What are the issues of Rural Voters that we are not addressing?

[edhopper]

I keep hearing that we as Democrats are not dealing with issues that are important to Rural Voters. But what are these issues? Do they not care about Health Care or Infrastructure or Income Inequity?
Or are they just conservatives and right wingers who only want to hold onto their guns, God and prejudices?
Can we appeal to these Rural Voters without abandoning our Democratic principles?

[Crazyleftie]

1. there is nothing you can do about/for the brain dead

[TigressDem]

27. THIS is just as predjudiced as thinking POC are lazy.

I know it is hard to reach people who have been brainwashed by Right Wind Hot Air media..... but there IS still a person in there who deserves the truth.

WE NEED TO KEEP TELLING RURAL VOTERS that their REAL ENEMY is the OLIGARCHY that is backing tRump and his agenda.

Thom Hartman's book, "The Hidden History of AMERICAN OLIGARCHY" is a tough read, but basically, the rich will pit the people against each other and while they fight, take the country right out from under them.


My Son's Father-in-Law is a Harley Man originally from the South but it wasn't until Reagan busted the Air Traffic Controller's Union and destroyed his job as an airplane mechanic that he "turned" on the DEMS because somehow what Reagan did was the DEMS fault.

So OUR MESSAGING needs to be, "What is your problem?" and show how it REALLY was the ReThug policies that caused it despite LIES repeated endlessly to the contrary by the mouthpieces on the REICH.

[Bayard]

36. So just write them off?

THAT will win us votes!

[Crazyleftie]

2. there is nothing you can do about/for the brain dead

[gab13by13]

3. "Guns, God, and prejudices.

Last question - No.

[dawg]

4. Putting black people, immigrants, and uppity women in their places.

If we'd just do those things, and leave their guns alone of course, they'd be fine with the rest of our agenda.


Edited to add: I'm a rural Georgia voter myself, so obviously we don't all think that way. But most of us do. Pretending otherwise won't help our electoral chances.

[JustAnotherGen]

7. You took my answer

[luv2fly]

5. They often only have access to right-wing radio

And until the Democratic party as a whole addresses this, rural voters will not hear our message.

[underpants]

6. Bingo

The repetition is unbeatable

[Bettie]

32. Exactly

we need a robust presence in a medium that our side simply gave up.

We can buy ads on the shows they listen to, start with religious ones. They are far less expensive than TV and if they reach even a small portion, that can grow as our message becomes one of those that live in the back of their minds. Yeah, it may take a while, but it isn't impossible.

Well, with the Q-nuts, I'm not sure how we're going to deprogram those people, but a lot of them seem to have been kind of horrible before they started with that.

[Progressive Jones]

41. I agree on the media push. Q-Balls were already damaged goods before Q was even born, so... nt

[xmas74]

34. This.

And it isn't just talk radio. I can turn on a classic rock station out of KC or Sedalia/Columbia and in between listening to The Doors or Van Halen hear a dj give a quick news report with an extreme rw slant. The morning dj out of the Sedalia/Columbia station might as well be on the payroll of OAN with the snarky crap he repeats about women, POC, LGBTQIA, Democrats, etc.

[Wingus Dingus]

8. They're not issues voters, except for

maybe immigration and gun laws. They're identity voters. They don't identify with Democrats. I don't identify with Republicans, and they aren't worried about how to win me over. The real fight is in the suburbs, I guess.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. Rural America is dying off.

In 20 years, it'll be a spec of political influence. You're right that the new battle will be the suburbs. Fortunately for the Democrats, they do have an advantage there.

[Wingus Dingus]

13. The media drumbeat about the supposed importance of rural voters comes from their

adoption of GOP framing and narrative, as always. "When will the Democrats finally win over the REAL Americans in REAL America?"

[Drunken Irishman]

17. Absolutely. It's insulting.

When was the last time anyone in the media seriously asked a Republican candidate what their plan for urban America was?

[Wingus Dingus]

18. No one will ask, UNLESS it's a crime question.

And then the answer will be some version of law-n-order.

