Why do people persist in voting Republican?

I happened to read University of Virginia Psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s thoughtful essay on what makes people vote Republican, by following links on George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen’s always interesting Marginal Revolution blog. Interestingly enough, he portrays himself as being able to enter into a sympathetic understanding of American conservatives only after entering into a sympathetic understanding of Hindus while doing field work in India. Sample quotes:

I would say that the second rule of moral psychology is that morality is not just about how we treat each other (as most liberals think); it is also about binding groups together, supporting essential institutions, and living in a sanctified and noble way.