[quote=briansd1]
My point – people of both parties often vote with their bottom line in mind – whether it is business opportunities, tax policies, etc.

Voting your bottom line is rational and I accept that.

But how do we explain the working-class conservatives in the poor Red States and the poor/poorer areas of California?

Notice that all the counties along the Coast of California are blue (expect for Del Norte County, and the very top, and Orange County, home to thousands of right-wing Vietnamese refugees on welfare who tip the balance in favor of the Republicans).

As was discussed before, the estate tax is a big rallying cry for Tea Partiers and conservatives. But it only affects 5500 estates per year. It’s clearly not a bottom line issue for those conservatives.

enron_by_the_sea explained working-class conservative motivations the best so far.[/quote]

Even though I am one of those ignorant, working class, Republicans, I am still smart enough to know that is is wrong for anyone (government included) to take something that doesn’t belong to them (in the form of higher taxes, fees, etc.) regardless of their intent.

Also, as a working class, ignorant, Republican, I can’t stand the snobbery coming from the “Intellectual Elites” who seem to think they know how I should live my life better than I do.