I've been thinking about why people, despite an overwhelming amount of evidence, continually vote against their interests. It's certainly not the way I operate. I look at the facts, analyze the different policy positions, and make an educated decision based on that. I have voted for centrist or leftist candidates most of the time, but have also voted for people on the right of the political spectrum if I think their policies will benefit society as a whole more than the others on the ballot. I have not changed this as I have gotten older.
And while I think tribalism is a major factor in how divided the United States is, on both sides, there are other issues at play here. For instance, it seems to me that many low and middle class Americans worship those who are wealthy. I see it a lot in sports, particularly the NFL. A lot of people will defend rich owners, despite evidence that they are incompetent or dishonest, at the very least, at the expense of the players. I saw it on social media a year ago when San Francisco media, for example, would be critical of how Jed York has run the 49ers, and wave after wave of fans would defend him. I found that very odd.
All this to say that I think many low and middle class Americans see their situation as only temporary. That with hard work and a little luck they, too, will soon join the ranks of the uber-rich. It's why I think they'll vote against their own interests because they believe that these policies will help them move into a higher income bracket. They don't think that the system is rigged against them, despite evidence to the contrary.
So it's why, for now, much of Trump's base supports this tax overhaul. Sure, it's a transfer of money to the wealthy on the backs of low and middle class Americans, but many feel that this will help them move up the ladder and eventually these policies will benefit them, too. It's a mindset that I think is uniquely American, based on the importance of the individual rights over collective rights that has been espoused for more than two centuries.
I hope that made sense!