Why some of America's poorest counties vote Republican

[merrily]

51. Poor people, including poor farmers, used to vote Democratic.

Religion--the kind that stands the words about judging and taking care of the poor, etc. attributed to Christ on their head-- has indeed played a role, as has deliberate race baiting, but you have already mentioned those.

So has messaging, and without adequate response from the left. Poor people been convinced that it's somehow unfair to begrudge rich people their god given right to get richer, to own politicians, to pollute the air, to get tax breaks, etc. Yes, talk radio is part of the messaging, but it started even before FOX News and talk radio.

Weakening of unions. The strongest and largest unions are not necessarily in the private sector. And unions of first responders have gone more Republican than Democratic, perhaps because of different views of what "being tough on crime" means in practical terms.

Changes within the the Democratic Party. It is not the party of the poor and the unions in the way that it was once--or maybe the way that it was once seen. "Limousine liberals" was not a catch phrase in Truman's day.

And so on.