They don't care about middle class Democrats or Republicans who live on Main Street, America.
There are many answers to your questions. 1) 9 out of 10 of the most poorly educated states in the country are southern states. That is a long existing symptom of slavery.
First, the indigent black population was kept ignorant as you could not have a educated slave labor force. And over time, because the southern whites could rely wholly on slave labor, they themselves saw education as unnecessary because their right to advancement was simply skin color. Hence, you have a southern population that either saw education as inaccessible or as unnecessary.
2) The Republican party is a party that fought against civil rights, voting rights and integration, called the southern strategy. The Republican party is a party that is hostile to minorities, their constituents, especially their southern constituents are often racist and consumed with religiosity. Many southerners feel that the only education they need is what the bible teaches.
In southerners, the GOP has found a loyal and die hard constituency. Based on hate-mongering, racial hatred, cultural issues and religious zeal ism. 3) The GOP, cynical as any party that has ever existed in American society, has exploited racial fears, and hatred amongst in southern constituents and ridden in to ultimate success which has translated to political power.
4) The GOP is a regional party, a southern and mountain states party. Not a national party, they are exclusive and small tent. 5) The base of the GOP are NOT critical thinkers.
They do not look for causes to problems and solutions, they simply want someone to blame, to scapegoat, that usually makes them feel better about their candidates and the GOP does not fail to disappoint.. And the scapegoat default is usally gays, always blacks and hispanics, see, division works with the GOP base.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.