How Democrats Lost Rural America | Meet The Press Reports

[@Johnsmith99663]

Rural Americans tend to be more socially conservative, and the politics of today are almost entirely centered on "culture war issues." Rural Americans stopped voting Democratic once class politics began to collapse in the '70s, and labor unions collapsed in the '80s. Now politics is no longer "the rich vs. everyone else," it's "social conservatives vs. social liberals."

[@sarahnade8663]

Nailed it, you absolutely nailed it. The current crisis in the US has absolutely nothing to do with the economy and everything to do with white conservative Christians making an increasingly smaller percentage of the population.

[@kgblankinship]

That may be so, but the denouement of such a development would be a breakup of the country into more homogenous nations. I for one wouldn't want to live in any of them, because each would be conformist and extreme in one way or another. Hopefully we'll get past the culture war, because people are increasingly hurting because of the class war.

[@jimk8520]

I believe the “social” part of what you’ve said is more pertinent than you think. I believe the middle ground in this country is far larger than either party wants to admit. And, I believe there are millions here who wish they has a real third option on the ballot.

[@kgblankinship]

@@jimk8520: It would seem so. Karl Popper would write in "The Open Society and its Enemies." that there are perennial 'revolts against reason.' Here, we're seeing two revolts from both extremes of the political spectrum. Neither Evangelical theocracy or a woke 'commissariat' are good models for any society.

[@jimk8520]

@@kgblankinship an old Turkish proverb; The trees keep voting for the axe even though they can see that the forest is disappearing because the axe keeps using it’s handle to convince the trees that it’s one of them.

[@brianwhite2104]

I watched the whole video, and I was surprised they didn't interview anyone who switched parties from D to R to find out what they might have to say. I would think that would be the key to answering the question. Those Democratic party leaders they're interviewing are clearly clueless.

[@jirky015]

You're absolutely right. But not much to be surprised about; it was completely intentional. They really dont want to understand the issue.

[@joesef7718]

Todays rep seem to have the most vile indecent lying and racist behavior I've ever seen which in turn means if this is what they support they're not far behind with same behavior. Why would a woman support a rep man that's verbally or physically abusive as compared to dem man who isnt

[@josephlibretti5215]

Brian. After being a D for decades I am a person to switch to the R party. The current D party views life in tunnel vision. Viewing people by ideology or skin color is so disgusting and destructive to our society and the world. # walk away from the party was my only choice.

[@brianwhite2104]

@@josephlibretti5215 That's great. Glad you made the switch! If only this TV anchor had interviewed people like you.

[@joesef7718]

@@josephlibretti5215 you're being misled and tricked by the description of the dems.if you care about all your a dem if you care about power control indecency you're a rep plain and simple .having tunnel is not a bad thing when you're dealing with liars hypocrites cheaters and racist

[@danaallen1796]

After listening to 8 mins, every person they interviewed was a Democrat best can tell. Why not ask a Republican about this, why not ask them why they are succeeding? The perspective is "hey us at NBC want to help the Democrat Party, what can we do to help them win in rural areas"

[@joespice785]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. They should be asking Obama voters who voted for Trump why they switched.

[@oliveinsat566]

It's like multiple alcoholics asking each other why they can't stop drinking! Lol.

[@joesef7718]

Campaign strategy. Just like fox lied misled misinformed show favor troop especially 45 .so what's your point.

[@joespice785]

@@joesef7718 You must not live in Iowa. Most people are up and willing to have a civil conversation, and this includes white men.

[@joesef7718]

@@joespice785 yeah but it's not the majority ,which is fine but when you've been victimized stereotyped and exploited one is always defensive when it comes to others .we dont know if it's a good one or a bad one and lately it's been bad ones .

[@SuperJudeM]

I’m so glad you talked to a bunch of Democrats about why people vote republican. Why travel all the way to Iowa to not talk to the people who made this story a story.

[@coreyham3753]

Yep that would be very interesting to hear republicans try to justify why they vote for criminals, incompetents, traitors, and never accomplish anythings. Don't you just love those republicans who voted against the 1 trillion dollar infrastructure bill, yet now the lying republican hypocrites are out in their districts touting all the infrastructure money they are bringing into their districts. If politics worked the way it should those lying republicans who voted against the infrastructure bill would be getting zero infrastructure funding for their districts.... now that would be true political justice.

