Like Australia, the US has a significant portion of its territory dominated by reactionary types who earn a living extracting resources. Their primary mission in life is to maximize return on assets and allow for dynastic inheritance.

Because of the peculiar configuration of the US Senate, these interests hold an outsized sway on the public, and they’ve managed to maintain an extended campaign to create a strange coalition of people against abortion, for guns, against taxes (especially inheritance taxes), and pro subsidy of agriculture, petroleum and real estate and traditional values.

That combo attracts a bunch of unrelated cohorts of voters passionate about a wedge issue, many of whom join together in a cause that is often not in their personal interest or normal mode of thought.