# Ok!  For years I've tried to understand this



## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

What is the mindset of voters in the lowest income states that vote Republican?  The Republican party is negative on Social Security, medicare, medicaid, welfare, food stamps and hundreds of other programs directed to the plight of the poorest among us.  Yet the voters of those states go to the polls and vote for the Republicans always.  They are virtually all red states.  Here are the facts to support my statement. Anyone who wants to challenge the source listed need only find whatever source they want, they all say the same thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lowest-income_counties_in_the_United_States


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## QuickSilver (Jan 28, 2015)

I believe it's for the Social Issues...  some like to call Gays, Guns, and God.   Also, Republicans have done an extremely good job of getting low information voters to believe that it's the "OTHER" people that are ruining their chances to "live the good life".... By others I mean minorities, union members, women, gays, immigrants.. and if we could just stop everyone else from draining our society.... well... then they may have a chance to join the ranks of the wealthy... Nothing could be farther from the truth... as the US has become one of the least upwardly mobile societies in the developed world.  BUT... good propaganda does wonders..


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## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

Yep QS, I guess that is it!!  Well if they ever manage to kill the cow, they will find out where the milk came from.


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## QuickSilver (Jan 28, 2015)

I also believe... and this is my personal feeling..... that there is a big racial component at work here, particularly in the southern states.  The South used to be almost completely Democratic.... they were known as the DixieCrats.   That was until Lyndon Johnson signed  the Civil Rights legislation in 1964...  His famous quote:

"we have lost the South for a Generation"

He was wrong.. It's been several generations.. and having a Black President has reignited the animosity.


Here is another one of LBJs famous quotes:

"If you can convince the lowest white man that he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll even empty his pockets for you.”


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## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

I think you have it wired QS.


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## Josiah (Jan 28, 2015)

I also think the the Republicans remarkably successful job of stigmatizing the word "liberal" and canonizing the word "conservative" has been particularly effective among unsophisticated voters.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> What is the mindset of voters in the lowest income states that vote Republican?  The Republican party is negative on Social Security, medicare, medicaid, welfare, food stamps and hundreds of other programs directed to the plight of the poorest among us.  Yet the voters of those states go to the polls and vote for the Republicans always.  They are virtually all red states.  Here are the facts to support my statement. Anyone who wants to challenge the source listed need only find whatever source they want, they all say the same thing.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lowest-income_counties_in_the_United_States



Some of the reasons are the differences between liberal thinking, and conservative.  Whether some folks think it or not, abortion is a huge thing among conservatives.  I've realized both parties have their good points, but, something as big as abortion, and trust me, it is big, can sway a vote.  Many conservatives are bible-believers, and they do not believe marriage is for anyone except a man and woman.  Whether either side thinks it wrong or right, those are huge issues with people of America.  Moral values as layed down in the bible.  Some folks don't care if they have money or not, because they firmly believe God provides all their needs, so I would guess SS isn't a biggy either.

There are those that would vote against someone promising them all the things you mentioned RK, simply because that candidate is against what the bible teaches.  We have a lot of christians in this country.


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## darroll (Jan 28, 2015)

I'm not rich.
I just don't like leaders that buy dead horses daily.


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## QuickSilver (Jan 28, 2015)

Josiah09 said:


> I also think the the Republicans remarkably successful job of stigmatizing the word "liberal" and canonizing the word "conservative" has been particularly effective among unsophisticated voters.



you are so right.... even some Liberals are careful to hide the term and have now started to use the word "Progressive"..  It's a shame.. Liberal is NOT a dirty word.  We are not ALL tree hugging Birkenstock wearing elitist  vegetarians either, and a lot of Liberals I know understand which end of a gun to point...


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

Josiah09 said:


> I also think the the Republicans remarkably successful job of stigmatizing the word "liberal" and canonizing the word "conservative" has been particularly effective among unsophisticated voters.



If I'm understanding you Josiah, I agree.  I happen to believe many "liberals" disagree with abortion, gay marriage, I mean, I think there must be.  I also believe there are conservatives that believe in many of the things (hanging onto them is their first priority) like SS etc. So again, that stereotyping where I won't consider anything out the mouth of the other party, is foolish in my thinking.  It's close-minded, and many have missed the boat being close-minded, or at the least, ended up looking pretty silly when they realize someone from the other "party" had some excellent input.

But to think that R's are always right, and D's are always wrong is just ignorant, which means "undeducated", not stupid, just uninformed, or so unteachable (close-minded) they can't learn things to help them grow in their knowledge.


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## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

If you cut out all welfare and food stamps it would soon change some uninformed red state minds, they would soon realize all the bible reading, abortion hating, anti gay marriage stuff would not feed a hungry family and some minds would change.


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## QuickSilver (Jan 28, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> If you cut out all welfare and food stamps it would soon change some uninformed red state minds, they would soon realize all the bible reading, abortion hating, anti gay marriage stuff would not feed a hungry family and some minds would change.




And another thing they need to understand is that this is NOT a Christian nation despite the vast majority of people claiming to be Christian.  It is a secular nation and the Constitution provides for the separation of Church and State... Passing laws.. or in this case eliminating laws based on Christian theology is flying in the face of the Constitution.  We cannot allow for the teachings of one religion, no matter how prevalent it is, to infiltrate into the legislative process... Isn't that the big complaint about Sharia law that is so feared and hated?   How is this any different from Sharia... Theocracy is theocracy.


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## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

Many who declare a religion do so to avoid criticism too.  We will never really know how many are actual Christians.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> If you cut out all welfare and food stamps it would soon change some uninformed red state minds, they would soon realize all the bible reading, abortion hating, anti gay marriage stuff would not feed a hungry family and some minds would change.