[@craftmom5302]

You do realize that Iowa is smack dab in the middle of rural America so your statement makes absolutely no sense maybe you should go back to geography class and get a refresher course because we are the heartland

[@SuperJudeM]

@@craftmom5302 that’s my point I was being sarcastic. He should have talked to voters who have swapped parties or at least aren’t the small democratic stronghold in Iowa. Talk to the ranchers, the farmers, the people that voted red because they feel ignored.

[@gekisaidai1811]

@@craftmom5302 🤣 wow, the op's comment is clearly way over your head. Perhaps you should go back to school and focus on your reading comprehension. 🤣 thank you, yours was the most entertaining comment of the day.

[@markbole2496]

@@craftmom5302 I agree. Far easier to talk to fellow Democrats who agree with the narrative. 🤣🤣

[@karlsening7726]

I think it is revealing that Aimee is talking identity politics, versus the root needs of rural voters

[@mpls1982]

Republicans don't talk about the needs of rural voters. What are Republicans offering rural voters other than fear mongering about immigrants and trans people?? Yet Biden's plan literally would have helped rural families immediately, but Republicans fear mongered it, calling it venuezulan socialism. I guess rural families don't need affordable daycare or medicine.

[@adele19b3]

Rural voter is identity politics. Just not the identity you choose to talk about

[@Zazz_Blammymatazz]

Democrats should definitely listen to her if they want permanent minority status. 😆

[@Indylimburg]

@@adele19b3 individual interests ≠ identity politics.

[@YorktownUSA]

@@adele19b3 well there you go

[@josephshepard2962]

Rural voters are openly saying they feel left behind (because they have). And the message from She The People is..... "screw them, leave them behind." Is she serious??

[@RealYRM]

Remember, Diversity and Inclusion doesn't include regular people in rural America. That's the message. In China, if there is "Chinese pride", that's fine. In Brazil, if there is latino pride, that's cool. In America, ANY group can have pride, and be included, EXCEPT traditional middle America, they are supposed to feel shame.

[@crismcdonough2804]

They feel left behind because they are behind. Nobody did that to them. They did it to themselves.. desperately hanging onto the 19th century. Refusing to evolve.

[@crismcdonough2804]

@@RealYRM really? Sounds like they want to be victims.

[@josephshepard2962]

@@crismcdonough2804 Total BS but you do you.

[@M123Xoxo]

She seems racist

[@jasmadams]

That woman is utterly disconnected from reality. She has no clue how destructive and hopeless her approach is. When the results come in in November, I really hope no one ever listens to her again.

[@donnycampbell7114]

She is dead wrong about NC we hate democrats here. The same die hard democrats keep voting that way expecting something different just keep lying to themselves. All democrats want is power they laugh at their own voters behind their backs.

[@sirlaggzzalot]

Which woman

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Aimee can’t do math

[@Steinmetal4]

The problem is, the way they are going about "energizing the base" is by basically limiting what their media and politicians can talk about. If it isn't some lgbtqxyz, ego stroking, "gee aren't I such a progressive, smart person for caring about this" talking point, or if it isn't somehow playing into the power and priveledge narrative... it doesn't get talked about. There are ways to energize the base without actively alienating the votes we need for senate and EC. Like focus on a rich vs poor narrative, which applies to POC AS WELL as poor rural whites AND is also a very important and real issue. But that won't happen because people like her care more about their own moral posturing and ego, maintaining their self image of "most progressive person in the room" than they do about winning elections, affecting real life productive change, and you know... actually helping people. Christ, just talk about how middle america is getting a raw deal, how you want to make their job pay more, how healthcare industry is a total racket screwing the little guy... if you fixed even ONE of those things half way, you would help more POCs and women than BLM or Me Too ever did. You can still talk about systemic racism and misogyny... you don't have to feed every single thing you say through that lense. It feels like they honestly think if they don't bring up race relations at least once every minute, they will be accused of racism and canceled. They've allowed Twitter nut jobs, many of whom are right wing and russian trolls, to bully and take over the Dem party and left wing media.

