The Nation's Secretary of Agriculture told representatives of rural America that they are losing relevance because they are not being smart about their political fights. I would second that big time. They just aren't keeping up with the times even as their numbers decrease and urban America rules. The rubes are no longer in charge.
And then I see where the New Mexico GOP once again elects its leaders from the rural areas of the state. It is not that those folks are evil or dumb, because they mostly are not. It is because the republicans keep ignoring the growing and vibrant power bases. The new GOP chair is from Lincoln County. Down near the oil patch where fossil fuel and livestock are the main economic drivers. If one looks at the demographics it is easy to say that if an area is rich in public land and resources then the GOP is strong. Whether it be grazing permits or oil and gas leases the resource extractors are there and are very conservative. The problem for them is that their numbers are small and their philosophy of, "give us your land, give us your subsidies, and leave us alone" will take care of them in the end.
That is not necessarily a good thing since a decent two party system is generally a positive. But the GOP itself is rendering that notion antiquated as they destroy their own party from the inside.
And then I see where the New Mexico GOP once again elects its leaders from the rural areas of the state. It is not that those folks are evil or dumb, because they mostly are not. It is because the republicans keep ignoring the growing and vibrant power bases. The new GOP chair is from Lincoln County. Down near the oil patch where fossil fuel and livestock are the main economic drivers. If one looks at the demographics it is easy to say that if an area is rich in public land and resources then the GOP is strong. Whether it be grazing permits or oil and gas leases the resource extractors are there and are very conservative. The problem for them is that their numbers are small and their philosophy of, "give us your land, give us your subsidies, and leave us alone" will take care of them in the end.
That is not necessarily a good thing since a decent two party system is generally a positive. But the GOP itself is rendering that notion antiquated as they destroy their own party from the inside.
2 comments:
That's very interesting about the farmers. There was a day when farmers led the way with political movements and activism. The Populist Movement, that was mainly farmers. There are still Grange Halls from that day, and farmer's co-ops, a Socialist alternative to Capitalism, all over the country.
And yet states like Nebraska are solid red. Maybe it's all Sevin Dust and Roundup, or the fact that the one thing you can hear from coast to coast is conservative talk radio. Oh, and Republican Christianity.
I would think farmers still have some economic clout, if they use it collectively. If they co-operate. They control the food, too.
"give us your land, give us your subsidies, and leave us alone"
That's rich.
But alas, the window provided to Progressives by economic uncertainty may be about to close.
Yeah, there was a day too when farms were owned by families instead of global corporations. A day when you bought seed for a crop, then saved some of the harvest for seed for next year. Try that now and you get sued for "theft of intellectual property".
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