[A. Pole]

Thomas Frank asked how it is that working people in a red state like Kansas can consistently vote against their own economic interests.

Majority of Americans are conservative on moral issues and liberal on economic issues. That is why old style New Deal Democrats were so strong and that is why Reagan got votes of "Reagan Democrats" only after the left became decadent

When people are forced to chose they tend to put their values before money. Gay "marriage" advocates helped GWB to win in 2004 and they keep GOP in power.

[durasell]

Just different priorities. Moral issues are more important than money. That was the flaw in Frank's book. He didn't quite "get" that.

[ModelBreaker]

When people are forced to chose they tend to put their values before money. Gay "marriage" advocates helped GWB to win in 2004 and they keep GOP in power.

This is true. And the business/open borders R's hate it and are doing the best to drive values voters out of the coalition.

[Alberta's Child]

Majority of Americans are conservative on moral issues and liberal on economic issues. That is why old style New Deal Democrats were so strong and that is why Reagan got votes of "Reagan Democrats" only after the left became decadent.

It's impossible to be conservative on moral issues and liberal on economic issues if you expect to have a stable social order in place. What you failed to mention about "old style New Deal Democrats" is that they established and perpetuated a system that is based on unsound economic policy (which has nothing to do with "liberal" vs. "conservative") and is ultimately doomed to collapse.