All they know is their stupid punch lines or how much special interest money they got.
I would say based on my experience, when things get explained out to those 'ill effected' they at least try to understand, at least in general.
The ones you describe... the uber ultra Reagan-was-a-panzy-liberal types there is no talking to them.
My position is that Free Trade in its proper sense is not a bad thing. First we have to understand what Free Trade is. In the midst of them screaming over the top of each other both sides tend to eagerly forget that definition.
This crap is getting worse than Roe V. Wade except its not the left vs. the right. Its nothing more than a divisive bunch of crap. The difference between Roe V Wade and trade is that there are non religious based facts involved. IE Whats morally right by me might not be accepted by others... however 2+2=4 no matter who the heck you are.
There is no semblance of balance when talking to the ultra righter than Reaganites.
The difficulty in shutting those @ssholes up is that they won't shut up long enough nor listen to a response.
They know the outcome they want and will cry and scream over the top of everyone and call everyone else condescending names until 'everyone accepts' their point of view.
Who cares about the science involved. They want what they want and no matter what they are going to scream until they get it. Even when they are wrong they scream and call names and refuse to listen. Anyone who wants to get a word in is a doom and gloom liberal panzy. Anything that doesn't kowtow to their arrogance is blown off as useless.
These jerkwads are going to be the decline of the Republican party if we let them be in charge of much of anything.