Democrats need to understand the rural voter

[Proud liberal 80]

So for the last 30 years the MSM, Republicans, some Democrats, and actual Republican voters have said that Democrats are liberal coastal elites who have to do a better job of understanding the rural republican voter and stop treating them as ‘fly over country’, stupid, and different ...but the opposite has actually happened over those years...Democrats bend over backwards trying to court these voters (while alienating their base), and still get labeled liberal, socialist, communist, out of touch, elite, etc..

I am getting tired of after every election being told that we need to do a better job with these ignorant voters who are living in a conservative echo chamber and have no intention of voting for a Democrat....the Democrats would be better off not wasting their time courting them, but instead shaming them for their hateful beliefs....

[Xipe Totec]

1. Democrats need to urbanize rural areas nt

[Amishman]

7. please no. leave me my sanctuary from the crowds, stench, and noise

cities aren't for everyone.

[SlogginThroughIt]

11. To me urbanize rural areas diesn't mean that

To me it means making sure they have things like working broadband internet, good working roads, and other infrastructure.

You can leave the shithole cities to the rest of us... *eyeroll*

[Dustlawyer]

38. We need to bring back the fairness doctrine to start the change.

Driving through much of Texas you will find nothing but conservative talk radio. Other than country music or sports it is all you have and the stations that do the sports and country music all air RW radio talk at one point or another. They never hear a different message which was the point.

[wnylib]

41. And it's a good point. I'd really like to see

some left leaning media move into the radio market with a combination of programs - entertainment, interviews, sports, and call in shows. Give people alternatives to hate radio.

[mdbl]

53. that was tried with Air America. Why did it fail?

I used to listen to it regularly.

[wnylib]

85. Don't know why it failed.

I wasn't aware of it so I didn't listen.

Some RW radio stations are owned by individuals who can afford to run them without a profit and stay on the air for propaganda purposes. I don't know of any lefties willing to do that.

The type of programming matters in attracting listeners. I'd think it would need to be varied - music, talk shows, sports, news. I know of one independent station that does that, and they include an ethnic show in English and a common foreign language in the community. They do community news and events announcements, and music from local musicians. They also play old time radio dramas once a week. They include a few programs that you can also hear on NPR. Their editorial comments and discussion programs are always left leaning.

More stations like that in communities around the country could be beneficial in carrying factual news, views from the left, and entertaining people at the same time.

[mdbl]

90. all the right-wing hate radio stations in my town are talking out the ass shows all day

no variations.

[wnylib]

92. Tgen it seems to me that the kind of

left wing station that I just described would be able to compete well in a RW market like the one you mentioned.

[mdbl]

98. Nope. The heads in this market are soaked with RW crap

a LW radio station will not de-program them. I don't even care about left and right anymore, I just want to get it thru their thick willfully ignorant skulls that they are using the wrong people for their cause and losing our democracy in the process. They keep voting these total self-serving assholes into office who don't give a crap about anyone but themselves.

[Ligyron]

50. Don't forget the Republicon Jesus religious stations.

Because contrary to scripture, Jesus was actually all about gun rights, donating to tax exempt churches and spreading the message of hatred toward, gays, abortion providers, Democrats and librul elitists don't ya know.

[SlogginThroughIt]

77. To me that is where Steyer and other can do the most.

Absent of a fairness doctrine we need to gain entry into those radio markets. Even if it is sort of a dying media, for now it is a bridge to bringing change to those areas.

[PatSeg]

40. Yeah, that's how I would take that

Such areas can still be rural and remote, with a little bit of updated civilization and better education for their children.

[wnylib]

48. We could show some appreciation

for those areas, too, since that is where the ecosystems and wildlife are that we want to protect. I grew up in a city and have lived in cities all my life, but I have several rural relatives. I spent a lot of time visiting my grandparents' farm and rural aunts, uncles, and cousins. I learned to enjoy and appreciate both ways of life, although I do prefer cities for myself.

[PatSeg]

78. I've lived in small towns, big cities,

suburbs, and more rural areas. Though I liked the diversity and culture of the city, I really like being around wildlife and the peace and quiet that comes with more rural areas.