[Aristus]

38. I always roll my eyes over that 'real' America crap.

When visitors from other countries come to the U.S. and want to see the 'real' America, they don't go to East Cornpone, Arkassippi; they go to New York, L.A., Chicago, and other large cities.

It is in the vibrant, diverse melting pots of large urban areas that one finds the real America; the America of many different societies and cultures, religions, skin colors, and languages, all coming together under a shared identity: American.

The monochrome backwater of rural America, with its narrow-mindedness, provincialism, stifling conformity, and drab, unending sameness could never be the 'real' America, no matter how many dirty, tattered American flags they hang from their beat-up Ford F-150's.

[keep_left]

50. Fox and hate radio love that crap..."Hannity's America" was just one example.

Fox must have plagiarized that from "Janet Parshall's America", which was a totally unlistenable show on the execrable Salem Radio Network.

[Jedi Guy]

52. I dunno, I think it's possible that both are the "real" America.

They're just different, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. You choose to focus on the negative aspects of small-town life, which is the same as rural folks focusing on the negatives of living in an urban area.

Having experienced it, small-town living isn't bad. It largely depends on one's preferences. I'm not a big-city kinda guy. The most miserable I've ever been was when I lived in Toronto. I hated every minute of it and couldn't wait to get out. I'd much rather live in East Cornpone, Arkassippi than NYC, Chicago, LA, or Toronto. YMMV.

[Sogo]

60. Spot on.

And I can totally relate to your experience of having lived in a city v. small town.

[Progressive Jones]

47. Truth. I can remember one of the Tea Flakes, either Palin or Bachmann, going on and on

about how "Liberal elites not being 'Real Americans' who didn't live the same lives as 'Real Americans' from the "Heartland".
They went on about how we "Libs" never lived the 'American Life', experiencing things like Little League and Boy Scouts, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Well, this Urban Liberal grew up in Chicago, and not on the suburban-ish fringes of town. It was inner-city, barely working class Chicago. I was a Boy Scout. My sister was a Girl Scout. I played Little League baseball. I played Pop Warner football. I had the magical, mythical "All American Life".

I also dodged or fought against street gangs and other violent punks just to get across the neighborhood to go to school. The cops in the area were mostly corrupt. Junkies passed out on the corner. Trash everywhere. This was also an area that was at least 90% white, and many were racist as fuck.

I don't think too many "Heartlanders" ever dealt with that.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. Democrats do more to appeal to rural voters than any other group of voters out there.

I hate this lie that Democrats don't appeal to rural voters with messaging and policies. This just isn't true. Democrats have put way more messaging into trying to flip rural voters, whether it's through farming or infrastructure, than they ever have in regards to inner-city America. And I get it because they have those votes locked up.

But it's more media deception. Why don't we ever hear the media question what the GOP's plan for inner-city America is? I've never heard anyone question that and yet we're told consistently how important the rural vote is.

Rural voters are never going to support the Democratic Party unless the Democratic Party openly embraces racism, sexism, anti-abortion rhetoric and other social issues that define those voters. It doesn't matter if the party supports a healthcare exchange that brings affordable healthcare access to these communities. It doesn't matter if the party supports infrastructure that will upgrade internet access, roads, plumbing and other vital things to these communities. They could support the American farmer through subsidies and trade policies and it still won't matter - these people are not going to vote Democratic at the national level. Not as long as the party remains pro-choice and advocates for the rights of all minorities.

[58Sunliner]

12. Thank you.

[Artistree22]

24. So true.

You summed it up very well right here Drunken Irishman. We need to spend our energy bringing the non voters into the process.
Texas could easily change governors and the make up of our legislature if we encouraged more participation from the disengaged population. Forget those rural racists. Let's mobilize our young people to get involved.
Love n peace

[uponit7771]

53. +1, "Why don't we ever hear the media question what the GOP's plan for inner-city America is"

[Claustrum]

10. Is there anyone crafting specific message telling rural voters

what in the infrastructure bill or the BBB is bringing into their neighborhood? This is why I believe in competing in every local races because that person can find out what specifically their rural neighborhood is getting from those bills, rather than just an overall "everyone is getting healthcare, or broadband or new bridges and roads".

