What's The Matter With America? - Thomas Frank

Frank explains brilliantly why low income Americans consistently vote against their own economic interests. Essentially, the republicans bypass economics completely and campaign on easily elucidated "values" issues such as guns, evolution in schools, gay marriage and, especially, abortion. The Democrats talk about core issues like education, health and jobs, but the complex arguments get drowned out by the shrill right wing.

The right also ensures that they maintain the status of victimhood, railing against a "liberal elite" media (owned by Murdoch et al of course), and suggesting that Christianity is in serious danger from..well, something or other. If only! The unwinnability of most of the Republican totems merely ensure that poor people can be kept enraged, and vote in "values" politicians who (a) fail to enact any legislation on moral issues, and (b) give massive tax cuts to the rich.

This is not a very good precis of the book, I'm afraid, but Frank makes a persuasive case. Unfortunately the book is padded out with irrelevant digressions and anecdotage but it's worth reading for some insight into the bizarre world of U.S. politics.