Why do working-class Americans vote Republican?

[Uriel]

Don't you people understand what the Republican Party is all about? These people aren't interested in ordinary Americans. They want to cut tax rates for the very richest people, to the point where they would pay even less than blue-collar workers. They want to cut social services—health, education, welfare. They want to rig the game in their favor, so they can keep all the wealth for themselves, while leaving everyone else to fend for scraps.

These people don't care about you; they only care about themselves. So why in the world would you want to vote Republican?

[Jacob1983]

3rd party in 2012 for me

[TheSanityAnnex]

Don't you people understand what the Republican Party is all about? These people aren't interested in ordinary Americans. They want to cut tax rates for the very richest people, to the point where they would pay even less than blue-collar workers. They want to cut social services—health, education, welfare. They want to rig the game in their favor, so they can keep all the wealth for themselves, while leaving everyone else to fend for scraps.

These people don't care about you; they only care about themselves. It's the Democrats, NOT the Republicans, that want to help ordinary Americans. So why in the world would you want to vote Republican?

Don't you understand neither party gives a about the people?

[Clipper Nation]

Don't you people understand what the Republican Party is all about? These people aren't interested in ordinary Americans. They want to cut tax rates for the very richest people, to the point where they would pay even less than blue-collar workers. They want to cut social services—health, education, welfare. They want to rig the game in their favor, so they can keep all the wealth for themselves, while leaving everyone else to fend for scraps.

These people don't care about you; they only care about themselves. It's the Democrats, NOT the Republicans, that want to help ordinary Americans. So why in the world would you want to vote Republican?

at actually thinking there is any significant difference between the two major parties besides rhetoric and slogans....

[Uriel]

Oh, please. At least the Democratic Party at least pretends to care by supporting universal health care, raising the minimum wage, expanding social services, and the like. Republicans, on the other hand, are shameless in their desire to cut all these programs, while protecting the interests of the wealthy.

How can you even support these people?

[spurraider21]

Don't you people understand what the Republican Party is all about? These people aren't interested in ordinary Americans. They want to cut tax rates for the very richest people, to the point where they would pay even less than blue-collar workers. They want to cut social services—health, education, welfare. They want to rig the game in their favor, so they can keep all the wealth for themselves, while leaving everyone else to fend for scraps.

These people don't care about you; they only care about themselves. So why in the world would you want to vote Republican?

i agree that the republican party doesn't care about the average joe shmoe, but i dont get is why you insinuate that the democratic party does. its the same with minority groups. black voters are overwhelmingly democrat (even before Obama), but its not like the black man necessarily does any better under a democratic presidency. heck, its not like the black man has seen any significant gains from the obama administration

i would just assume joe shmoe votes republican because they tend to slash taxes, for better or worse

[Wild Cobra]

-double post-

[Wild Cobra]

Don't you understand neither party gives a about the people?

This is the truth of the matter.

At least republicans aren't trying to redistribute my money, raise usage fees, etc.

Republicans don't care about me any more than democrats, but at least they don't lie, pretending to.

[Clipper Nation]

Oh, please. At least the Democratic Party at least pretends to care

"Pretending to care" =/= caring... both parties are all about more government, more wars, more of the nanny state, more fiat money, and less freedoms for us... until that changes, it's all just the same bull in a red or blue package....

[Winehole23]

trope goes back ten years at least: http://www.tcfrank.com/books/whats-t...r-with-kansas/

[Blizzardwizard]

Probably because they're opposed to Obama rather than being in favour of Republicans. Can't see why working-class would vote in guys who only cater to the wealthy though. Conservatives and their brainwashing powers I guess.

[Uriel]

i agree that the republican party doesn't care about the average joe shmoe, but i dont get is why you insinuate that the democratic party does. its the same with minority groups. black voters are overwhelmingly democrat (even before Obama), but its not like the black man necessarily does any better under a democratic presidency. heck, its not like the black man has seen any significant gains from the obama administration

i would just assume joe shmoe votes republican because they tend to slash taxes, for better or worse

Oh, please. At least the Democratic Party at least pretends to care by supporting universal health care, raising the minimum wage, expanding social services, and the like. Republicans, on the other hand, are shameless in their desire to cut all these programs, while protecting the interests of the wealthy.

How can you even support these people?