Also, telling them the jobs (coal miner) their family depend on for decades is going away (while it's the truth) is hard to take. And at least as far as Hillary's message back in 2016 was for them to get a 4 year degree and get into green jobs, wasn't a good one. As most people in the 30s or 40s can't support themselves for a 4 year degree. We need a better plan to deal with them if we tell them their jobs are gone. Of course, it's easier to just lie to them to promise them that their jobs will come back (while in reality, those jobs are long gone).

[betsuni]

56. Hillary's coal country plan wasn't for them "to get a 4-year degree and get into green jobs."

She had a detailed plan to invest $30 billion to revitalize coal communities, incentives to attract jobs and industries, improve infrastructure and broadband internet, training programs "that would lead to a real job instead of worthless certificates," support for schools and students, and the opioid crisis.

"No other candidate came close to this level of attention to the real challenges facing coal communities. ... I genuinely cared a lot about struggling working-class families in fading small towns. I cared a lot about coal communities in particular. Not for political reasons -- I knew I wasn't going to win a lot of votes in places like West Virginia -- but for personal ones. I lived in Arkansas for years and fell in love with Ozark mountain towns a lot like those in Appalachia. In fact, coal had been mined in Arkansas for decades, and Bill and I knew retired minors suffering from black lung disease."

"We should totally reimagine our training and workforce development system so that employers and unions are true partners, and people who don't go to college can find a good job and lead a middle-class life."

But nobody heard about her plans, her personal connection and travels in the rural areas, her working with the United Mine Workers of America union to hold coal companies accountable to guarantee health insurance and pensions. No, we were told she was a corrupt out-of-touch coastal elite with no message and no economic polities who heartlessly tells poor rural people to just "get a 4-year degree."

[leftstreet]

14. They want those things if they don't come from Democrats

The more important battle is in the suburbs, which are the ignored part of the city v rural debate

[58Sunliner]

15. Well we don't have a message based on fear and prejudice that appeals to them and their bias.

So have they been trying to reach us? Oh yeah, they have. With violence and abusive policies. They are the party of allegiance to sociopaths. Let's stop pretending they are normal.

[Kaleva]

16. In MI at least, the great majority of TFG voters live in urban or mostly urban counties.

If we could talk to the TFG voters in Wayne County (Detroit), Genesee County (Flint) and Kent County (Grand Rapids) and convince just a small percentage of them to Go Blue, Michigan would not be a battleground state.

While about 63% of the vote in my Red county went to TFG, that comes out to just 1/100th of the vote TFG got in solid blue Wayne County.

[Takket]

19. enslaving blacks, controlling women, exterminating Jews, sending Latinos "back where they came from"

"replacement" is the true concern of rural America, no matter what reasons they give.

There is no acceptable amount of "outreach" we should be making to satisfy their desire to stop "replacement".

[NameAlreadyTaken]

20. "Y'all gonna take muh guns away!"

[Busterscruggs]

21. They probably

Want to hang a person of color at least once a week and hold their Klan rallies without disruption like they used to. Maybe make possum stew required fare at the local Hardee's and that would be a solid platform to get their support.

We really are so far above and beyond them that no amount of outreach could gain their support.

[Wingus Dingus]

22. Could you even GET more "over the top"? LOL.

[Busterscruggs]

25. I guess it's possible

But a single wide for every "holler" seems kind of unattainable

[Wingus Dingus]

26. And there it is.

[Busterscruggs]

29. Had to

Skip the Jeff Foxworth box set and go for the big stuff. We can sway them, I can feel it!

[jcgoldie]

23. Treating people of color like human beings

Its unacceptable and they're not gonna stand for it anymore!

[Celerity]

70. +10000000000000000

[Maru Kitteh]

28. Oh, you mean "be white?" Or do you mean

“Be afraid.”


I think the Q-bots pretty much have a lock on that whole “be white and terrified” thingy.

[Irish_Dem]

30. Their major issues are maintaining white supremacy and racism?

Also: Guns, and being against anything the Dems are for.

