Why do people often vote against their own interests?

Angry opponents of the health care reform during a townhall meeting
Americans voicing their anger at the healthcare proposals at a "town hall meeting"

The Republicans' shock victory in the election for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts meant the Democrats lost their supermajority in the Senate. This makes it even harder for the Obama administration to get healthcare reform passed in the US.

WSJ

Political scientist Dr David Runciman looks at why is there often such deep opposition to reforms that appear to be of obvious benefit to voters.

Last year, in a series of "town-hall meetings" across the country, Americans got the chance to debate President Obama's proposed healthcare reforms.

What happened was an explosion of rage and barely suppressed violence.

Polling evidence suggests that the numbers who think the reforms go too far are nearly matched by those who think they do not go far enough.

(More here.)

You have read this article with the title Why do people often vote against their own interests?. You can bookmark this page URL https://ogbcommunity.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-do-people-often-vote-against-their.html. Thanks!