[lostnfound]

30. Rural voters. Are. Responsible. For. Mitch MCConnell's Power.

The states that selected Republican senators did so mainly by the choice of rural voters.

It is a crisis that he remains head of the senate.

[Politicub]

39. I have never noticed a stench in Atlanta

Crowds, yes. Noise, sometimes.

Keeping people’s’ noses out of my private business? Always.

I’m originally from a small, rural town where everyone seems to keep tabs on everyone else’s family. It’s so bad that I have to watch what I say when eating out with my parents there; someone may overhear and spread a rumor. It happens.

My extended family has lived in the area for generations. The amount of gossip that spreads about people is remarkable. I worried about the safety of my parents once I came out... that was nearly 30 years ago. And to this day, I have to worry about my behavior and what I say in Walmart when I’m with my husband.

I love the sweet anonymity of the city. But different stokes for different folks, I guess.

[maxsolomon]

75. I bristled at "stench" as well.

Many times I've had to put the car AC on recirc when out in the country.

Shit stinks everywhere.

[wnylib]

84. I love the diversity of cities and

always have, since childhood. It's not just the ethnic, cultural, and racial diversity, although that's part of it. But there's a diversity of ideas and lifestyles, too, that you encounter when you go outside of your home to public places.

But, having spent weeks at a time in childhood visiting rural relatives, I found that I liked being out in the countryside more than in small towns. I still find that I can feel grounded and peaceful in a rural countryside, away from distractions of city noise and bustle. Within the city, I turn to parks for that.

[Delmette2.0]

89. I grew up in a small town.

Even the teenagers knew the local gossip about the adults.
I don't regret leaving. I'll never go back.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

68. I have always lived in a rural area, and I get you.

Slight, non-invasive modernization is ok, sometimes. But the greedy developers, like Trump, need to be driven off.

Urbanization no. We, and our wildlife families, need clean air, water, and suitable habitat in order to thrive. I've been a rural Democrat for 40 years. I'd slit my own throat before I'd ever vote for a Republican.

[treestar]

88. The cities are blue in red states

We could make those bigger. Usually the largest city in a red state is blue. Sometimes, like this election, we get a vote from Nebraska because they use the district system and the district for Omaha goes blue. The bigger Atlanta gets, the more likely the state goes blue.

[greenjar_01]

14. Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene

He didn't move to the city
"The city moved to me!
And I want out desperately-ah-ee"

[lostnfound]

17. Yes. The Wyoming voter has 65 times more power in the Senate than a California voter

Mitch McConnell can be made Senate Maj Leader by less than 9% of the nation’s voters. (The smallest 25 states have 17% of the country’s population, so to have a majority there you need 9%. I’m ignoring the possible disparities in voters vs people.)

[Celerity]

27. and in terms of Wyoming v California electoral power

Wyoming has 3 EVs and around 600,000 people. So 1 EV per 200,000 people.

California has 55 EVs and around 40 million people So 1 EV per 727,000 people.

3.64 times the power for Wyoming (and the majority of the micro states (pops wise) are Ruby Red


It is outrageous (as is that Senate ratio, which is beyond madness).

for states with 6 or less EVs

Rethugs 59 all ruby red

Dems 36 (Including DC) and 11 of those could in theory flip red (NH and NV and NE-2) which would make it 70 R to 25 D

[DownriverDem]

46. Drives me crazy

So rural voters don't care that repubs have been trying since the 1930s to destroy Social Security and Medicare since the 1960s? It did not matter that trump was a racist (maybe they are racist) or that over 200,000 Americans have died of Covid due to trump's incompetence. What am I missing about them?

[Rebl2]

61. The thing

about republicans trying to destroy social security and Medicaid/Medicare I don’t get. Many people in rural areas depend on Medicaid. They also don’t want their S.S. and Medicare taken away from them. I don’t understand why Democrats don’t talk about this more. You hear republicans talk about reducing it all the time or doing away with it all together. Pretty sure rural voters would not like this at all.

[wellst0nev0ter]

93. Yes, they are racists

every single last one of them

[Phoenix61]

2. Biden voters represent 70% of the economy

Twitler voters represent 30%. From a purely economic standpoint what the 70% needs is more important.