I think research is needed by experts in social psychology, political science, etc. to help formulate effective responses to the dark underbelly of America.

[jalan48]

31. It's not all or nothing. What do the Dems who live in rural areas say?

[Bayard]

39. Glad somebody asked

We're not all a bunch of god and guns hicks.

When I was doing phone canvasing a few years ago, the main issues I heard were childcare and jobs. There is a woeful lack of both in this area. I would focus on issues like that.

Governor Beshear has done an excellent job for this state. I'm really hoping he's re-elected, and the first time wasn't a fluke because everyone on both sides hated Bevin.
I get emails from him everyday, typical headlines:

Gov. Beshear: 2021 is All-Time Highest Year for New Jobs and Economic Investment

Perfetti Van Melle USA Plans Nearly $10 Million Expansion, Creation of at Least 16 New Jobs in Northern Kentucky

Martin County Solar Project to Locate on Former Eastern Kentucky Coal Mine

Univ of Louisville Health to Expedite Repayment of $35 Million State Loan, Citing Positive Financial Performance

Gov. Beshear Announces Pay Increase, Additional Steps to Recruit and Retain Social Workers

Gov Beshear: $5.3 Million in Federal Funding To Be Allocated Directly to Kentucky’s Tourism Industry

[jalan48]

42. Thanks for letting DU know. Not sure why some on here push the notion that all rural residents

are alike, unless they think their particular identity group will get more power within the Party if there are fewer groups competing for it.

[edhopper]

45. But why

when Democrats are big on Heathcare and Childcare, and Repugs offer nothing, do they still vote Red? Why do people in Red States, when the GOP Governors took away Medicaid expansion, do they still vote for them?

[Bayard]

69. Several reasons

Its how they are raised. The worst thing is where real, honest history, is not allowed to be taught in schools. Kids who never learn anything other than, Columbus "discovered" America, or that life on a southern plantation was an idyllic experience, remain closed minded, and so will their kids. They have no exposure to any other cultures or ideas from a young age, so grow up rejecting the same.

The progressive areas of the state are the college towns: Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green. They also have the best school systems. I don't think its a coincidence that they are the Democrat strongholds.

Too many people don't vote here. Too many people believe The Big Lie. They believe Fox News because it plays to their fears and prejudices, just like TFG.

I'd have to put most of the blame on lack of education and curiosity. I don't mean lack of schooling, but not educating themselves fairly on issues.

[taxi]

61. The phrase Rural Voters is toxic for us to use

We need to say Rural Democrats instead. Anyone using the former is grouping the good people D's and those who would vote D, in with all the R's. Bad way to start ?

[Progressive Jones]

65. Great Idea! nt

[brooklynite]

33. Thank goodness Party Leadership doesn't listen to people here.....

Casting off a significant share of voters with lazy “one size fits all” stereotypes is a great way to win elections.

[SaintLouisBlues]

44. Answer the question. What are the issues? Casting aspersions on DU posters yet again.

[cadoman]

66. all their issues are being addressed by the Democratic party, they're just too fucking stupid

...to realize it, and continue to blame their problems on empowered BIPOC citizens, the imaginary "open border", sensible foreign policy, and sensible gun regulations.

They could be pulling in a million in welfare a year on our policies and still be voting red. They are fucking ridiculous, don't take COVID seriously, and are not worth our time.

[betsuni]

68. +1

[multigraincracker]

35. The major issue with rural areas is

deploration

noun:

the act of deploring.

[Runningdawg]

37. Around Tulsa, short of The Purge, nothing will make them happy.

They whine about no rural healthcare and when they finally get a new Dr who is female, a minority, or younger than most of them, they run them out of town in a couple months. Before they send their kids to public school (if they ever do) they indoctrinate them with contempt for education, and hate for teachers and any authority figure not holding a cross or badge. They will rant about China taking over while shopping in Walmart and about immigrants taking their jobs while using self checkout.
I don't even know where you would start....

[traitorsgalore]

57. Exactly. They hate everyone that has a better life than they do

Which is 90% of our population.