At least republicans aren't trying to redistribute my money, raise usage fees, etc.

Republicans don't care about me any more than democrats, but at least they don't lie, pretending to.

So you're saying that you'd rather support the guy who openly wants to screw you than the guy who at least pretends to want to help you? What a brilliant defense.

Don't you understand neither party gives a about the people?

at actually thinking there is any significant difference between the two major parties besides rhetoric and slogans....

How can you people be so cynical about politics? Regardless of whether politicians are sincere in their desire to help ordinary people or not, the fact remains that they write laws and implement policies that are at least intended to do so. Therefore, what political party you support happens to matter a lot.

[spurraider21]

well, the super poor do vote democrat. the ones that living off minimum wage, welfare, etc. this poll is pretty dated, about 8 years or so, but i dont think the numbers have shifted so drastically that the it would be completely inapplicable






people who make so little money that they aren't paying federal income tax will vote democrat, since they get more foodstamps and they dont care about tax rates, since they're not in the taxpayer pool. low income earners do vote republican for more favorable tax rates. people who are so poor that they're struggling, but not so poor where they receive foodstamps. the government programs dont benefit them, and they feel the every fractional percent of income tax increases

[spurraider21]

How can you people be so cynical about politics? Regardless of whether politicians are sincere in their desire to help ordinary people or not, the fact remains that they write laws and implement policies that are at least intended to do so. Therefore, what political party you support happens to matter a lot.

you go off on other people's cynicism but your OP sounds a lot like you just gobble up the rhetoric that is thrown at you.

[Uriel]

well, the super poor do vote democrat. the ones that living off minimum wage, welfare, etc. this poll is pretty dated, about 8 years or so, but i dont think the numbers have shifted so drastically that the it would be completely inapplicable

people who make so little money that they aren't paying federal income tax will vote democrat, since they get more foodstamps and they dont care about tax rates, since they're not in the taxpayer pool. low income earners do vote republican for more favorable tax rates. people who are so poor that they're struggling, but not so poor where they receive foodstamps. the government programs dont benefit them, and they feel the every fractional percent of income tax increases

Yes, I'm aware of those statistics. But those numbers account for the American population at large. But if you break it down by race, you'll find that working-class whites still lean Republican. To which I ask the question: why?

you go off on other people's cynicism but your OP sounds a lot like you just gobble up the rhetoric that is thrown at you.

I'm not cynical about either party--I believe that both are genuine in their desire to enact the policies they want. Which explains exactly why I'm so flabbergasted by Republican supporters. Democratic policies help the poor and middle class. Republican policies help the rich.

So I genuinely want to know why so many ordinary Americans are voting against their economic self-interest.

[spurraider21]

[FONT=Verdana]
Yes, I'm aware of those statistics. But those numbers account for the American population at large. But if you break it down by race, you'll find that working-class whites still lean Republican. To which I ask the question: why?


I'm not cynical about either party--I believe that both are genuine in their desire to enact the policies they want. Which explains exactly why I'm so flabbergasted by Republican supporters. Democratic policies help the poor and middle class. Republican policies help the rich.

So I genuinely want to know why so many ordinary Americans are voting against their economic self-interest.

the non-working class benefits from democrat programs, while they dont suffer from tax increases since they dont pay tax... or at least its a very minuscule amount given their bracket

the working class is not en led to these same benefits (at least not to the same extent) that come from such programs, and instead do suffer from the tax increases that come along with them


of course we are oversimplifying it and its also absurd to suggest people only vote based on economics. "how can poor people vote republican??!?" doesn't take into account the non-economic aspects of politics

[Uriel]

the non-working class benefits from democrat programs, while they dont suffer from tax increases since they dont pay tax... or at least its a very minuscule amount given their bracket

the working class is not en led to these same benefits (at least not to the same extent) that come from such programs, and instead do suffer from the tax increases that come along with them


of course we are oversimplifying it and its also absurd to suggest people only vote based on economics. "how can poor people vote republican??!?" doesn't take into account the non-economic aspects of politics

Maybe so, but consider this: Democrats also support policies like universal health care, raising the minimum wage, cutting taxes for the middle class (while raising taxes on the rich), and the like. These are all policies that help working-class Americans. The fact remains that the Democratic platform does far more to help ordinary people than the Republican platform does. So why would anyone other than the ultra-rich want to support Republicans?