[jcgoldie]

8. Bullshit

Right wing talk much? Please give a link or an example of a single Democratic figure referring to anyone in rural states as "rubes". Also please explain what policy has been embraced by any Democrat to "abandon" labor. The fact that racists and anti-intellectuals do not support Democrats has nothing to do with Democrats abandoning labor.

[Ferrets are Cool]

12. At least you got to post yours before he deleted.

I spent five minutes debunking his #@%& only to find out he had run from it. Thank you for your post.

[jcgoldie]

20. doesnt appear he's the one that removed it

[Ferrets are Cool]

22. Now THAT makes me happy

[thucythucy]

4. And Democrats offer programs and policies that actually help rural voters--

Medicaid expansion and easier access to health care, vocational programs, better education, infrastructure, while the GOP offers nothing but tax cuts for the intensely wealthy, subsidies for huge corporations, and "social" wedge issues like gay marriage and abortion. And oh yes, guns.

None of which does shit for the vast majority of rural voters.

We need somehow to break through the echo chamber. I wish some liberal billionaire and millionaire consortium would put big bucks into buying a couple of hundred TV and radio stations, not that that is ever likely to happen.

[Celerity]

16. how do you 'break through' with a person who would chop off their little finger if you guaranteed

them that as soon as they chopped off that finger you would saw off a black woman's whole arm?


Trump voter: 'He's not hurting the people he needs to be hurting'

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-voter-hes-not-hurting-the-people-he-needs-be-hurting-msna1181316

[Proud liberal 80]

18. Wow, so true

person who would chop off their little finger if you guaranteed
them that as soon as they chopped off that finger you would saw off a black woman's whole arm?

I am stealing that!

[thucythucy]

23. I agree, some folks are simply unreachable.

They might wake given enough time, but who has a century or two to spare?

Better to spend the effort on the next generation.

[KPN]

42. Yikes! I knew they viewed us as the enemy, out

to “destroy our country”. But never have I heard or thought of it in such graphically concrete terms. The meaning and depth of their “hatred” is so obviously clear in that phrasing, not to mention their complete lack of intellect.

[StarfishSaver]

58. THANK you

I am so sick of this shish.

These people vote Republican because they are racist. Period.

[RobinA]

79. Did Any Democrat

on the national stage mention that Repubs are always after SS and Medicare? Was Trump's stop of payroll deductions going to SS ever mentioned? Kids won't vote that issue because they think SS won't be around for them. My response is, No not if you keep not voting. All these people whining that they don't vote because, "No one reached out to me." Do you live in the US? Then nobody needs to reach out, you and your loved ones will be affected. Get a vision wider than your phone!

The Democrats do a bad job of putting the facts on the table while Repubs do a GREAT job of playing on emotion. They want to defund the police! Joe is a socialist!. If I heard one person say it I heard 10, "I don't like Trump, but Biden is too socialist for me." "Trump just cares more about people like me." They don't even realize they make no sense. They like Trump because he will help them and they don't like Biden because he will help them???? Does any Dem get up there and say, "We have done this, this and this, and we would like to do this [naming things that would help]. They have done this and this [naming stuff that hurts]." I haven't heard it. Debates are a great time to get the message out, but on both sides they are a bunch of commit-to-nothing weasel words. Granted, the questions are often not geared towards eliciting good information, but any half decent politician should be able handle a question and then say what he/she wants to talk about.

[Ohiogal]

5. The rural flyover folks

Have just had their way for four years, and look at the mess we’re in.

[greenjar_01]

15. Ain't that the truth

They have bad ideas.

[smirkymonkey]

19. +1000

[mopinko]

6. bring back the fairness doctrine.

tia.

[KPN]

43. THIS. And follow New Zealand's lead, ban Murdoch from owning any media.

[obamanut2012]

9. AGREED!

[tblue37]

10. You know, morons:

https://m.

[JI7]

13. I do understand them that's how I know it's racism.

[Iliyah]

21. Happening right now, rural and red states are under . ..

duress from COVID-19 with no federal strategy from shithole's administration. No help whatsoever, and yet majority voted for him and republican congress.