[@seanbrown9048]

Going to be a lot of Marxist Party SJW hysteria after the midterms! GOP will take the House and Senate and Jim Jordan will be the new Speaker!

[@mohammedsarker5756]

Look I'm not going to pretend to understand this issue, I'm an urban left-wing person of color, the current base of the democratic party. But even I can tell that Aimee Allison's whole attitude just begs people to vote GOP just to give people like her to finger. Yes, minorities are important to the party (I would know, I am one!) but to assume reaching out to rural whites is automatically the same as throwing minorities under the bus because rural whites MUST be racist is such an awful way to go about politics. We need to focus on addition and multiplication, not division and subtraction.

[@robertsanders7060]

Trust an Ohioan: areas like rural Ohio are a lost cause for Democrats. You cannot possibly have people in the Democratic party who want America to be a more intolerant, stricter religious, and less educated version of Iran.

[@ridethecurve55]

@@robertsanders7060 But as bad as you have it, do you not feel Anything for the family near you that has it worse than you? Believe me, there are those. And Jesus backs me up on that.

[@robertsanders7060]

​@@ridethecurve55 Of course, the state of rural America is very saddening. Rural Ohio once produced the Wright brothers, and its decay into the current state is sad. But we just cannot help those who do not want to be helped and have embraced evil.

[@Nalumah]

I'm a rural missouri ex-resident. For the time being, flyover country *is* lost. Almost every conservative/republic there is horribly racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, and LGBT-phobic.

[@hillsane9262]

This is a legitimate story and needs to be discussed, but of course this is what Chuck Todd focuses on . You could ask how the Republicans lost the black vote or the urban vote. They used to get more of both!

[@bpattullo]

I was a liberal Democrat supporter for most of my adult life - I voted for Clinton twice and Obama twice. But lately, the left's ridiculous obsession with identity politics, coupled with their embrace of authoritarianism and censorship and their callous disregard for basic civil liberties, make it extremely unlikely I will ever support Democrats again. I anticipate voting exclusively Republican and/or Libertarian for the foreseeable future.

[@sorenfuerst7507]

Everything you just said is done by conservatives too

[@raj8294]

Republicans only talk about identity politics. CRT, abortion etc

[@mikefigures5075]

Brad can you explain how Democrats embrace authoritarianism ?

[@bpattullo]

@@mikefigures5075 I'm speaking mainly about the last two years of "shut up and do what you're told" Covid response from blue state governors and Democratic lawmakers.

[@jeffpedler6094]

I'll take things that never happened for $500, Alex!

[@bigb6637]

Dems have to deal with people’s economic issues if they want their votes. That’s what Bill Clinton campaigned on. “It’s the economy, stupid.” Ask James Carville.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

The Dems have long ago tossed James Carville into the dust bin of history.

[@ScottSmith-vc5vf]

What will the republicans do to actually help them? Or does that not matter any more. To blame the Dems and call them evil…….Is that really what people want? It’s a slippery Slope to radicalism.

[@AlbertQian]

Aimee is so out of touch. Her idea of winning is predicated on 1) new voters, 2) minorities. As a Chinese person myself, I am not some tokenized voter that she should depend solely on. Our rural Americans need help too and just ignoring them because it's easy is probably the most ignorant strategy there is. She definitely tiptoed around Chuck's answers and is the reason why so many Americans are angry and divided.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

Aimee definitely believes in doing things the easy way. You can see it in the way she dresses.

[@unknownmovements]

