This diary may turn into a rambling stream of consciousness, so let me apologize in advance. I have had plans for a couple months now to turn my campaign experiences into an article or a book. This diary here may serve as the launching point for such a project. However, today, I just need to vent.
I know this diary may not be popular or even accepted by some; however, I have to get stuff off my chest. After working a late night at the campaign office, I just had to vent this morning. What set me off last night is that a staffer, sent from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), said that people from Rural America are stupid, ignorant voters. When I said that perhaps we are not talking about their issues or that they do not have the time to think about the issues the way we do, he just said that they are stupid for not thinking about them.
This personally offends me, because my parents, my friends, their parents, and my relatives are the voters he is referring to as stupid and ignorant Rural Americans. My parents, like most of America, are not stupid and ignorant; they just do not have the time to think how policy A affects policy B that affects C. How can they worry about the intricacies of policy when they work 8 hours a day, have to take care of their children, and are lucky to find an hour in the day for themselves? I think it is elitist to say what Mr. DCCC said to me.
However, I cannot say that I was surprised to hear his disdain for rural America. I grew up in Rural America outside of a town with a population of less than a thousand. My dad is a steel worker and my mother is a teacher's assistant, neither graduated from college. I drive a Chevy truck, chew tobacco, and listen to country music. I am Southern Baptist, believe in the truth of the Bible, and think that life begins at conception. In addition, I am a member of the NRA and think the Second Amendment is the cornerstone of our Constitution. I know what those who run our party think about people like me.
In my experience, if I were to tell most Democratic operatives the above information, they would write me off as a redneck, a hick, stupid, and backwards. They would not believe that I graduated Summa cum Laude from a respected school, was an above average academic debater, have dedicated my life's work to electing Democrats, and plan on going to law school so that I can become a public defender. To tell you the truth, they would have stopped listening as soon as I said any of the above things about myself. This is why I usually speak little of my personal likes and faith while working on campaigns. Believe me, if you want to know why rural America votes Republican; spend a few minutes with those who run our party.
There are two parties in the United States of America. One party deceives Rural America and the other loathes rural America. Republicans get the vote though, because in order to deceive, you have to fake at least an interest in rural culture and issues. This faked interest leads many in rural America to believe that Republicans actually care about them. This deception has lead to the erosion of Rural America, but instead of talking to Rural America, the D.C. Democratic elite continue to loathe us.
How do we stop loathing and start winning? In my opinion, it starts with developing a narrative that captures the reason why people from Rural America like Mudcat Saunders and I vote Democrat. Mudcat and I vote Democrat because, to paraphrase President Truman, Democrats have and always will be the party of the people and Republicans have and always will be the party of special interests. To put it more bluntly, as Mudcat does, Republicans are for the big sons of bitches and Democrats are for the little sons of bitches. We happen to like the little sons of bitches. They are our people.
Next, we as a party need to start talking about the issue of trade. Since NAFTA, I have seen my friends' parents lose their jobs. Their experiences are not much different from those in other parts of Rural America. Good paying jobs are going overseas and family farms, hit hard by unfair trade deals and subsidies that benefit factory farms, are closing down. The once vibrant rural economy of this country now is only as strong as the closest Wal-Mart. Democrats though have stood by and let these trade deals pass to the detriment of our country.
Third, those who run our party need to come to the realization that Second Amendment rights are a cultural, not a political issue. In Rural America, it is a right of passage for a child to be able to go hunting with their father. One of my fondest childhood memories is learning to shoot a gun with my grandfather. However, that does not mean that I do not support sensible gun legislation.
Like most members of the NRA, I support child safety locks, background checks, and tougher penalties for people who abuse their right and commit a crime with a firearm. However, members of the NRA vote Republican because Democrats show a complete lack of understanding the issue. While I know that those who run our party think people like me are stupid, we are smart enough to realize that if a candidate is willing to support legislation that bans weapons that are less powerful than hunting rifles (which mind you are made to kill animals that can weigh thousands of pounds), that they are either 1.) patronizing us or 2.) lying to us about not wanting to ban firearms commonly used for hunting purposes. Either way, it shows that they completely lack the understanding of why it is an important issue to us and this has lost many a Democrat a few votes.
Finally, I have been in many a campaign office where it is common to make fun of those like me who believe in the truth of the Bible. This makes no sense to me considering that Democrats historically have been and should be the party of Christian values. Democrats believe in responsible stewardship of our environment, helping the least amongst us, and support policies that reduce the abortion rate in our country. No party has a monopoly on Christian values, but Democrats are a lot closer than the Republicans. This is a message that our party needs to articulate now.
The bottom line is that Republicans deceive the people of rural America. It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that the party of Rural America, Middle America, and all of America should be the Democratic Party. It is time to stop loathing and making fun of Rural Americans and talk to the people where they live and show that we respect them and want their vote.
I was born and raised in rural America. I more than likely will die in the place I was born and raised. I make no apologies for being a Democrat. I offer no apologies to anyone for any of my positions. There should be no litmus test for being a Democrat other than a genuine concern for helping the least amongst us. We may disagree occasionally on what that means (for instance I think that includes the unborn), but we should not allow that to impede our ability to get things done on issues of agreement, which are far greater than the issues we disagree on.
In conclusion, Republicans deceive the people of Rural America because they know that if the citizens knew their true intentions, they would be lucky to get 25-30% of the vote. They are a party built on lies and it is time for the Democratic Party to expose them. This starts by going back to our roots, reclaiming our narrative, talking to the people of Rural America where they live, and sending the D.C. Democratic elite packing back to their ivory towers.
(I realize that Rural America is not a monolithic voting block. However, I think there is a distinct rural culture, which shares common values and issue positions.)