I live in a rural red county. I have never understood how the voters who vote for their supposed economic issues when all of their politicians are rich or have gotten rich (see Tim Moore) in office. The Republicans don’t favor minimum wages, higher salaries for teachers, have backed away from providing benefits to state retirees, are breaking up public schools, and lower taxes for the wealthy while attacking Democratic for wanting to protect Americans from gun violence and to ensure women’s rights over their bodies. All this simply means to me that the typical voter in this county and others like mine is just plain stupid and inherently racist.
Hi, BJ. I don’t fully agree. You’re right that many voters vote against their self interest. I think you’re selling people short if you they vote this way because t hey are stupid. They are uninformed, hearing propagandistic misinformation from the other side and too little, too late from our side. I’m optimistic that things are changing. But it will take time, money and a lot of talking TO people m to reestablish the Democratic brand in rural America.
Bill, I taught in our local community college for twenty years and got to know the citizens of my county quite well. I agree that they are sorely treated by the wealthy and better educated businessmen of our community. And their children are changing. My young students (ages 30-35) are much more open to change than their parents if they have had opportunities to leave their homes and friends for even short trips. The best were veterans because they had been exposed to other beliefs, cultures, ideas. The most tragic were the ones who are too afraid to leave or disagree with their parents or preachers. The Republicans have worked for 50 years to bring back our Southern resurrection of bigotry and fear. But I do give my fellow citizens the benefit of the doubt. The young woman raped by her stepfather, the gay boy bullied in church, the black kids called names by their neighbors all desire change and better lives. We Democrats can aid them in their fights against this cruel world.
Rural areas in America have suffered from "brain drain" and population decline. I think they are more politically homogenous and I think Dems unfortunately are not making any headway with this demographic. Talk radio seems to lean towards the right and that's a big deal in rural areas.
I live in a rural red county. I have never understood how the voters who vote for their supposed economic issues when all of their politicians are rich or have gotten rich (see Tim Moore) in office. The Republicans don’t favor minimum wages, higher salaries for teachers, have backed away from providing benefits to state retirees, are breaking up public schools, and lower taxes for the wealthy while attacking Democratic for wanting to protect Americans from gun violence and to ensure women’s rights over their bodies. All this simply means to me that the typical voter in this county and others like mine is just plain stupid and inherently racist.
Hi, BJ. I don’t fully agree. You’re right that many voters vote against their self interest. I think you’re selling people short if you they vote this way because t hey are stupid. They are uninformed, hearing propagandistic misinformation from the other side and too little, too late from our side. I’m optimistic that things are changing. But it will take time, money and a lot of talking TO people m to reestablish the Democratic brand in rural America.
Bill, I taught in our local community college for twenty years and got to know the citizens of my county quite well. I agree that they are sorely treated by the wealthy and better educated businessmen of our community. And their children are changing. My young students (ages 30-35) are much more open to change than their parents if they have had opportunities to leave their homes and friends for even short trips. The best were veterans because they had been exposed to other beliefs, cultures, ideas. The most tragic were the ones who are too afraid to leave or disagree with their parents or preachers. The Republicans have worked for 50 years to bring back our Southern resurrection of bigotry and fear. But I do give my fellow citizens the benefit of the doubt. The young woman raped by her stepfather, the gay boy bullied in church, the black kids called names by their neighbors all desire change and better lives. We Democrats can aid them in their fights against this cruel world.
Rural areas in America have suffered from "brain drain" and population decline. I think they are more politically homogenous and I think Dems unfortunately are not making any headway with this demographic. Talk radio seems to lean towards the right and that's a big deal in rural areas.
It’s time, indeed. We were entertained by Rush Limbaugh decades ago and are now paying the price.