[Binkie The Clown]

24. The cure for ignorance is education, not ridicule. nt

[lostnfound]

34. They aren't ignorant or uneducated, they are MISeducated. Intentionally MISeducated.

First by Limbaugh, then FOX and Breitbart, on Sinclair radio stations, then Facebook then Qanon and OAN and thousands of podcasts and Epoch Times...

Billions being spent to MISeducate.

Poor things, bless their hearts, they don’t stand a chance against the onslaught of vultures waiting to pick the pieces of their political brain apart and reassemble into a machine.

[treestar]

49. Yes, at least quit with the ridicule

Try to impart facts in a kinder way. They would be more likely to listen.

[Binkie The Clown]

56. Maybe an "end run" using the principles of their own religion, without even mentioning politics.

After all, there is a huge area of intersection between Democratic values and Christian values. One need not even be a Christian to sneak in the back door this way. Don't attack their politics, but underscore their own professed values. And not in a snide "I'm better than you" manner, but by sharing your own values and finding common ground with your fellow human beings, not by brow-beating your adversaries.

I know there are a lot of people who are too angry to "make nice" with the enemy, but that attitude is a mistake that only leads to more hostility and more division.

[treestar]

86. Exactly!

Calling their god a sky fairy and that sort of thing. Concentrate on helping the poor, the stranger, getting along with those who are different, living in peace and so forth.

[mdbl]

55. It's difficult to educate a closed mind

been trying for years, finally gave up

[Binkie The Clown]

59. Difficult. Not impossible. Here's how...

https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2019/12/change-someones-mind/

If you could only tie that special someone to a chair and force them to listen. Or make them read that one thing that would finally change their stubborn mind. They’d finally see the light…

But that’s never going to happen. And even if that whole “it’s illegal to kidnap and restrain people” part wasn’t an issue, truth is, it wouldn’t work. There are no guarantees when it comes to changing people’s minds. So what does work most often?

Back in the 1970s, Portland State University psychology professor Dr. Frank Wesley, looked into why some US prisoners of war defected to North Korea during the Korean War. And it wasn’t because they were tortured. It was because they were shown kindness

.

Much more at the link.

[mdbl]

65. Good reading thanks.

The only problem is I am talking to right-hate-radio listeners who just re-indoctrinate themselves within 5 minutes after using all of those techniques.

[Binkie The Clown]

82. I feel your pain. I have a couple relatives who are stuck in that loop. nt

[GusBob]

94. I agree with you

And that was a great link up thread
Thanks

[SoonerPride]

25. Republicans need to understand the urban voter

and the woman voter
and the LGBT voter
and the Latino voter
and the environmental voter
and the poor voter
and the ...........


fuck this narrative that it is incumbent on us to change our message to make the racist inbred hicks happy. fuck them.

[tulipsandroses]

29. 1000 times yes.

I don't see them trying to understand us. I don't see Republicans trying their damndest to try to understand why they keep losing the liberal and minority vote. But dems forever trying to court and cater to these assholes?

[RobinA]

81. If We Want Them

to vote for us, we have to understand them so we can aim our sales pitch to them effectively. The Repubs, recently with the Presidency, currently with the House, the Senate, and the Court, don't need to understand the other side yet. WE need their vote and in order to get it we have to tell them why they should give it to us in ways that resonate with them.

When you are selling, you have to sell to the person. A good salesperson will have different pitches for different people.

[StarfishSaver]

60. +10,000!

[BumRushDaShow]

64. Correct.

[Wicked Blue]

26. The rural voters need to understand Democrats and democracy

Period.

[KPN]

52. Bingo. Simple truth -- 180 degrees, the opposite.

How do we make that happen?

Reinstating the “Fairness Doctrine” would be a good start.

[Wicked Blue]

66. Civics classes nt

[blueinredohio]

28. I'm a rural democratic voter.

Imo, its the Fox news watching, God fearing small minded people who vote republican. Kids who move away from small towns usually see the light when they talk to open minded people.

[Caliman73]

73. Agreed. I have relatives who have moved from larger urban centers to smaller rural areas.

You can see the change as a result of the media that they start to consume. Cable & Satellite typically come in tiers. Fox is on the free tier and MSNBC and CNN are on the pay tiers so Fox is ubiquitous as well as AM radio which is saturated with right wing hosts.