I am going to explain something that I said in another comment. Lower population equals lower job opportunities equals lower incomes equals lower money circulating within that local population... this is just basic economics. But most importantly.... political parties have nothing to do with that dynamic. Take the largest city in a state.... that city will collect the highest percentage of the state's tax revenue, but it is the rural areas that receive the largest percentage of that money. Cities help sustain rural areas in a myriad of ways. For example... the closer a rural area is to a city, the higher the education level, the greater the diversity of services, the higher the average income, the better the infrastructure. etc... the farther away you get from a city, the more these things decline. Massive cities can weather economic crisis better than smaller cities which themselves do better than rural areas... but rural areas closer to that city struggle less with the economic crisis than those rural areas that are located farther away. Massive cities have large, diverse, highly trained and educated work forces which can easily specialize and who are a stimulus for business growth... rural areas do not. This is why it is better for industry and business to stay in cities instead of relocating to rural areas... because a better trained more knowledgeable workforce, which only exists within cities, is both more productive and more efficient. But the most important thing I want to point out is that your statement about we should be helping the rural areas... makes it sound like it is so easy to solve the problem when in realty it is not. The simple truth is, those who live in rural areas already know one solution to ease their individual economic problems... move to a city. This is exactly what human civilizations have been doing for centuries... and this trend has never stopped. In fact, surveys show that a large percentage of the population of extremely rural areas understand this so encourage the younger generation to leave and seek opportunities where they exist in large supply... in cities. Every single year, cities grow larger and rural areas lose population. There will be a day some point in our future where the only human populations that exist are inside cities and nowhere else. This is a fact because both society and the workforce is becoming more and more technologically advanced. Maybe the best thing to do for those living in rural areas... is to help them speed up this transition by creating incentives which help them financially to do so. That is one idea that has been proposed. And I know you are not going to like this next thing I say because you said as much... but as the situation currently exists, it is possible the problem can't be solved. Why? Because if people refuse to acknowledge reality and instead insist on staying in extremely rural areas with little to no opportunities... then the economic hardship they endure only exists because of their decision. That is not governments fault... and that can't be solved short of just handing out money for free. You can't simply say we should move as many industries and businesses as possible to rural areas so they can live where they want. That is not how economics works, and it creates more problems than it solves... for obvious reasons because it is not a long term solution nor sustainable. I think maybe you have not thought this through very well or don't have as good of an understanding of the issue as you think you do... hence the comment about doing nothing being ignorant. Yeah, okay. Who is doing nothing again exactly?

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@unknownmovements I think it is you that lacks understanding of regional economics. Certain economic activities occur in cites and others occur in rural areas. You are not going to create a farm or a cattle ranch in San Francisco or NYC. Similar is that people have certain skills for certain industries. Someone who works on a farm, a ranch a factory, a mine or a slaughterhouse cannot simply move to the San Francisco and get a job in high tech or move to NYC and get a job on Wall St. If I remember correctly, the piece had to do more with the Democratic party abandoning people in rural areas in favor of people in metro areas. This was a numbers decision and that comes with the cost of not being able to achieve a clear senate majority and being faced with electoral college upsets.

[@unknownmovements]

​@@kennethsouthard6042 Of course certain industries such as mining are regional... I never claimed otherwise. But what I said earlier holds in that situation... a person is limited to opportunities to other types of employment if the region is solely based on a few services, which is never a good thing. If the mining operation closes then the person's options become much more limited. This does not happen as drastically in cities since their is flexibility and they can reabsorb the workforce into other sectors... that is not true for more rural areas. Every example I gave earlier is all backed up by data compiled by Economists. Party policies DO NOT AFFECT THIS as I stated earlier so the argument that one party or the other has abandoned rural America is not valid regardless of what people claim. Take the 2016 election when Trump courted coal miners and told them he would bring their jobs back which he campaigned on throughout the entire election.... this sector fits both of your requirements of being regional and rural. Trump couldn't bring those jobs back after winning the election... not because he was not sincere but because it simply was an industry seeing steady declines for decades prior to 2016 as people moved out of the sector and into others due to demand. The coal mining industry lost jobs every single year of his four year term. Just because some news organization goes and interviews a few people who all claim politicians are turning their backs on rural America, it does not mean those individuals are correct or understand the issue. Again, if you were right that one party cared more about one sector than the other party then Republicans would have been able to increase coal mining jobs and "save" the industry. They didn't and never will be able to. The only way the industry can rebound is either through innovation, if there is some change with other sectors prices, supply, or demand, or there is a new kind of demand for coal products in which the services become important again. The reason coal has lost jobs is because America moved to other forms of energy which began taking up more of the market by being cheaper... renewable energy, nuclear, and natural gas. That is why Trump and Republicans failed and were NEVER going to succeed. PARTY POLICIES DO NOT TRUMP BASIC ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES. If commodity A is cheaper... demand for commodity B decreases. And I will just point out in your scenario about mobility from rural areas to large cities... there are more varied jobs in San Francisco than just tech and more than just Wall Street in NYC. Both of those cities ALSO have retail, construction, food industries, etc... something that rural workforces can adapt to without the need for learning new skills, undergoing training, or needing specialized education. This absolutely highlights what I have been saying all along... there are more opportunities in the cities. Is the tech job from San Francisco going to be able to move in the opposite direction? Only in the most limited of circumstances and NOT every time.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@unknownmovements I am not advocating for one party or the other here. Actually, this piece was about the Democrats abandoning these people and at the same time complaining about why they can't get a senate majority. Aimee even believed that this was the right path. What the Republicans have done is stepped into that void vs. the Democrats who openly outright abandoned them. While the Republicans may not do anything for them either, these people have thrown their lot in with those that at least appear to care about them vs. those that clearly don't. It's a false choice, but it's all they have. There is no real path for a middle aged miner with a family with little in the way of formal education from West Virginia to move to San Francisco. I'm not saying that there should be but to imply that there is, is just not true. Perhaps in 1968 there still was, but not today. Maybe his life is not all that great now, but it sure is a lot better than what someone in that position that can achieve there working retail in SF. I always love how economists have opinions about how others should live (I minored in it). People who if they were not connected into the world of academia would be unemployed with few options themselves. If you don't believe me, go onto any job board and see how many positions you see for economists.