That's precisely my issue--people have this delusion that non-economic issues also matter. Who cares if you oppose gay marriage / abortion? That doesn't mean you should vote for your local Republican politician just because he or she does so too. It's not like they have the power to re-write federal legislation anyway. What they do have power over is the implementation of social programs in your local municipality. So why would you want to support Republicans, whose only interest is protecting the rich at your expense?

[JoeTait75]

50 or 60 years ago the Democratic Party was the party of the working class. Those days are long gone. These days progressives despise working-class people (especially working-class whites) considering them a "racist," "sexist" and " phobic" reactionary impediment to the social agenda they push constantly. They look at working-class whites the same way the Bolsheviks looked at the kulaks.

It's kind of tough to get people to vote for you when you plainly hate their guts. "We despise the color of your skin, where you live and your values. By the way, could you please come out and vote for us in November?" Tough sell.

It's also more than a little bit cynical to claim that "social issues don't matter" when progressives are the ones obsessively pushing social issues. If social issues don't matter why do progressives act like the world is going to end whenever some state legislature passes a defense-of-marriage law?

You think Democrats are there for the working class? Youngstown, Cleveland and Detroit were and are Democratic strongholds. Where were they when the mills closed and the jobs left town? They didn't lift a finger. They didn't give a .

The Republicans aren't any better. Both parties are for the plutocrats: globalists, Big Hollywood, Big Media, Big Business and Big Banks. Dems hate the working class for their values; Republicans hate the working class because they have the nerve to ask for a fair wage. Both parties are gung-ho in favor of mass immigration, which is terrible for the working class demographically, economically.

[Clipper Nation]

How can you people be so cynical about politics?

Because politicians have given us nothing but reasons to be cynical for decades now?

[boutons_deux]

well, the super poor do vote democrat. the ones that living off minimum wage, welfare, etc. this poll is pretty dated, about 8 years or so, but i dont think the numbers have shifted so drastically that the it would be completely inapplicable


people who make so little money that they aren't paying federal income tax will vote democrat, since they get more foodstamps and they dont care about tax rates, since they're not in the taxpayer pool. low income earners do vote republican for more favorable tax rates. people who are so poor that they're struggling, but not so poor where they receive foodstamps. the government programs dont benefit them, and they feel the every fractional percent of income tax increases

simplistic, and ridiculously DISHONEST

[CosmicCowboy]

You answered your question in your le.

Emphasis on working

[Wild Cobra]

Probably because they're opposed to Obama rather than being in favour of Republicans. Can't see why working-class would vote in guys who only cater to the wealthy though. Conservatives and their brainwashing powers I guess.

Maybe we just don't have childish jealousy of people who are better off than ourselves.

[Wild Cobra]

So you're saying that you'd rather support the guy who openly wants to screw you than the guy who at least pretends to want to help you? What a brilliant defense.

How do the republicans want to screw me?

Now if Elisabeth Hasselbeck wanted to screw me, I wouldn't resist!

[Wild Cobra]

Yes, I'm aware of those statistics. But those numbers account for the American population at large. But if you break it down by race, you'll find that working-class whites still lean Republican. To which I ask the question: why?

Maybe because we are too proud to be part of a group of people who claim to be victims.

I see most people who vote democrat as being selfish heads.

[Infinite_limit]

Don't you people understand what the Republican Party is all about? These people aren't interested in ordinary Americans. They want to cut tax rates for the very richest people, to the point where they would pay even less than blue-collar workers. They want to cut social services—health, education, welfare. They want to rig the game in their favor, so they can keep all the wealth for themselves, while leaving everyone else to fend for scraps.

These people don't care about you; they only care about themselves. So why in the world would you want to vote Republican?

I've always voted Democrat, including Obama in 2008

I agree the Republicans favor wealth. But I think they also reward people finishing college, having strong family structure and avoiding run ins with the law. Which I think is necessary incentive in a melting pot capitalistic system. As demographics change and more 3rd World immigrants stroll on in, I disagree with the USA backing Universal/Socialist services.

I also without a doubt believe Republicans care more about America and it's survival. Growing number of Democrats are immigrants or 1st generation Americans, so if hit the fan they would be on the next plane out. America should keep the equation simple: go to college, finish worthwhile degree and then cash in.