Inflation is crushing rural America

[Hermit For Peace]

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/25/1112915507/inflation-rural-america-gas-prices-economy

Inflation is crushing rural America and driving some people to consider moving closer to cities in an effort to ease the financial stress, according to the latest analysis from one expert.

Iowa State University professor Dave Peters has been studying the effect of inflation on people in rural communities as part of the school's Small Town Project. He found that this year alone, expenses for rural Americans had increased by 9.2%, but their earnings only increased by 2.6%.

And Peters has pinpointed where it's hurting most.

"Mainly, fuel prices, particularly among the farmer and agricultural community," he said. "They really are worried about the price of gas and diesel."

Inflation soared to a 40-year high in June, and is affecting all American households. But Peters said travel was one of the main reasons it was hitting harder in rural areas.

"Rural people have to drive long distances for work, for school, for health care, just to get the daily necessities of life like groceries ... there is no public transportation," he said.

[TheReckoning]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

[jojoju1998]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

Well... with all fairness, rural america doesn't seem to like the urban culture of the Left Wing either.

Both sides think their " culture " is the best.


That being said, both sides have more in common than what the Mainstream media tells us.

Bob from Arkansas has more in common with Will from Compton than he does with Millionaire Mitt Romney.... or Billionaire Donald Trump.

[ProgressiveModerate]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

I would argue it works both ways and it’s extremely toxic and messed up, especially when partisan media sources degrade these entire communities it does a great disservice to our nation. And a lot of “outreach” to these communities is just optical and not genuine.

[jojoju1998]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

I would argue it works both ways and it’s extremely toxic and messed up, especially when partisan media sources degrade these entire communities it does a great disservice to our nation. And a lot of “outreach” to these communities is just optical and not genuine.

We have more in common than we think.

Which was why I wanted Sherrod Brown to run in 2020 in the first place, because I thought he could be an effective communicator of progressive idaes to a rural America, without sacrificing progressivism.

[ProgressiveModerate]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

I would argue it works both ways and it’s extremely toxic and messed up, especially when partisan media sources degrade these entire communities it does a great disservice to our nation. And a lot of “outreach” to these communities is just optical and not genuine.

We have more in common than we think.

Which was why I wanted Sherrod Brown to run in 2020 in the first place, because I thought he could be an effective communicator of progressive idaes to a rural America, without sacrificing progressivism.

Part of the issue now is that a lot of people who live in rural areas have their ears closed to Democrats no matter what; nothing a Dem says will actually be processed in their head.

[Del Tachi]

No surprise.  Agriculture (and rural life more generally, to a lesser extent) is very fuel dependent. 

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Do not be surprised if Ds are only able to achieve 2020-level performance in rural voters.
This is a divided nation and inflation is hitting rural America hard.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Absolutely. Inflation is hurting everybody. The unfortunate harsh reality of it all though is that voting for the party out of power, mostly out of spite, is not going to fix it for them or anyone else though.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

I do believe many left-wing voters (around the world, but especially in this country) secretly hold serious contempt for rural areas, their lifestyles, and their values, and therefore see any sort of negative development in rural America that pushes it’s populace to urban areas as a good thing, where they can accept urban, progressive values.

Liberals are more likely to promote places that are more in line with their ideals and Conservatives do the same.

[vitoNova]

Complete 360 from what everyone was predicting 2 years ago, when the Virus was going to drive everyone away from the city cores.

(and at my work, that's precisely what happened.  Several life-long Washingtonians moved to places like West Virginia, Texas, and Colorado, where they continue to telework and do the same exact job they were always doing in our DC offices.)

[It’s so Joever]

Do not be surprised if Ds are only able to achieve 2020-level performance in rural voters.
This is a divided nation and inflation is hitting rural America hard.

Pfft we would be lucky.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Do not be surprised if Ds are only able to achieve 2020-level performance in rural voters.
This is a divided nation and inflation is hitting rural America hard.

Pfft we would be lucky.

There might be a typo there.

[jamestroll]

Yes, I can say that inflation has had a devastating impact on rural Virginia. It's economy just was not able to handle the shock.

A lot of Democrats do dismiss inflation, because it is not as large of a shock to them due to the areas they live in.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Do not be surprised if Ds are only able to achieve 2020-level performance in rural voters.
This is a divided nation and inflation is hitting rural America hard.

Pfft we would be lucky.

There might be a typo there.

I am not sure how much more room there is to fall for Ds in rural America from Trump's performances there in 2016 and 2020. But I don't see us improving in these areas unless we can connect with the areas in a profound way. And inflation is one issue that already-R-disposed voters in rural America will blame on Democrats.
That's just how the cookie crumbles in Anno Domini 2022.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The gas prices are going down so it's not coincidence that since Dobbs Rs haven't had a single favorite poll and some users still think it's a MT Treasure Red tsunami

Ok it was always DIVIDED GOVT 50 PERCENT, SECULAR TRIFECTA 40 AND R CONTROL 10 Rs weren't getting 245 H and 54 S and 30 Govs the mean is 234 RH/201 D 52/48 Senate and 25 GOVS but of course D's want 218/217H 55 D Sen and 28 Govs Beasley, Ryan and Demings max out Blk and Brown support and LA may go to a runoff and UT is gonna flip towards McMillan

[Benjamin Frank]

Yes, I can say that inflation has had a devastating impact on rural Virginia. It's economy just was not able to handle the shock.