[@jamesjohnson8970]

The gentleman at the 08:30 minute mark summed up the fall of the Democrat party. His response instantly went to racism and hateful name calling. This type of ignorance and Disgusting hate toward fellow Americans is a large reason why I could not vote Democrat again until they come back to reality

[@honkhonk8009]

Exactly. Its honestly disgusting how these people almost have some sort of classist hatred of middle class blue collar workers.

[@yossarian6799]

Wait a minute.... lemme get this straight. You have a problem with "ignorance"... and "disgusting hate toward fellow Americans"... so you're going to vote for.... a Republican. Brilliant

[@jamesjohnson8970]

@@yossarian6799 when it is the default answer for everything. It cheapens the statement

[@postmastersgt1670]

That guy lives in that particular community he knows what the people are saying and how the feel.

[@BugGenerat0r]

“Hateful name calling” is exactly what tRump loved doing. And you love it

[@johannfischer164]

Aimee Alison, what about listening to the daily struggles of rural people despite their color or background??? We have so many problems in common but all you care is about the votes. I haven’t seen anything to make our life easier.

[@fahrenheit2530]

As a left-leaning person, I feel that this was told through a very biased perspective, instead of focusing on the actual reasons why people made the switch it was more focused on panicking over these counties not voting blue. The republicans are not our enemy. The democrats are not our enemy. Our enemy is the massive political divide and the media trying to push it further apart from both sides. Rural Americans aren't inherently racist or wrong for voting for either party, they just have a different set of beliefs. And that's ok.

[@poohandtiggervideosinc6163]

I’m very progressive and I completely agree. We’re the UNITED states for a reason

[@roycarter8678]

hard working people stop supporting Democratic Party. we the people pay for everything and Democrats give it to illegals for health plans and free school. Vote Red at this point!

[@harshalpatel8271]

@@poohandtiggervideosinc6163 more like divided states Now. People would literally judge each other on the basis of who they have voted. That’s Hate..that kind if hate comes only when you have been manipulated for years and years by media and the people higher up in power

[@mvarner0962]

Identity politics is a huge wedge. Authoritarianism is hammering the wedge. Both parties need to make a clean cut from corporate control.

[@bipslone8880]

So what was the "actual reasons why people made the switch"?

[@joshuastrawser9160]

Well, when the Party makes it clear that they despise you, the Party shouldn't be surprised when you eventually stop voting for them. Try not hating rural voters. It might help.

[@Napalmdog]

The most notable change happened with Segregation in the 60s.

[@teresabenson3385]

Exactly. Nailed it.

