The tea party is very strong in my area?

[Jen]

Thomas Frank explains in his excellent book, "What's The Matter With Kansas?" that low-information voters act against their own self-interest due to a variety of factors. Fear tactics (credit to Karl Rove and Dick Cheney as the ultimate of dedicated experts on scaring Americans with bogus issues) are high on that list, as is misinformation from the opposition (remember the bogus death panels, concentration camps, etc.?). If these voters continue to undermine their own safety nets (Medicare, Social Security), this is the legislation they will face in a Republican-controlled government:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-kl...get_p.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/opinio...aulkrugman

In Texas, the GOP platform incorporates the old, favorite culture issues:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/06/...bs_an.html