I don't know that would happen, it could, but I'm not certain at all. Seems like when times really get tough in this US of ours, people come out of the woodwork to help, and they don't ask eachother if they are Republicans or Democrats.  I'd be more inclined to "imagine" a place where we could come together, instead of hurling insults at the "other side".  I think we are so busy looking down on the other side, we fail to even try to see where the other side might be right.  Remember it takes all of us to keep this country on it's feet.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Many who declare a religion do so to avoid criticism too.  We will never really know how many are actual Christians.



If they don't follow Christ, as the bible teaches, then they are probably not worried about abortion.  Yes, many call themselves christians.  I was trying to give examples of people that might not vote Republican, not start a new topic on religions.


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## AZ Jim (Jan 28, 2015)

nwlady said:


> I don't know that would happen, it could, but I'm not certain at all. Seems like when times really get tough in this US of ours, people come out of the woodwork to help, and they don't ask eachother if they are Republicans or Democrats.  I'd be more inclined to "imagine" a place where we could come together, instead of hurling insults at the "other side".  I think we are so busy looking down on the other side, we fail to even try to see where the other side might be right.  Remember it takes all of us to keep this country on it's feet.



I have been an American almost 79 years, served in it's military, voted since I was first eligible and I like to think of myself as a good citizen.  Your post is idealistic and patriotic but in my view somewhat naive in content.  Really hungry people do anything to fill their stomachs.  I did not suggest my post would ever occur I merely am trying to  make the point that minds can be changed by practical means when theoretic ones fail. No offense intended.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

Another thing that kind of makes sense to me, is that anyone wanting to be president (or at least some) would have the information gathered on what "most" of the voters want. Then in their campaign, they are going to make promises that would fulfill those wants, and voila that "most of" votes and we have a new pres.  I don't understand why anyone would do it differently.  Maybe there isn't any way to know how "most" of the voters think, what they want.  Either that, or a candidate campaigns telling he/she will supply everything all voters want, has that happened?


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I have been an American almost 79 years, served in it's military, voted since I was first eligible and I like to think of myself as a good citizen.  Your post is idealistic and patriotic but in my view somewhat naive in content.  Really hungry people do anything to fill their stomachs.  I did not suggest my post would ever occur I merely am trying to  make the point that minds can be changed by practical means when theoretic ones fail. No offense intended.



I don't mind being called naive or idealistic, there are worse things to be.  As I mentioned, also, is that I don't believe folks would starve because of those folks that would come out to help.  This country has usually banded together where there has been great need.


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## darroll (Jan 28, 2015)

The poor are not going to vote Republican, they want the free stuff they get from the dems.
Get a job is a dirty comment from some.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

darroll said:


> The poor are not going to vote Republican, they want the free stuff they get from the dems.
> Get a job is a dirty comment from some.



I only agree to an extent, not all poor people want a free ride.  I know there are some, but I wonder if many of them even vote.  In fact, I wonder how many Americans are not even voting.  I heard an excuse just the other day, and this was from a democrat.  She said "what's the use", or "what difference does it make".  There are a lot of discouraged folks for one reason or another.  

I have no clue how to get more folks even willing to vote


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2015)

I never thought about particular states, income and voting stats.  Here's a page on voting related to income. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/11/does-your-wage-predict-your-vote/264541/ .

  There is some truth as to people voting strictly by their religious beliefs.  It seems that christians, regardless of income, are likely to vote republican because they are against things like abortion, gay marriage, etc.  They seem to put their faith above their political interest, like the  fact that republicans are working to get rid of, or limit social security and medicare "entitlements".  Some are just uninformed, and are convinced that the dems are the ones trying to give medicare vouchers and do away with SS.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 28, 2015)

Oh, these are great, thank Seabreeze.  The religious aspect is really interesting to me, I mean as far as how they are likely to vote.  When Mitt was running, many christians were supporting him.  But the strange part about that, I thought, was all the years I listened to "christians" talking about how Mormonism is not christianity at all, in fact some even called it a cult.  But he was the closest thing (I guess) to what they felt God would approve of as a President.  I'm only talking about a handful of people I knew/know, not all christians think like that.

Also, from experience, most of my "voting" years have been spent voting for what my friends/husband etc. would vote for.  I never looked into it or payed attention myself.  I'm not proud of that believe me.  I don't have money, my income is below poverty level, but the republicans have some things going for them I agree with.  But, the democrats have some things as well.  So it's not going to be about "which party" for me, it's going to be about who I think will serve this country best.

It's no easy task as any sane person realizes, because who can you trust to be telling you the truth.  Who's his own man, or woman.  Who are the puppets/robots running.  Who's in it for themselves, and who's in it for the people and their country.


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## Sunny (Jan 28, 2015)

Interesting discussion. I too have often wondered why so many struggling, poor folks vote against their own interests and go along with the Republicans. Probably they are motivated by fear, which the Repubs are very good at inflaming. ("Oh sure, the liberals want so-and-so. Next thing you know...")

I think fear has a lot more to do with how people vote than religion does. At one time, it was believed that a Catholic could never be elected President, and then Kennedy came along. 

And most people are not political pundits. They go along with the way their family has always voted, the way their friends and neighbors vote, etc. Most of us are pretty much conformists, when you come right down to it.

I see that Sarah Palin is once again considering running. Now, that would be an entertaining election: Sarah against Hillary. (In fact, as an avowed Democrat, I'd LOVE to see Sarah run against Hillary!)


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