[@charleswillams9501]

They laugh at us for being flyover while we feed them

[@olivesama]

@@charleswillams9501 Respect is a two way street. The urban working and underclass has been vilified by rural people for decades for allegedly being "un-American," "degenerate," "lazy," "welfare queens," and drug abusers. Yet the cities pay more money into the federal government than they take from it, while rural America takes more money than it pays. The same people rural folks have demonized also subsidize their lifestyles. This is just a fact.

[@RealYRM]

Traditional rural Americans voting Democrat is like men buying Gillette razors or traditional families taking their kids to Disney. Why support people who have publicly stated that they hate you and what you stand for? Plus, look how fast Biden has turned a roaring economy into pure disaster?

[@Joefosho2]

People in my rural area are just tired of the big cities making all the rules.

[@joesef7718]

Big cities are more sophisticated. more know how and experienced in dealing with nationwide sizeweed issues .that doesn't make urban people better than rurals and vice versa.

[@howard7689]

@@joesef7718 homeless, drug addicts, unemployed consumers. Sophisticated? Sheep all think the same too.

[@joesef7718]

@@howard7689 dont get it twisted the reason for some of that is because rural areas dont try and help the homeless drug addicts because they assume its cause of a dem law and they're colored.there are plenty rural people who are drug addicts alcoholics wifebeaters and homeless and pedophiles

[@howard7689]

@@joesef7718 lol, it's absolutely leftist shitbagery that causes people in cities to believe they are entitled to something and it's governments job to give it to them.

[@charleswhite7035]

Rural areas love to talk about independence and they always complain about big cities and big government. Why is it that you never see rural areas turning down the money that they get from big cities and big government. Almost all blue states pay more taxes to the federal government than they get back. This is especially true with the federal gas tax. Most red states get more gas tax revenue from the federal government than they pay in. The blue states get less than they pay in. I guess the red states swallow their pride and take the money.

[@prestomattwine]

I’m from Dubuque, Iowa and this town has always been a blue collar Democratic union town. These people now are a majority of Trump followers. On the Democratic side of things, they dropped the middle class in the 90’s in favor of more leaning left social ideas and these people have felt left out and left behind.

[@user-qu6ij5sl1v]

Clinton and NAFTA

[@MEC316]

left on social; hard lazzies faire on economics

[@kadennelms8419]

This is the same thing that happened to Labour in the UK. Labour used to be a champion for the blue collar worker, especially the rural worker. They abandoned these voters to focus on urban champagne socialists. They had their worst result since 1922 or ever if you think about it. Abandoning your base is never a good idea.

[@chrishirthe4162]

Tbh the panelist discussion was a very good indicator of why the democrats lost rural America. I heard a lot of identity politics. Why not treat an individual as an individual, and help individuals who need help. Attaching labels is part of the disconnect. Many people in rural America are struggling and feel left behind, just as people in urban America are struggling and feel left behind. Democratic news sources really only key in on issues in urban areas. There’s a disconnect. National news completely leave out rural America (minus local news of course). Democrats have ignored rural Americans for years as they’ve started playing identity politics, and recognizing population hubs as voter hubs. That’s a disconnect. Billionaires have been heading the Democratic Party (the peoples party). How can average small town people trust in billionaires who have only enjoyed the privilege of glitz and glamor and the best of big city lifestyle? That may be the biggest disconnect. Small town folk know that words mean nothing, actions do the talking. The modern day Democratic Party has been as hypocritical as it’s ever been. It has no identity. As a small town democrat who moved to a city, the disconnect is sad to see.

[@olivesama]

Does rural America not engage in "identity politics"?

[@smokeyhoodoo]

@@olivesama Self defense

[@smokeyhoodoo]

@@olivesama Identity politics is about rural white people and scapegoating them for every problem everyone else has. They ought to respond

[@smokeyhoodoo]

@@olivesama Its a very ancient superstition known as the evil blue eye

[@olivesama]

@@smokeyhoodoo The Southern Strategy (which now applies to areas well outside the South) was, in part, about getting rural people to scapegoat supposedly degenerate urbanites for all their problems, to demonize immigrants and minorities, and to downplay the racial supremacist aspects of the Civil War. Even in the 21st century, Sarah Palin took pains to divide the country into "Real America" on one end and liberals on the other. Why should Middle America regard other Americans as being somehow less "real" than themselves? I don't see how such a social and political program isn't the sort of "identity politics" they claim to hate.

