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Why do working class white Republicans vote against their own economic interests?
This question has been brought up many times privately ( and even publicly) for many years by many political scientist, economists, and financial experts.
This tragedy has been magnified for decades especially in Southern states & parts of the midwest. This phenomenon started in the Lyndon Johnson era when the Democratic party decided to support Voting Rights for Blacks & sided with Blacks in their civil rights struggle for equality.
As President Johnson's famous words right after signing the bill & putting down his pen, He looked at everyone around him & said,
"We have lost the South for Generation" - knowing very well the many years ahead of white southern backlash.
And yes, he was 100% accurate. For the next 40 years, the once mighty Democratic South rapidly & dramatically turned into Republican hands.
Up to this day, in 2009, it has continued to plague poorest & most undeveloped areas of the united states in the south & parts of the midwest.
This phenomenon was again magnified even in a midwest white working class state like Ohio back in 2000 & 2004. Ohio was down on its knees. Financially one of the worst in the nation. It was an All Republican statewide hold on Ohio. Despite massive financial problems, massive corruption, and GOP programs that benefitted the wealthy, Ohio still voted for then George W. Bush.
It took massive job loss for 8 years, massive war casualties for places like Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana to finally wake up in 2008. All these predominantly working class white states ALL voted for the Democrats.
Will you worry about feeding your children OR worry about some Gay couple. Would you worry about having a Job or worrying about abortion?
Thanks to George W. Bush- many working class whites woke-up.
After years of allowing themselves to be distracted with issues like Gay Marriage, Guns, Abortion- millions of these white working.
Why should we keep voting for a party that favors the Rich, the big business, & Foreigh corporations?
But we have a long way to go.
88 of the 100 least educated ( 97% white working populations) counties spread mostly in the south, parts of midwest voted for McCain.
83 of 100 of the Most Educated Counties ( People with College degrees) spread mostly in the Northeast, West Coast, the Rocky Mountains, & half of the midwest- voted for Democrat Obama.
Wages in the past 30 years......everyone's have gone DOWN when compared with the cost of living, EXCEPT for the top 5%. The economy grows...the GDP goes up....but only a handful share in the wealth. The working people have to fight for their homes and for access to health care....in the most wealthy nation in the history of the world.
Before Reagan, most families had one working parent and did fine. Now it takes two working parents + a load of debt.
Even after this unprecedented redistribution, they want to give MORE to the wealthy. Multimillionaire McCain wants to give 100's of BILLIONS in tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of working people who are fighting to survive.
What makes educated, middle, upper middle class people cringe???
When they see working class whites, make $30K,$40K,$50K, $60K talking about Taxes & why they vote Republican.
They have no idea that while Democrats are being called Liberal for giving tax breaks to their lower & middle " Income Brackets" while Republicans are fight for Tax breaks for millionaires & Corporations.
The only solution to all this ???? EDUCATION !!!!
As long as some remain uneducated, less educated, or undereducated- YOU WILL ALWAYS BE SUSCEPTIBLE to the Rush Limbaugh's of the world !
There's a reason the Two Most Educated & Wealthy ethnic groups in America- Jews & Asians have Always solidly voted for Democrats.
There's a reason Democrats have consistenly won College educated voters
There's a reason Obama won voters with post graduate degrees such as MBA, Law degrees, PHD's by a LANDSLIDE last year.
They know, they understand.
While the Joe the Plumber, Jane the eletrician keeps following high school dropouts like Rush Limbaugh & Sean Hannity. They forget that Rush made $50 million dollars last year.
How can this person be fighting for you?
I don't blame this people. I just hope their kids get an education & stop voting AGAINST their own pocket.
A significant number of White blue collar voters keep voting Republican. Yet, they are Worse off in terms of susceptability to economic downturns. They benefit the most from Social safety nets that the Government provide.
Most first generation White Immigrant groups in NJ were solidly democrats. The Irish, the Italians, the Jews. Why? Because they were all discriminated at one time as new immigrants by the WASPS, the germans, etc.
Millions of Italian & Irish immigrants grandparents would have NEVER been able to buy a home in suburban Essex, Union & Morris county & out of places like NEWARK & JERSEY CITY if not for the Government FHA Loan programs.
Yes the same FHA that was Created by Democrats & strongly opposed by Republicans.
Millions of working class senior citizens for the last 40 years & especially today rely on MEDICARE. Without MEDICARE- they would be DEAD & POOR.
Yes the same MEDICARE program Created by Democrats & strongly opposed by the Republican party.
Should I say more. Every social safety net program that Democrats have created & opposed by republicans have BENEFITED MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of whites.