A lot of Democrats do dismiss inflation, because it is not as large of a shock to them due to the areas they live in.

There are differences of opinion as to the causes of inflation among democrats, and there are differences as to the impact that inflation is causing the American economy at the macro level (is the U.S in a recession? technically probably not given the low unemployment rate.)

That is not the same as 'dismissing inflation.'

[Benjamin Frank]

The gas prices are going down so it's not coincidence that since Dobbs Rs haven't had a single favorite poll and some users still think it's a MT Treasure Red tsunami

The latest Trafalgar Group survey has the Congressional Republicans up 48-40%
I tend to dismiss summer polls though, personally.

Same as when the Canadian Liberals had a solid lead in the polls last summer.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Rs are getting ready to nominate AZ Roberson as Gov and Lamon and both of them are the weaker candidates like IL and MD and PA D's leaning Indies are playing spoiler

D's don't want to go against Masters and Lake prefer Roberson and Lamon

[Damocles]

This migration towards cities is hardly surprising. There's a reason why huge quarters of Spain and France lay empty, and most of the population is concentrated in towns. The marginal cost to support an additional town-dweller is minimal, because most of the infrastructure needed to support them is already built and paid for.

The American workforce, by and large, is not one concentrated in agriculture or manufacturing, but in services. A huge rural population in an environment where most commercial agriculture operations can be done by only a few workers with advanced machinery actually imposes huge opportunity costs.

[Benjamin Frank]

This migration towards cities is hardly surprising. There's a reason why huge quarters of Spain and France lay empty, and most of the population is concentrated in towns. The marginal cost to support an additional town-dweller is minimal, because most of the infrastructure needed to support them is already built and paid for.

The American workforce, by and large, is not one concentrated in agriculture or manufacturing, but in services. A huge rural population in an environment where most commercial agriculture operations can be done by only a few workers with advanced machinery actually imposes huge opportunity costs.

On the first part, I know at least one city councilor who disagrees with you.

I can't find any quote, but local city councilor Harold Steves has argued that the incremental cost of population growth is greater than the increase to the tax base.

I don't know if he's correct, but an increase in city population can mean having to build new schools, upgrade the water and sewage, add new streets and upgrade them more frequently...

If anything, I think this argues that if population is going to increase in a city, then it should be done with as great a density as can be handled and not some kind of urban sprawl. Greater density can actually decrease traffic and probably does not require as high other incremental costs.

[ProgressiveModerate]

This migration towards cities is hardly surprising. There's a reason why huge quarters of Spain and France lay empty, and most of the population is concentrated in towns. The marginal cost to support an additional town-dweller is minimal, because most of the infrastructure needed to support them is already built and paid for.

The American workforce, by and large, is not one concentrated in agriculture or manufacturing, but in services. A huge rural population in an environment where most commercial agriculture operations can be done by only a few workers with advanced machinery actually imposes huge opportunity costs.

To add on to this, rural living seems... inefficient, though I am a city dweller myself. You have to drive large distances to get to basic places, you need to maintain acres of property.

The main problem with cities is that they tend to be unnaffordable to many, especially those living in rural areas who may want to move to a city (or at least somewhere denser) but are unable to afford to do so.

The US is slowly becoming a more urban country overall and the fastest shrinking rurals tend to be those in the midwest where technology has allowed the industries in those communities to become more efficient with fewer people. You'll always have that group of folks who are gun-hoe about living in rural areas, but I think they'll generally move to more naturally "beautiful" rural areas, generally concentrated in the West.

[Orwell]

Good

[Hermit For Peace]

This migration towards cities is hardly surprising. There's a reason why huge quarters of Spain and France lay empty, and most of the population is concentrated in towns. The marginal cost to support an additional town-dweller is minimal, because most of the infrastructure needed to support them is already built and paid for.

The American workforce, by and large, is not one concentrated in agriculture or manufacturing, but in services. A huge rural population in an environment where most commercial agriculture operations can be done by only a few workers with advanced machinery actually imposes huge opportunity costs.

On the first part, I know at least one city councilor who disagrees with you.

I can't find any quote, but local city councilor Harold Steves has argued that the incremental cost of population growth is greater than the increase to the tax base.

I don't know if he's correct, but an increase in city population can mean having to build new schools, upgrade the water and sewage, add new streets and upgrade them more frequently...

If anything, I think this argues that if population is going to increase in a city, then it should be done with as great a density as can be handled and not some kind of urban sprawl. Greater density can actually decrease traffic and probably does not require as high other incremental costs.

Seems to me that "density" is an anathema to the rural dweller.

[PSOL]

Many rural communities could survive just fine if the proper investments in making them sustainable were put into place instead of short term greed and lack of care.