Pat Robertson (On Thursday): God Is Going To Give Trump Victory With the GOP Health Care Bill

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. It comes from a couple of ideological grounds and a mistaken self-view.

First there is the fiscal conservative idea that government should not forcibly take (taxes) and redistribute to the poor. That's "socialism" or "communism". That's what the Romans did through Herod. But paradoxically Republicons and christian RWAF adore Rome for its power and order and authoritarianism (lots of overlap between christians and RWAF).

Secondly, there is the idea that "god helps those who help themselves". It is the idea that hard work should be rewarded and needy people don't work hard. It is reinforced by the framing of language like "welfare queens". It shows itself in Republicon statements like Chaffetz saying that poor and people with pre-existing conditions need to choose between getting an Apple phone or health insurance / care.

The mistaken self-view is that they view themselves as "very charitable". They think that charities could and should do all the helping of the needy. They do not realize that the most charitable people, by percentage of disposable income, are the poor. The average RW christian is middle class and gives some money to churches and charities, many of which have high overhead, and some of which have CEOs and mega-pastors who live very high indeed.

So they overrate their charity and underrate the needs of people and ideologically endorse strict government fiscal conservatism.