[Tribetime]

40. If they watch Fox News there is nothing you can do

You could give them each a million dollars and they would still not vote for a Democrat. I see Fox News as the main problem

[LiberatedUSA]

43. That would be an interesting thought experiment.

“If you elect us and hand over your guns so you are the mercy of better armed cops (who we constantly protest for killing people) and a better armed government, we will give you $1 Million dollars each; but you can never own another gun again.”

I wonder how many would disarm and take the cash and how many would still not feel comfortable only allowing the same cops we protest in the streets to keep all the better weapon technology.

I bet many would keep their guns.

[sinkingfeeling]

46. Their dying small towns, lack of jobs for non-farmers,

diminishing populations.

The one thing that might save them, warmly welcoming immigrants is the thing they will not do. Immigrants could fill their towns, causing increases in housing, school budgets, add new businesses and increase tax revenue.

[Philosophizing Fool]

49. We can get out there and ask them

Hispanic voters have nearly become evenly divided between parties. Assuming that those who voted Democratic recently but have now started looking elsewhere, moved to the right is sheer arrogance. Our party has moved left, aggressively at times, with policies that left Democratic voters scratching their heads. I will not provide examples, for I have none, I only wonder, question, and rarely answer. Ignoring voters will not lead to more Democratic representatives, those who feel left behind will still vote and it will not for those we wish to see in office. Our politicians need to get out of the cities and figure out why we are losing generational voters in less populated counties.

[edhopper]

55. I disagree

The Democrats are squarely a Center/Left party as the GOP moves to the far Righr.

[Philosophizing Fool]

58. The right moves further too, no question

I will vote for Democratic candidates, as will you I am sure. As we lose voters to the right, we also must ask, why? Young folks, wearing hearts on their sleeves, will vote with us. As many of them age, we lose them, why? Us Hispanic voters, were reliably Democratic, now not so much now, again, why? We must accept that something has changed, either with our message or theirs. If their message is stronger, we are really in trouble.

I would rather think that our side has lost touch with its base and we need a long look in the mirror to figure out why. Adapting has helped us in the past and perhaps evolving is necessary once again. Alternatively we can continue ignoring signs and hope that we continue to turn hearts and heads.

[uponit7771]

51. K&R, messaging mechanics and counter communication

[radius777]

54. Illegal immigration and guns are issues we need to triangulate on.

The topic of rural voters comes up frequently and you get the typical answers about infrastructure and healthcare.

The problem is all politics are tribal. People vote first on identity (despite claiming they don't) and then other issues.

We will never appeal to socially conservative voters and religious right types. But there is a segment of the white rurals and white working class that is more socially libertarian (especially amongst gen-x and younger) and we can get those voters as our socially liberal positions are not a deal breaker for them (many of them are pro-choice).

There is also a religious left message that we need to pound, like Biden did and like Warnock did in GA, about the moral implications of economic inequality, civil rights, etc. Don't let the RW claim the 'moral' mantle.

Illegal immigration and the perception that Dems are for open borders are hurting us the most across the board with all types of voters especially white rurals but also including Latino voters who are forced to compete for jobs and housing with the new arrivals. Latinos want a pathway to citizenship and DACA etc for those already here - they mostly do not want more immigration.

Guns hurt us in rural areas (even amongst the aforementioned non-religious rurals). We need gun policy that curbs gun violence where it happens most - in more densely populated areas - while mostly leaving law abiding rural folks (guns are part of their identity and way of life) alone.

[taxi]

59. Issues of Rural Democrats instead of

Rural Voters?
To start by throwing good people who vote for Democrats in with those who don't is certain to lead to trouble. Rural Democrats sounds better.

[taxi]

62. We also lose by default

It seems that using the term Rural Voter increasingly means that a simple majority has been consistently Republican and whatever is left goes to the Democratics. The unseen people. The ones who weren't Rural Voters.

Rural Democrats give relevance to them.

[KentuckyWoman]

63. This thread is disheartening.

I live suburban now only because my husband had cancer and we moved to the city for treatment. In my bones, I will always be ... rural. The fact this many DUers think me and mine are nothing but a bunch of racist, gun humping, wingnuts is pretty frustrating.

