Human Nature

[Thumpalumpacus]

I don't agree, at least not for Americans. The folks here act politically not out of moral concerns but out of "how might this affect me?" Most Americans don't give a shit about whether cutting welfare or school-lunch programs hurts others if it means their tax bill is lower.

You certainly know more about US politics than I.

At least, that's what they vote for -- and I take them at their word. If they cared about that stuff would they incessantly vote for lower taxes and concomitant cuts in government services? These voters aren't worried about teaching welfare-queens any big lesson, they're more concerned about I-me-mine.

Voting for lower taxes and cut for gov services could have a moral reasoning too - taxes being seen as punishment for success and gov services as unfair competition or form of handout that breeds dependability. Now that would be insane view (though I read this crap about taxes as punishment quite often in internet arguments) but as far as I am concerned neoliberalism and fascism are insane ideologies. Of course from the fact that moral reasoning could be seen in voting like you mentioned above one can't reach for conclusion that it necessarily is. It's merely one possibility though I would argue that ideology first and money as plus is a stance that might be more common that people think. It would in fact explain otherwise irrational choices of working class people voting for neoliberals. To be fair however thinking that there will be economic benefits would be obvious counterpoint and something in favor of money being deciding factor.

People act politically for different reasons, both in voting and also in running for office, formulating policy, etc. I do believe some ground their decisions in their own moral imperatives, but others make decisions based on social utility, hunger for power, venality, and so on.