What's the Matter with Kansas?

In What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America, Thomas Frank explores why so many Americans vote for Republicans, even though Democrats would better server their economic interests. Frank, who grew up in Kansas, focuses on that state, which was full of radical populist sentiment a century ago but is now solidly Republican. Unlike most liberals pondering these questions, Frank actually spoke with many conservatives to understand their motivations and beliefs.

In their worldview, liberal elites are a threatening force that controls the nation and violates their morals. The obsession with liberal elitism always struck me as bizarre, considering the massive power of corporations with close ties to the Republicans, and this book provides the first explanation I’ve seen of that mindset. Obviously, abortion was a galvanizing factor among the fundamentalist crowd, along with concerns about school prayer and homosexuality. However, cultural issues play center stage: offensive TV shows and movies, changing gender roles, political correctness, gun control, and drinking latte instead of beer.

Meanwhile, economic issues are off the table as “class warfare”. Unemployment rises, farming gets more and more difficult, corporate scandals emerge, and so on. However, liberals are viewed as the oppressors, instead of the corporate Republicans. People get worked up over cultural issues and disregard economic concerns. Prominent conservative Republicans, even those with modest incomes, support tax cuts and oppose government intervention and unions.

What's the Matter with Kansas? provides nuanced insights into why so many Americans, in the heartland and elsewhere, tend to vote for Republicans. It’s well-written and one of the best books I’ve read about the current political situation.