[Diablo del sol]

64. We tend to generalize, without a doubt

But I don't think many here think all those living in rural areas are ignorant, racist, gun humping wingnuts.

They are concerned that a majority of these voters can't be fixed. Most of it due to media, but there exists a great deal of hate and racism that no amount of outreach can fix.

Now in raw numbers, there are likely more racist, gun humping, wingnuts in my county than in all of Wyoming. The issue and frustration comes from the fact that I have one Rep, a great one in Katie Porter, that has very little margin of error each two years to hold her seat. With that I have two Senators shared with 50 million Californians. But WYO has two extremely safe Senators and one safe House seat for a half million people. (compared to the 6 million in my county) The system is inherently unfair.

So when liberals get frustrated with rural areas it is not without cause. We hear about concerns of rural voters, how they are patriotic, hard working Americans. All while we are working our asses off to cover mortgages, send kids to college, don't support unpatriotic asses trying to overturn elections, on and on.

Understand your frustration, hope you understand the frustration from the other side.

Now to the important things, I'm not a religious person, and have no idea of your beliefs but best of luck to your husband. If he needs a prayer and that is your belief, more than happy to give him one to support you.

[Progressive Jones]

67. Are you denying the existence of many, many racist, gun humping wingnuts in rural America?

I never even knew there was a conflict in this area until I started being called a Big City "Libtard" 20 years ago.

Are normal people, like yourself, in the majority in rural America? I highly doubt it. This is a problem.

That shit went right from RW propaganist media into the ears of the "Heartland".
And way too many bought into it. Who bought into it? The racist, gun humping wing nuts.
If someone can't see what's wrong with what RW propaganda spouts, there is something wrong with them from the start. If they didn't reject that bullshit from the beginning, they're an awful person to the core.

[KentuckyWoman]

71. It is a shame you were called names.

The rural corner of Kentucky I come from still generally has better manners. You'll meet a lot of different kinds of people there. Yes, like everywhere we have our idiots. Most aren't.

Eastern Kentucky is primarily coal country and small generational farms. The people in those towns understand the war on coal but worry about where money will come from when that is gone. I would expect the concerns are quite different in Iowa where the money from "the big 6" seed companies speaks pretty loud. We aren't all the same.

[rownesheck]

72. We just need to listen and

agree to accept racism as a good idea. Also, as a nation, we should just throw out democracy and become a full fledged theocracy, but only the jesus kind. Every zygote should be brought to full term, birthed and given an assault rifle once it's left its earthen vessel. Hmmm, what else? Oh yeah, no gubmit should be stickin' its nose nowhere. We can just do whatever we want or don't want.

There. That's all we city folk need to agree to.

[betsuni]

73. Susan Bordo: On 'The Economy' as the Epitome of Non-Intersectional Thinking.

"Let's unpack this idea of 'the economy.' Like 'the working class,' the generalization obscures the actual diversity of people's lives. It isn't the case, I insist, that Clinton somehow 'missed' the importance of 'the economy.' Rather -- and I concede that this is too complex to fit on a bumper sticker -- Clinton was continually arguing (in speeches that never got broadcast), that economic equality can't happen without racial equality/justice, reproductive freedom, gender equality, sexual choice, and all the other 'human rights' or 'identity' issues that are now being represented as needing to be de-emphasized. It's not a choice! They are all mutually dependent and intertwined. Clinton knew this (B***** did not); in fact, it was part of the 'message' that she supposedly 'didn't have.'

"How do you put the intersectional paradigm into a form that conveys the idea crisply and accessibly? ... And while I'm at it, can I say again how utterly meaningless yet carelessly thrown around the term 'message' is? It totally dumbs down and mystifies discussion about candidates and political parties. Its sole value is a weapon to throw around (as in 'she had no message.' ) Pundits must STOP with this 'message' business! It's sloppy, without real content, and encourages us to look at candidates as though they are products at a grocery store. Let's talk the language of character, policy positions and agendas, not the vocabulary of advertising and branding."