[Thekaspervote]

31. Can't change them. We should focus on the youth vote...they voted in lrg #s

That’s where our time and energy should be focused

[Happy Hoosier]

32. The Southern Strategy is all you need to know.

Republicans leveraged white resentment. And it worked. Big time.

[BusyBeingBest]

33. Can't win them over.

Obama had them right--bitter clingers. They are Republican for religious or cultural reasons that defy logical argument or persuasion. Policy that may be in their best interest is less important to them than this identity--and GOP politicians are more than happy to give them whatever handouts they want in terms of agriculture policy so that they aren't tempted to stray to Democrats. I would forget about them. I say this as someone who has lived in small towns in the Great Plains. They're fewer in number every year anyway.

[johnp3907]

35. We totally understand them.

[MrModerate]

36. I'm not sure we should bother "courting" such voters...

So much as insisting that we implement programs that address rural and exurban poverty, job creation and business strengthening, health, and services delivery generally.

When their lives are less miserable, they'll be more courtable.

[Yavin4]

37. Democrats have flipped two reliably red states to blue, VA and CA

Name two reliably blue states that the Republicans have flipped to reliably red.

In this election, Democrats added AZ and GA to that total. TX and NC may be next.

On the presidential level, Democrats are closing in on having an electoral lock on the EC.

So, Democrats don't need any lectures on reaching out to rural voters. The plan going forward is to build a coalition of urban/suburban, college educated voters.

[BobTheSubgenius]

44. If the callous disregard of farmers isn't enough to put a big dent in the GOP hold on rural votes,

I don't know what would be. Every promise to the farmers, miners, and whatever else goes on in their heartland as been broken, and STILL they don't turn on the liars and cynics.

[Greybnk48]

45. To quote my dad, who was fed up with rural voters in the 70's:

"Fuck the farmers!" All they do is complain and blame all of their woes on the govt., and then vote for the party that shits on them over and over.

[treestar]

47. Until the EC is gone and the Senate is proportional

We have to get some of them. They will minority rule us and is it supposed to be getting worse - even more people are moving to the cities.

We could appeal to their alleged Christianity in a non-snarky way. Remind them they have a duty to consider us since the system allows them more power.

We've definitely got to stop using "flyover country."

Emphasize the positives, without blaming, to lead them out of the blame game they are in. Their needs like broad band and better health care.

[Proud liberal 80]

74. Here is the the thing about "flyover country"

The only people I heard use that term is them.

[treestar]

87. They do like to be victims

I can believe that - like the non-existent war on Christmas and persecuting them for praying because we don't want it in government.

[IronLionZion]

51. Dems need to take local and state legislatures

Since that impacts important issues like voter suppression laws, drawing congressional district lines, and having a deeper bench of candidates who know their local constituents and issues to run for higher office

[Upthevibe]

54. Proud liberal 80...We need to buy radio stations in these areas where

people are driving with nothing available to listen to except Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. I don't understand why one of our billionaires (Bloomberg) hasn't done this yet...

[bucolic_frolic]

69. Pamphlets and freebie newspapers

We need to do something besides waste campaign money on USPS mail cards.

I got 2.5" thick, compressed, campaign literature. These are slick, thick stock, high quality printing. My state promised to contact every voter every day - phone, mail, online, text for at least 4 weeks prior to the election. Is that productive? I'm a reliable vote. They didn't need to spend all that on me.

When you donate to them, there should be a box to check -- stop all the mailers. Election Day I'll be there.

[StarfishSaver]

57. You mean WHITE rural voters. And I already understand them just fine

How could I not, given how they're constantly shoved down my throat as if they are some kind of golden unicorns.

I'm sick of being told I need to understand, empathize with, reach out to these people. I know who they are and why they vote the way they do. They are voting on race and notions of white superiority. It's not complicated.

And it's long past time to stop treating these voters like they're something special who must be chased after and catered to.

It's time to start lecturing Republicans to start understanding, reaching out to and empathizing with black and brown voters.

[Paladin]

62. +1000. Let the ignorant prejudiced rural types understand US, and fall in line. (nt)

[Dem2]

63. We did

Regular "Joe" from Scranton flipped 5 states and trounced a (popular among the type of voter we're discussing) incumbent president like no other since the great depression election 90 years ago!

