Pure Coincidence

I happen to be reading Paul Krugman's The Conscience of a Liberal. And I just happened to read this passage commenting on the federal government shut down of 1995:

". . . But the rawness of the event was still remarkable: Republicans were willing to play chicken with the government's ability to function in their drive to take down one of the pillars of the U.S. welfare state (medicare). As it turned out, Gingrich had misjudged both Clinton and the voters. Clinton held firm. The public blamed Gingrich, not the Clinton administration, for the standoff, and the Republicans eventually backed down."

And here we are again. Krugman also spends a lot of time highlighting our current income inequality and comparing it to the Gilded Age. He explains in detail how the most conservative wing of the Republican party has hijacked social issues and glossed over or overtly lied about economic inequality to secure support from individual voters who's interests are not really in line with the party. Put another way, and in my terms. Joe the Plumber became a Republican "standard bearer" during the McCain campaign. He would have been better served as a newly minted business owner by Democratic policies, at worst, and at best, might have found more income and job security in a union. I reference all of this to give context to something I've noticed.

I spend time with a lot of people who are adamant Republican voters. Shockingly, they vote so in direct conflict with what seems like their self interest. One family loathes Obamacare, but fortunately receives substantial aid from Medicaid, and WIC. Others own small businesses and struggle to provide healthcare for their employees, make less than $250,000 a year but are somehow convinced that it serves their interest to vote Republican.

So I've gotta know. And I don't usually do this, but rather than simply post thoughts and see what sticks--What am I missing? Most of my readers know me. Do any of you wonder about me the way I wonder about others? I want to start a discussion. I know reading Krugman is like drinking the Liberal company cool aid. So humor me. But be advised, keep it data based, keep it civil, and keep it vigorous.