Sad to say, I have a sister who has exactly the attitude Tim Wise describes. She thinks the Social Security and Franklin Roosevelt's presidency was one of the worst things to happen to America (her words, even though she and her husband get social security). She has a brand of conservative Catholic beliefs that are mixed up with her political beliefs. She is very upset about anything being printed in a language other than English in the US, very upset when she saw a Spanish version of the Denver phone book. For decades, she has been very upset about "People" taking jobs away from white, male Americans, etc.
There are many people with these "Us versus THEM" beliefs who are agitated by Limbaugh, Beck, Michael Savage and others to attack universal health care because "they, the other, the not-real-Americans, the not-us" will get something supported by tax payers.