I was listening to Terry Gross today as she interviewed first Tom Frank and then PJ O'Rourke. The theme of both interviews was why do working Americans in the "heartland" ignore their own material self-interest and vote Republican.
Frank's take on it--not all that novel--was that the GOP has been able to redefine "elite" so that it no longer refers to
economic elites but to pointy-headed, arrogant, know-it-all liberals...an
attitudinal elite.
But what was even more interesting was Gross' interview with PJ O'Rourke, who opined that it was really antagonism to the state per se that motivates the ordinary (I actually think he said "normal") Americans. Government is coercive, dontchaknow. But he clearly implied that examples of the Bush Administration's coercive practices--such as keeping military personnel on duty long after their time is up--actually reinforces the preference for the Republicans, because it demonstrates the danger of the government! (i.e., if this is how dangerous it is in Republican hands, you sure wouldn't want it in Democratic hands)
I'm not sure I buy this. What about you?