“Polarization is a by-product of Democrats. They don’t even try to compete in rural America.” Matt Barron should know. The principal at MLB Research Associates specializes in rural Democratic politics—and he sees a party that has quit rural America. The political consequences of this development are as obvious as they are profound.
I live in Nebraska, and there is not a single Democrat elected to state-wide office. Jane Kleeb brags about shutting down the Keystone Pipeline and pushing green energy. In a state that frequently has a foot of snow on the ground and it's 20 below zero and you have to travel 50 miles to work - she's pushing EVs and climate change. The Nebraska Democrat party just censured one of the few Democrat state legislators because he wasn't pro-abort enough, and he left the party. He was trashed for being a Christo-fascist. Democrats are not going to win over rural, working class voters by insisting on males on girls sports team, pushing trans surgeries, and misc. pronoun b.s. Rural voters are routinely disrespected and called stupid and ignorant because they aren't all in on the progessive agenda. So why would they vote Democrat?
Along with showing up, is adopting positions and policies that reflect the priorities and values of rural America. This will be the hard part for the modern Dem party, and it will determine whether this latest effort succeeds. It is the modern (elitist) Dem party that created the oxygen and space for Trumpism to germinate and grow.
I read that book and it is reprehensible. I highly recommend Second Class by Batya Ungar-Sargon. I am almost through it and it gives a far more rational picture of the working class.
The way forward has been known for awhile, getting the college taught "professionals" to acknowledge it is another matter. For those doing the work, they deserve the praise, win, lose, or draw.
I live in Nebraska, and there is not a single Democrat elected to state-wide office. Jane Kleeb brags about shutting down the Keystone Pipeline and pushing green energy. In a state that frequently has a foot of snow on the ground and it's 20 below zero and you have to travel 50 miles to work - she's pushing EVs and climate change. The Nebraska Democrat party just censured one of the few Democrat state legislators because he wasn't pro-abort enough, and he left the party. He was trashed for being a Christo-fascist. Democrats are not going to win over rural, working class voters by insisting on males on girls sports team, pushing trans surgeries, and misc. pronoun b.s. Rural voters are routinely disrespected and called stupid and ignorant because they aren't all in on the progessive agenda. So why would they vote Democrat?
Along with showing up, is adopting positions and policies that reflect the priorities and values of rural America. This will be the hard part for the modern Dem party, and it will determine whether this latest effort succeeds. It is the modern (elitist) Dem party that created the oxygen and space for Trumpism to germinate and grow.
Great article, a much needed counter to books like this: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/white-rural-rage-criticism/677967/
I read that book and it is reprehensible. I highly recommend Second Class by Batya Ungar-Sargon. I am almost through it and it gives a far more rational picture of the working class.
The way forward has been known for awhile, getting the college taught "professionals" to acknowledge it is another matter. For those doing the work, they deserve the praise, win, lose, or draw.