To a large degree, yes that’s true. However there is still a sizable contingent of midwesterners that cling to the latter ideology as well because they mistakenly believe that they will benefit from it. This takes a few forms. Many don’t understand how certain policies they support will negatively impact them such as the “death tax” (which only impacts high-value estates over $5 mm, I believe) and the refusal of expanded federal Medicare funding under ACA. Another is the deeply-ingrained delusion that hard work will lift you out of poverty or the lower rungs of the middle class into exorbitant wealth that will be protected because America rewards those who achieve great wealth via diligence and grit, which is about as common as a purple snowflake. The third factor, and probably the most impactful in my experience growing up dead-center of the US, is a deep, seething resentment of the impoverished, minorities, single mothers, et al. To them, the poor just need to work harder, minorities are inherently lazy, violent, criminal or indolent and single women are just plain whores who must live with the consequences of their evil life choices. The wealthy are shrewd, resourceful and determined not to be set back by others’ poor planning. Which completely sums up how these self-anointed Christians could vote for an amoral, lecherous, lewd New York “elite” and continue to support him in the face of mountains of evidence of treasonous acts.
I don’t live in the Midwest anymore.
ETA: These delusions apply to all Americans, in my experience. Unfortunately, in the Midwest due to lack of diversity in culture and thought, this takes the form of all-powerful groupthink.