This was the election that mutes this criticism. We did it! Celebrate!

[James48]

67. Abortion.

There are a huge number of voters who would vote Dem if More Dems realize that the majority of the country thinks abortion should be rare.

Those who antagonize, and those who scream about wanting anytime, anywhere abortion on demand, or federal funds for abortion, need to understand they are a minority view, and that it’s OK to have differing opinions on abortion, and still be a Democrat.

I am a pro-life Democrat, but, like many others, I want NO GOVERNMENT interference one way or the other. I want my party to be the party of life, liberty and happiness; and I want our platform to say that people can have differing beliefs and still be a Democrat. Today it does not say that, and, as a result, republicans paint us as baby murderers.

http://www.democratsforlife.org

[Nasruddin]

72. Abortion

if More Dems realize that the majority of the country thinks abortion should be rare.

Is it still possible to reach people with a message like this? It seems like the anti-abortion position has frozen on the goal of absolute zero (except for my daughter, on the downlow).

[maxsolomon]

76. Not "rare": illegal, criminal, and impossible to obtain.

The majority of Dems want Abortion to be rare as well; THAT IS WHY WE SUPPORT BIRTH CONTROL.

[ancianita]

70. Right. No more neurotic politics of solving hearts and minds problems. Just get on with DOING.

Doing good governance as we always have.

[1plus1equals1]

71. Democrats have won 7 of the last 8 Presidential Elections

I don't believe it's an issue of understanding who votes a certain way; rather, it's an issue of an antiquated system that is rigged to prevent true majority rule. That is, the Electoral College and the Senate are the tools to control the will of the people and the government rule of the people.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

80. I understand them.

White rural voters are brainwashed, ignorant, and bigoted, and we must democratically quarantine them from power with our greater numbers wherever and whenever possible.

I've lived among them all my life. We're not ever going to change them. We must defeat them in as many elections as possible and quarantine them from power wherever possible.

Equality is a four letter word in the vocabulary of the rural Republican voter.

[calimary]

83. I hear ya, Proud liberal 80!

I share that feeling.

THEY need to come around.

That would start by the billionaires on OUR side of the aisle buying up a slew of little radio stations serving rural areas, and CHANGING THE PROGRAMMING! Turn all the limbaugh stations into rockers, mellow and otherwise, can the talk, play the hits, and leave them without the most obvious irritants.

[Skittles]

91. your assessment is spot-on

rural voters need to understand US, THE MAJORITY

[Blue_true]

95. We need to understand voters in big cities and suburbs.

We should not ignore rural voters, we should make inroads there, but we can’t sacrifice the urban and suburban vote to pull in the rurals. I believe that we are fundamentally at a point in America that we are not coming back from, rural voters simply don’t see our democratic institutions the way urban and suburban voters do - the question is do we cater to them to bring them along toward a more equitable Union, or do we simply realize that they will throw dynamite at every attempt to move forward as a nation?

[DashOneBravo]

96. I live in a rural area

Having something that competes with talk radio would be great.

Shaming them only reinforces their belief that some of the urban liberals are arrogant assholes.

[GulfCoast66]

97. Nope. Most of them are a lost cause. Not all, mind you.

But we need to work in the suburbs.

Most of my family is rural and Southern. And because most are educated a larger proportion than average are democrats. But far from the majority.

The kids that do well in school and want more, like me, move to a city and become more liberal. In my case very liberal.

The ones that remain just concentrate the hate. Unless democrats give up on Abortion rights, agree the US is a Christian country and insure they will always be socially superior to black folks we can never win them. They will give up the Social Security and Medicare to achieve that. I know them. They are family. Many have an 1870 view of life. There is no winning them. All they hear is evangelical church shit 3 times a week and Fox News. Soon to become trump tv when they leave Fox. And hate radio although that only reinforces what they already believe.

Focus on the suburbs and cities. Its our only chance.

These rubes will never vote Democratic. Not many, anyway. And I come from them.

[JI7]

99. I DO understand them, They don't like black people

and other minorities and lgbt and jews ....................