he's failed. I just want to save my mother's house."

Owings is voting for Mitt Romney. Does he think Romney will improve his lot? "I'm willing to try anything at this point," he says.

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans. Their very existence rankles. It turns their world on its head and their assumptions inside out. The effort to explain them is understood not just as a political paradox but a psychological disorder. They have been duped. They must have been. How else would one explain putting your cross next to the man who derided them as "victims" among the 47% "I don't worry about". To many liberals these are turkeys voting for Christmas or lemmings off for a leap; the condemned tying the noose for their own execution.

At times the contradictions are striking. In August 2009, when opponents of Obamacare were disrupting town hall meetings with claims of death panels, Kenneth Gladney and other members of St Louis tea party got into a fight with Democrats at a public meeting. He had to go to the emergency room with injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face and ended up in a wheelchair. It turned out Gladney, who had recently been laid off, had no health insurance. He appealed for donations.

Trace a map highlighting government dependency and those most reliant on benefits live in Republican states and often Republican counties. In Floyd county in Eastern Kentucky, 40% of the income comes from the government. In 2008 Floyd, where almost 20% live below the poverty line and the median income is almost 20% lower than the country, voted for McCain – a 27 point swing against the Democrats and the first victory for Republicans in living memory.

Working class voters: why America's poor are willing to vote Republican | World news | guardian.co.uk

You should read some Thomas Frank if you haven't already. "Whatever Happened to Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" would be a good place to start. I've also read "Pity the Billionaire" and "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule."

Frank grew up in Kansas, btw.

well we are happy to know you believe every thing you read..But that is how you think so why wouldn't you agree with it
maybe we should richie rich comic books so we can hate on all the people who are rich

I don't believe everything I read. Certainly not here. But I am careful about WHAT I read. I don't read screeds. I try to stay away from polemics as a general rule. I don't read poorly-researched propaganda which is meant more to obfuscate the truth than to illuminate it. I certainly stay away from blogs which are notorious for being full of inaccurate if not downright false 'information.' But I DO read quite a bit otherwise. I take advantage of one of our founding father's ideas: it's called the public library. And last year I read over 70 books. Probably about 20 of those were nonfiction.

You?

 

[Harry Dresden]

Good read and this has always been one of the most baffling questions as to why poor rednecks vote republican, and it seems as the article gets at is simply because of ignorance and stupidity.

The ignorant and stupid ones vote Democrat. People who don't want to be on welfare the rest of their lives vote Republican.

Those who vote democratic work for a living, and feel everyone should also have the ability to have an honest job.

Those on the right however just sit on their lazy asses on welfare, waiting for the "trickle down" to happen which they think will make them rich for simply being sheep to the GOP.

you sound as about as stupid as those on the Far Right BL.....they would say the same thing about the Left....

 

[Borillar]

Good read and this has always been one of the most baffling questions as to why poor rednecks vote republican, and it seems as the article gets at is simply because of ignorance and stupidity.

That and maybe a heck of a masochistic streak.

 

[t_polkow]

Liberals question why poor voters who use public assistance still vote for Republicans who want to cut those very services. The real story, Gary Younge finds, is much more complicated

Tracey Owings is fighting hard to keep the home that has been in his family for 34 years. In 2000 his mother refinanced. In 2006 she died. In 2009 he lost his job and had no paid work for nine months. He fell behind with the mortgage. The bank moved to foreclose on the house. Gradually the work came back. Less than before. Much less. But just enough. The house is not in negative equity and now he can make the payments. But he can't get the bank to take his money. Attempts to modify the loan and take advantage of a settlement, brokered by the White House, between mortgage companies and the justice department have come to nought. "I don't qualify," he says with exasperation detailing both his efforts to meet each bureaucratic challenge and his frustration at each bureaucratic obstacle.

He stands in the waiting room of Gulfcoast Legal Services offices in Sarasota with an armful of documents and a belly full of bile. "They have failed me," he says. "Obama came in offering hope and change but he's failed. I just want to save my mother's house."

Owings is voting for Mitt Romney. Does he think Romney will improve his lot? "I'm willing to try anything at this point," he says.

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans. Their very existence rankles. It turns their world on its head and their assumptions inside out. The effort to explain them is understood not just as a political paradox but a psychological disorder. They have been duped. They must have been. How else would one explain putting your cross next to the man who derided them as "victims" among the 47% "I don't worry about". To many liberals these are turkeys voting for Christmas or lemmings off for a leap; the condemned tying the noose for their own execution.

At times the contradictions are striking. In August 2009, when opponents of Obamacare were disrupting town hall meetings with claims of death panels, Kenneth Gladney and other members of St Louis tea party got into a fight with Democrats at a public meeting. He had to go to the emergency room with injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face and ended up in a wheelchair. It turned out Gladney, who had recently been laid off, had no health insurance. He appealed for donations.

Trace a map highlighting government dependency and those most reliant on benefits live in Republican states and often Republican counties. In Floyd county in Eastern Kentucky, 40% of the income comes from the government. In 2008 Floyd, where almost 20% live below the poverty line and the median income is almost 20% lower than the country, voted for McCain – a 27 point swing against the Democrats and the first victory for Republicans in living memory.

