Brooks asks: "What’s going on? Why do working-class conservatives seem to vote so often against their own economic interests?"

Manipulating such voters is actually quite simple and easy, and Republicans are masters at it. For example, many working class conservatives have been convinced that if there *were* universal health care, then people who are even more down and out (and therefore undeserving) would get freebies. The approach also works well against food stamps, student loans, rent relief, low cost housing, etc.

Stephen J. Remington