what are these cultural issues? Is it abortion? Guns? Swap critical thinkers for politicians and then say how did that change work out? What policies did the Republicans pass that have helped them? I can't think of any. What I see is that they have succumbed to fear - fear of the other, fear someone will take away their guns (they won't), fear that their country in the future will not be majority white (I think that's a good thing). They are getting a better safety net under democrats than they are under republicans and the dems have never stopped working for the working man as you say. What they have swallowed is that Republicans share their values while picking their pockets. The Southern strategy was more than appealing to racists and bigots but in promising businesses they can relocate as their people will work for cheaper wages and factories from up north would move because of less regulation, less wages, no unions, less taxes and less upward mobility for the masses. It seems their inability to "critically think" and their lack of looking at realty is their own fault and not anything Washington has done. Look at the more affluent states - why has Washington not screwed them up? WV problems are of its own making and from what I can see is the local politicians who are more beholding to businesses than the people.
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