Working class voters: why America's poor are willing to vote Republican | World news | guardian.co.uk

Why? One word: Inbreeding

 

[Harry Dresden]

Race, AND all the longtime myth that Pubs are for small government, better at business, family values- despite all the actual evidence- AND the incredible new power of the Pub propaganda Machine, they fear al kinds of communist, Marxist FASCIST and Nazai LOL BS see sig pp3. Rush, Beck and all the rest of bogus institutes orgs, blogs, Moonie and Murdoch rags- they're lost in a jungle that doesn't exist...

so Frankie.....are Democrats for small government, better at business, family values?.......now remember ....i live in California.....you are going to have to convince me that they are any better than the Republicans.....because where i sit....they both suck....

 

[Harry Dresden]

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans.

One fails to see why.

Many are motivated solely by partisan politics. Still more are likely social conservatives or Christian fundamentalists, opposed to marriage equality, due process rights for immigrants, and privacy rights.

That they vote republican is understandable.

so are many Democrats......

 

[Harry Dresden]

Why Do Poor Whites Vote Republican?

It's a cycle of ignorance due to environment.

so is that what your problem is?......

 

[Harry Dresden]

There is nothing more vexing to liberals than poor Republicans.

One fails to see why.

Many are motivated solely by partisan politics. Still more are likely social conservatives or Christian fundamentalists, opposed to marriage equality, due process rights for immigrants, and privacy rights.

That they vote republican is understandable.

Broad brush with stereotypes much?

Shroom meat Jones......this guys brush is so broad he has to walk sideways through the Door....

 

[Obamanation]

Why do oppressed urbanites vote for more oppression?

 

[ShaklesOfBigGov]

Good read and this has always been one of the most baffling questions as to why poor rednecks vote republican, and it seems as the article gets at is simply because of ignorance and stupidity.

The ignorant and stupid ones vote Democrat. People who don't want to be on welfare the rest of their lives vote Republican.

Those who vote democratic work for a living, and feel everyone should also have the ability to have an honest job.

Those on the right however just sit on their lazy asses on welfare, waiting for the "trickle down" to happen which they think will make them rich for simply being sheep to the GOP.

Actually it's those who depend on the "government" to supply what they want that vote Democrat. Haven't you figured out why so many poor inner city government dependence voters always select the Democrat option without caring about the issues? After all wasn't it the democrats who offer free contraceptions, paid by responsible voters, to sweeten the pot for "political" voter influence?

 

[jasonnfree]

I am no where near the 1%, between the wife and I we made $45k last year and our 20 year old son still lives with us.

I wouldn't vote for a Democrat for anything above the city level for love nor money.

What does it benefit me or my children, or his children to get something "for free" from the Government if it destroys the country in the process?

How is getting something for free going to ruin a country?

 

[Freewill]

It is somewhat interesting that the party that put their grandparents in chains and killed a whole lot of them seem to have some sort of hold on blacks. It really isn't understandable. The democrat party really has hurt them more then helped them but I will say that the democrat party's propaganda is a whole lot better then that of the Republican party. Democrats do play to the black by lying to them and scaring them with what Republicans will do. Republican on the other hand expect people to think and do for themselves and don't play to anyone or done anything that has hurt blacks.

But the history is clear, the Democrat party is the party of slavery, segregation, succession, Jim Crow, poll taxes and the KKK. On the other hand the Republican party was formed to end slavery, which it did. And has been a beacon of hope for the black man. The Republican party has supported every civil rights legislation since the civil war. The Republicans have done nothing to hurt the black man. And now the Democrat party lies to them again about Republicans. They lie about poor white people being racist, when in fact before Obama they voted Republican. The democrats are the most untruthful bunch one could think of and I wait the day when blacks wake up to how they have been treated by the real racists in our society.

And read the OP. It can't be understood how people can stand on principle instead of living off the dole. How a poor white person can put life before the hedonistic pro-abortion stance of the Democrat party. How a poor person can see that what is good for the country is not necessarily perfectly good for them. No the democrat party doesn't understand but they are good at spreading slander, smear and propaganda I will give them that much.

 

[jasonnfree]

The ignorant and stupid ones vote Democrat. People who don't want to be on welfare the rest of their lives vote Republican.

Those who vote democratic work for a living, and feel everyone should also have the ability to have an honest job.

Those on the right however just sit on their lazy asses on welfare, waiting for the "trickle down" to happen which they think will make them rich for simply being sheep to the GOP.

Actually it's those who depend on the "government" to supply what they want that vote Democrat. Haven't you figured out why so many poor inner city government dependence voters always select the Democrat option without caring about the issues? After all wasn't it the democrats who offer free contraceptions, paid by responsible voters, to sweeten the pot for "political" voter influence?

So all the people that depend on the government vote democrat? I don't think Paul Ryan votes democrat and neither does his family that owns a construction company that depends on government contracts. Counting social security survivors at a young age, and his work for the government almost his entire life, Ryan is essentially a freeloader and I don't hear republicans complain about him.