Liberals and progressives keep expressing amazement and confusion when working-class people vote for people like Reagan and Trump, whose economic policies and other policies actually make things worse for working-class people.
George Lakoff, an expert in how people think, says voters vote their VALUES, not their interests.
Typically, we assume that if we explain how a political issue pertains to people’s objective interests (e.g., their economic well-being), they will act or vote the way we want them to.
However, Lakoff says we would be more effective if we would pay attention to people’s VALUES and frame our arguments to appeal to their VALUES, not just their interests.
This article explains: http://www.alternet.org/right-wing/answers-two-big-questions-about-trump-and-gop-keep-befuddling-progressives?akid=15835.2186.7IXwaX&rd=1&src=newsletter1079332&t=6