The Hypocracy of the Republican Party

What's the Matter With Kansas? by Thomas Frank has illuminated an issue for me that I hadn't considered before but now seems central to politics. Oversimplified, why do states such as Kansas with working class populations vote Republican? The working class man has seen his people suffer through deregulation of industry and other pro business policies. He works in worse conditions for less money; that is if his job hasn't been outsourced. He depends on federal aid but votes against it.

The leaders of the Republican party know what they're doing. They're stealing this demographic that rightfully belongs to the Democrats. They do so by manipulating these people into thinking that economics are negligible and they should vote based on values. Conservative leaders force the idea that America is in the midst of social (moral) decay. That by prohibiting abortion, gay marriage, and gun laws, our nation's values will be restored and life will improve for everybody. It is significant to note that while Low Income Red America sacrifices wealth for values the leaders of the conservative party are making more money because of cheaper labor. We can all see the direction that social policy is going. Roe v. Wade will never be overturned and if by some miracle it is there will be some much contradictory policy in place that it won't matter. Gay marriage is becoming more and more accepted throughout the country. Gun laws are as strict as ever and Obama promises to make it even more difficult to bear arms. So, in reality, if Republican leaders are even fighting for these social changes, they are doing a really bad job. All they succeed in is continuing to deregulate profit motivated corporations and lessen government.

There is an example given in the book where a woman works as a secretary in a small town.She is in desperate need of financial help walks into the office of a Republican governer and announces she will not be voting for him. She reasons that because he is pro-choice he is too liberal for her. Frank describes the situation simply but powerfully, "And that is Kansas for you: a state where the working-class heroes are even more Republican than their bosses."

The scheme would not be perfect without vilinizing the opponent. The Republican party propogates to the masses that the typical liberal is a rich snob who lives on the coast, drinks lots of lattes, and has no motivation other than to ruin life for the rest of us. That the Democratic party is not the party of true Americans.

So, the workers of the Midwest Red States rise up, infuriated because their small towns are now poor and jobless, because working conditions are worse, because the income gap grows, and proceed to vote Republican.