I have noticed within my union the very issue of unity. There is a constant complaint of lack of unity among the members, but the same individuals decrying unity, vote republican. I do have issues with the very idea of preaching union and voting republican. These individuals support Republicans, but at the same time they preach unionism. My opinion may offend, or others will give a different reasoning for the vote these union members case for party itself. This is only an opinion, based on observations. One common denominator is the the core basis of my opinion. My opinion starts with the simple statement that one can not possibly believe in unity if they don’t believe in equality. There is no unity without equality.
Race and the loss of social status is causing many to split their belief system into various categories. The categories are of self interest and of self preservation. It is easy to find those who will vote against their own self interest when they truly are concerned about self preservation. Loss of status in society means is the one issue the so called union man is more concerned with in society, than the economic issues unions solve for them in the workplace. For instance, abortion, immigration, and gun laws are issues that resonate much more strongly in the Republican Union Man. These are issues, I do believe are part of the equation in them deciding to vote republics, but these are the issues they can easily point to in conversation as their reasoning, deflecting the the self preservation argument underlying their true motivations. In many ways the set of values are easy to slide into as a nice pair of gloves as the uneasiness with the concern that the very extinction of a way of life they love so much is a real possibility.
In giving a general opinion, the complex issue of a changing society gives cause to the union republican, who will vote against their own economic self interest for self preservation. A preservation of a way of life and social status, compared to true economic status that could be lost with the anti-union policies of the republican party. It should be obvious to the republican union man that the republicans do not have their best interest in mind when they reward the rich with an unfair tax system, right-to-work laws, and loosening of laws that make it easier for companies to exploit the laborer are the very issues you would think a union man would vote against. But emotional issues of loss of status with the social and demographic changes easily cancels out any type of critical thinking in the sense of what is economically in one’s best interest. I am at a loss as to why one would vote against their own self interest, but then I again I understand the issues they strongly support over others. Voting against one’s self interest when concerned about one’s self preservation makes sense if it were true.
