So what is it that makes a working class person support right-wing policy?

I just don't get it. Teabaggers would be so much better off if we had universal single-payer, yet they not only oppose, some of them even demonstrate against it. So on, with tax policies, military spending, and pretty much every other issue where progressives and conservatives disagree.

It isn't just prejudice, because we heard most of their crap when Clinton was in office (and he was no progressive). Is it fear of change? Being convinced that they could someday be one of the moneyed elite? Sheer stupidity and/or ignorance? What exactly?

When I see the ridicule for teabagger types, I too have participated in it. But my overwhelming feeling toward them is pity. They have no idea how hard they are screwing themselves and their children and grandchildren.

...Blacks, gays, immigrants, Spanish-speakers, "liberals" out to destroy their "values", nebulous concepts like terrorism and socialism. Really, anything at all. It doesn't matter what they are afraid of because people vote right-wing when they are afraid.

which, if the tradition is "the rich control everything", means that what they'll support. You have got the major elements - fear of change is the partner of love of tradition, and they rationalise it to themselves with the conviction that they'll get rich themselves, which is somewhat stupid - a few will, but the vast majority won't.

For the life of me, I don't know what it could be.

and I'm guessing a lack of education

The simply don't believe the top levels of government really have their best interests in mind. I find it harder every day to disagree.

... coupled w/cradle-to-grave institutional and media directives/propaganda which creates a sense if familiarity

Politically they are operating on the notion that their group or tribe is being threatened. Thats why they act they way that they do, and they don't make any sense. There is nothing logical in their thought process because it is all instinct.

You posted that on DU. :-)

Hyper-patriotism seems to be a common notion among them. My tribe is exceptional compared to other tribes who might just be threats that need to be watched.

Fear of being cheated, or that someone else (that strange, scary, or less deserving Other) will get what you have/take away what you have.

Magical Thinking: the spoon-fed mindset that they have to stick up for the Corporations and thier corporatist overlords, because they're gonna be rich and powerful "someday". Hence, their "ZOMG they're taking away our FREE-DOMZ!!!11" squawking.

even the "liberal media"..that republicans are the party of "morality" and they equate that with goodness. Lee Atwater was the master. He made Liberal a dirty word. He convinced the country that "government is bad".."taxes are bad".."liberals want to give welfare queens your money"..."you know how to spend your money better than the government"...and on and on and on.

Republicans are masters of communication. We Democrats could learn alot from them. It's very unfortunate, but their tactics work. Just look at the health care debate. If Democrats had come out with a "Medicare buy-in" program..instead of calling it a "public option"...it would be law by now. Everyone would understand it. But we screwed up the message and now we're losing the war.

so I think Fear covers it pretty well.

... gullible, easy led .. and it often appears that conservative/rightward types are, psychologically speaking, more so authoritarian in their psyche make up, making them more likely to exalt 'leaders,' just because.

Grayson in florida is beating all the republicans in his district and that's among republicans, because he acts like a real democrat.

A democrat who puts the working class first and foremost and doesn't lie and bipartisan their lives and rights away will win.

Whether it be race, religion, sexism, or other cultural issues, Republicans have been masters of using fear ever since Nixon.

it has been incredibly effective in many regions...

So you pick the pols that will at least (pretend to) respect your cultural/religious values while they do it.

Too stupid to know what's for their own good and what works against them. Too lazy because it's easier to flip the remote control than read a frigging book or a newspaper or online new sources.

Flame away. I'm tired of making excuses for these people. If you can read you can find out things. You don't have to rely on some paid human teleprompter to tell you what to think unless you're too stupid or lazy to seek out answers for yourself.

They believe that the government should serve a very limited role. They believe that government screws up most everything they do, reinforcing the first point.

I'm sure social issues play an important role too.

They don't think fire and police departments are examples of socialism. They think those are essential services that the government should provide. I think that many of the working class could be won over on health care by convincing them that medical care is the same type of essential service rather than making into some argument about socialism vs not socialism.

They do not think about it, and they certainly don't examine the effect of what they advocate.