What is the Republican party legacy??? Tax Cuts? What again. Tax cuts ? For Who???
My husband & I are college graduates. Our kids go to Catholic schools.
Many less educated blue collar whites allow themselves to be distracted by Stupid Issues like Abortion, Gays, Guns, Anti-Immigrant, Racial issues & keep voting agains their pocket book.
Asian immigrants understand this dynamics right away. Jews have always understood this.
Blacks vote for Democrats overwhelmingly. The Democratic party created the Black middle class. If not for Federal & state hiring of blacks in the 70's & 80's- there would be no middle class. from there, many have been able to educate their kids. Some have become highly, educated & wealthy. Just ask Barack & Michelle.
We are in 2009. This is not about Race anymore. This is about Economics. You are poor whites, poor blacks on one corner. And you have middle, upper middle whites & blacks on another.
Because they are fooled by people who push their propaganda wrapped up in patriotism and don't really think things through. Why do people who get laid off from an industry that was killed in America by Walmart still shop at Walmart? They just believe what they are told over and over and over, that's why.
Look, this topic will take forever. I just took a break from my hectic day.
Here's my quick two cents. I will take out my partisan view as a moderate republican.
If you or your loved ones have in the past, currently or in the future take advantage of these programs below- these are programs that were proposed, supported & created by the democratic party and almost overwhelmingly opposed by the republican party.
Medicare- guaranteed affordable health benefits for all americans when you retire
Medicaid- health benefits for seniors who qualify
Social Security Income - For Seniors & Disabled when you retire
FHA ( Gov't loans for people to buy homes )
FDIC ( Bank Protection of deposit as a response to the bank collapse of the great depression)
Unemployment Income- For people who lost their jobs
and several others...
Bottom line here. Millions upon Millions of Republicans have benefitted, currently benefit, & will benefit someday from ALL these social safety nets. Whether your grandparents, your parents, you & your children.
In the same breath, Millions upon Millions of Republicans Have No Idea, No Clue that All these programs that keeps them going in Life are Democratic programs that were OPPOSED by their own GOP.
Millions upon Millions of Republicans who NOW opposed Obama's Healthcare reform will BENEFIT SOMEDAY from this Gov't social program.
There are millions of ethnic white Italians, Irish, Polish, Jews in the 1960's, 1970's who were able to buy homes in places like Millburn, Livingston, the Caldwells, Parsippany, Westfield, New Providence, Summit, Berkley heights, Denville, East hanover, Florham Park etc etc etc WHO WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE to Get out of Big Cities like Newark if NOT for FHA programs created by FDR & the democrats- and strongly opposed by Conservative Republicans.
Can you imagine how much Wealth all these homes brought to Italian, Irish, Jewish, Polish families in terms of Value Appreciation & getting a good public school education in the last 40 years ???? That's FHA right there?
How many whites were approved by FHA in the 1960s & 70's? 93% of white applicants from Newark living in apartment buildings got approved for FHA loans to buy homes in suburban essex, union & Morris.
How many blacks back then got approved? Less than 7% of black applicants who applied for FHA loans from Newark got approved to buy homes in new suburban NJ.
Over 90% were rejected. ( these are all factual numbers by the way. The Gov't has already acknowledge in 2007 Insitutional discrimination back then against Blacks)
These are the same 90% of blacks who were stuck generation after generation in the same apartment buildings in Newark that there White neighbors were able to leave because of FHA back in the 60's & 70's. Now if your black from that generation, wouldn't you be upset? It affected at least two generations of your family line who did not get to avail themselves of safe neighborhoods & good schools. Plus the lost wealth opportunity of owning your home & creating wealth thru appreciation.
That's why I strongly believe that my Republican partyis AGAIN ON THE WRONG SIDE of history on the healthcare reform. Most moderate republicans side with democrats on this. Its the Far right of the GOP that is confusing voters.
Most small business today fail because of healthcare costs. Millions of uninsured americans are causing high premuims for all of us.
And what some far right conservatives are doing is simply protecting Big business- the Insurance & drug companies.
Last edited by MichelleCFP; 11-10-2009 at 10:59 AM..
Look, this topic will take forever. I just took a break from my hectic day.
Here's my quick two cents. I will take out my partisan view as a moderate republican.
If you or your loved ones have in the past, currently or in the future take advantage of these programs below- these are programs that were proposed, supported & created by the democratic party and almost overwhelmingly opposed by the republican party.
Medicare- guaranteed affordable health benefits for all americans when you retire
Medicaid- health benefits for seniors who qualify
Social Security Income - For Seniors & Disabled when you retire
FHA ( Gov't loans for people to buy homes )
FDIC ( Bank Protection of deposit as a response to the bank collapse of the great depression)
Unemployment Income- For people who lost their jobs
and several others...
