This brings up an interesting question.
How many people relying on social benefits vote for those who would reduce them? I will contend that there are more conservatives in the workforce than liberals. Wouldn't try to quantify it, but I see that as a probable fact.
Conservatives often get this idea that they're the ones who always work, or something. Numbers get thrown their way that seem to support the idea, numbers about how many people collect these "entitlements," how many don't pay federal income taxes, etc.
What they don't usually consider is that these numbers are usually wildly inflated. They'll include things like mortgage tax credits in "entitlements." (keeping in mind that this is a dirty word to a conservative) So, every home owner is this leech on society, or something. Of that 47% who don't pay federal incomes most either pay FICA taxes or are retired seniors. Or deployed combat troops count under that listing too. Tell us more about how those guys can't be convinced to take responsibility for themselves, Mr Romney!
So, to answer the question, the issue is that there are a ton of people who don't realize that they are in this group of so-called leeches that Republicans denounce so strongly. There are a
ton of working people who pay no net federal income taxes but vote Republican. Married couple, three children, ~$30k income? You don't pay federal income taxes.
In fact, nearly half of people who receive some sort of federal aid
say they haven't. Keep your government hands off my medicare! The only moral entitlement is my entitlement.
I collect unemployment because I lost my job, it wasn't my fault, it was the economy! It's all those
other people who are the lazy ones.
You'd be shocked at how easily people condemn behavior in others that they themselves participate in. When people vote Republican because they want to stop abuse of entitlements, they aren't putting themselves in that group.