The reason people choose to be a Republican is because people believe they are the only ones

[Tony_FLADEM]

in the country who work and pay taxes.

This is the backbone of the Republican Party.

When I used to talk with people in AOL political chat rooms, Conservatives would sign off by saying: "signing off now. I have to get up early tomorrow for work so I can support all those Democrats."

Also, signs at Tea Parties allude to this. I saw a sign that said "Piss Off a Liberal, pay your own bills."

One of my (R) Facebook friends put up a sticker on her site that said: "Republicans work so you don't have to."

What do you suppose is the cause of this belief that only they work and pay taxes and everyone else lives off the government?

I think if Democrats could find a way dispel this myth it would greatly help them politically.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. The cause is their own rhetoric.

[arcane1]

2. Reagan's rants about "welfare queens"

aka black people

[KansDem]

3. "Silent Majority"

Reaction to 1950s/60s civil rights movement, rise of feminism, and student protests against the war.

[JuniperLea]

4. They are so big, so strong, so important, and so stupid...

They believe their own rhetoric. It's all about the hate.

Hate the Black President; hate the Brown People over the border; hate the Brown People who aren't "Christian" enough or at all; hate the Gay People and cite God's word... because we all know how he hates only some of his own children.

I'm really sick of the haters... the vile stench of xenophobia is suffocating.

[IndianaJoe]

5. A "strict father" view of life...

a belief system that overstresses the nuclear family and puts it in opposition to society at large;
an inability to empathize with the problems of others who are racially, sexually, or culturally different than themselves (if they've never been gay-bashed or race-baited, then they cannot relate to people who have been); a liking for heirachical and authoritarian structures as a substitute for nuanced thinking. A we-them, quasi-frontier, "only white men really work for a living" mentality

[EC]

6. Yet taxes from the Blue States support the Red States

so that tells me, more people in the blue states work and earn more since we pay more in taxes and have to make-up for the lack of taxes in their states...is that because they are all lazy and don't work and pay taxes?

[NMMNG]

7. They believe their own talking points

There's not much one can do to dispel that level of stupidity. Anything we tried to tell them would automatically be branded a lie no matter how many pieces of data we provided. They're impervious to facts, as they only believe what they see on Faux Newz and other such propaganda outlets.

[Iggo]

8. It's their parents, man.

You've met 'em.