Bottom line here. Millions upon Millions of Republicans have benefitted, currently benefit, & will benefit someday from ALL these social safety nets. Whether your grandparents, your parents, you & your children.
In the same breath, Millions upon Millions of Republicans Have No Idea, No Clue that All these programs that keeps them going in Life are Democratic programs that were OPPOSED by their own GOP.
Millions upon Millions of Republicans who NOW opposed Obama's Healthcare reform will BENEFIT SOMEDAY from this Gov't social program.
There are millions of ethnic white Italians, Irish, Polish, Jews in the 1960's, 1970's who were able to buy homes in places like Millburn, Livingston, the Caldwells, Parsippany, Westfield, New Providence, Summit, Berkley heights, Denville, East hanover, Florham Park etc etc etc WHO WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE to Get out of Big Cities like Newark if NOT for FHA programs created by FDR & the democrats- and strongly opposed by Conservative Republicans.
That's why I strongly believe that my Republican partyis AGAIN ON THE WRONG SIDE of history on the healthcare reform. Most moderate republicans side with democrats on this. Its the Far right of the GOP that is confusing voters.
Most small business today fail because of healthcare costs. Millions of uninsured americans are causing high premuims for all of us.
And what some far right conservatives are doing is simply protecting Big business- the Insurance & drug companies.
Hmmm I'm confused why are you not a Democrat then?? What keeps you from joining the democratic party???
Not trying to be snarky just trying to figure out the logic
MichCFp- I'm glad you understand what is going on here.
I have no problem with moderate/centrist repubs. its the right wing that completely sells our country to big business. Republicans like Tom Kean, Christie Whitman, William Weld, Colin Powell, Nancy Kassembaun, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe are a Dying bread of republicans.
the right wing have overwhelmingly taken over your party.
Njkate-I was raised in a republican household in Morris county. My husband's family also comes from a republican upbringing. We are both strong pro-life advocates. We are also both business owners. I have opposed democrats many times of anti-small business measures. But I have also supported them during the times that they proposed something beneficial.
Healthcare reform is one of them.
let me remind you that most polls show literally Half of All republicans support Obama's healthcare reform. Some polls even show a slight majority of republicans support healthcare reform. Its only a question of what version of the plan.
This is a case were most GOP elected leaders Do Not speak for many republicans.
Just like most moderate republicans, I am against over taxation in all levels. Personal, Corporate, property, capital gains.
The myth that many have is that you should be Either Conservative or Liberal. The Media reinforces that view. But in reality, Majority of people are right in the middle. Centrist/Moderate Republicans & Centrist/Moderate Democrats have Much more in common than their liberal or conservative partymates.
I was a big fan of Whitman & Kean. Although I am a much stronger proponent on the prolife issue.
My political & business models are strong republican women leaders like Senators Collins & Snowe. Also successful republican women like former Ebay CEO's Meg Whitman & former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina
Being Republicans does not mean agreeing with Limbaugh or Newt Gingrich
Njkate-I was raised in a republican household in Morris county. My husband's family also comes from a republican upbringing. We are both strong pro-life advocates. We are also both business owners. I have opposed democrats many times of anti-small business measures. But I have also supported them during the times that they proposed something beneficial.
Healthcare reform is one of them.
let me remind you that most polls show literally Half of All republicans support Obama's healthcare reform. Some polls even show a slight majority of republicans support healthcare reform. Its only a question of what version of the plan.
This is a case were most GOP elected leaders Do Not speak for many republicans.
Just like most moderate republicans, I am against over taxation in all levels. Personal, Corporate, property, capital gains.
The myth that many have is that you should be Either Conservative or Liberal. The Media reinforces that view. But in reality, Majority of people are right in the middle. Centrist/Moderate Republicans & Centrist/Moderate Democrats have Much more in common than their liberal or conservative partymates.
I was a big fan of Whitman & Kean. Although I am a much stronger proponent on the prolife issue.
My political & business models are strong republican women leaders like Senators Collins & Snowe. Also successful republican women like former Ebay CEO's Meg Whitman & former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina
Being Republicans does not mean agreeing with Limbaugh or Newt Gingrich
Thanks Michelle and as for the bolded part in your post....Good Lawd NO..two wing dings
non-working americans and illegals who are looking for handouts should vote for democrats.
the ultimate issue is cutting taxes and reducing the size of government. if you work for a living, this benefits you. i am not suggesting that the republicans achieve this, ultimately they are all corrupt politicians only interested in their own financial and power gain. however, the democrats are more likely to do much worse for increasing taxes and the size of government.
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