[@kgblankinship]

Listening to Aimee Allison, it was disheartening to know that no good deeds by white males go unpunished when it comes to the Woke. My ancestors had been abolitionists prior to the Civil War, and one had signed up to fight in the Army and got wounded at Vicksburg. I myself have always been pro-diversity, pro-civil-rights, and for racial and gender equality. But being a white male, I have to go about with a 'kick me' label on my back.

[@NotTheRealRogerMurdock]

Consider the labels others have had to wear for generations, if not longer. At least yours only says kick me.

[@kgblankinship]

Intolerance is an old American trait, one picked up from the Puritans of Boston. We see still puritanism in white Evangelical Christianity, where they would rather see a Trumpian autocrat and on the other hand with the Woke of the college towns. It has always been a pernicious influence in our culture. I much prefer the more tolerant, rational, and easygoing ways of a Roger Williams, Thomas Jefferson, or John Dewey (who invented pragmatism). But then there are those like Oliver Cromwell who go looking for holy wars to fight. I'd much rather see "live and let live."

[@fishyjoes4615]

@@kgblankinship ah yes was Thomas Jefferson so tolerant when he was raping his slaves?

[@kgblankinship]

@@fishyjoes4615 : Jefferson was good & bad. Jefferson had the reputation during his lifetime of being a hypocrite. Those bent on deconstruction would cut away all of the good and discard what's left. I guess you would like to see the Jefferson Memorial repurposed. I wonder, whose statue would you stick in there to replace his? In his ideas, by discarding the good of his legacy, what you extol in its place?

[@attackmaster519]

@@NotTheRealRogerMurdock Literally justifying racism by trying to downplay it, wonderful show. Your comment gets to be exhibit A

[@christianmattison6096]

I felt it sad that the "solution" for Dems, in the discussion seemed to be who should be ignored. We will never recover with such an outlook.

[@brianwhite2104]

Which would be a good thing, seeing what your party stands for. (Sorry 😂)

[@ram76921]

I've said for years to online democrats that ignoring the unions, the rural vote and basic pillars that made them the powerhouse party from, 1932-1970 would end in disaster. if the economy collapses under Biden(good chance too) then idk if they will recover. this time it reminds me of 2006 as Republicans continued to alienate voters which cultivated in Obama's victory. the party almost died if not for trump whether you like him or not.

[@williamg8269]

John Fetterman for president 2024!

[@brianwhite2104]

@@williamg8269 Who is he?

[@christerry1773]

They’re literally pushing people to the Republican isle and then saying, why is everyone leaving.

[@gary_michael_flanagan_wildlife]

With all due respect, the far left has caused a huge shift in a more right leaning stance now. Rural or not. It simply needs to be acknowledged and we need more than classic liberals such as Bill Maher speaking up. NBC needs to take accountability for this also. And I am halfway through and not hearing a thing about how the extreme left is alienating classic liberals and old school rural democrats. Yes I am conservative but you guys gotta get your act together because you are losing a lot of people. You are simply not connecting. And it’s not racism or xenaphobia. It’s just not.

[@dominick8847]

That's right. The best option is Classical Liberal. This means someone who prizes Individual Liberty. As opposed to a modern Liberal, who wants a liberal reading of the constitution so that there can be Liberty for big government, at the expense of the Individual. (Elite Law school professors are 81% Democrat, 11% Republican, They benefit from big government. Everyone else does not. They also benefit from creating division. Everyone else does not). Or put another way, whichever party that is the least like Hitler. The least fascist. Hitler hated freedom, Democracy, and Capitalism. He hated anything that gets in the way of complete, big government control, at the expense of the individual. He hated the Jew for being a Capitalist. Hmmm, which party is that today? That wants to override established law which sets a fair playing field for everyone, with Social Justice that flocks to unpredictable and arbitrary fashion, which states that Capitalism is bad, and now labels the Jew, as not just a Capitalist, but as just another white person, so that one more time, it will be ok to mistreat them?

[@andrewosborn1451]

@@dominick8847 😂 you're funny

[@andrewosborn1451]

You're right but racism is still a part of the problem

[@dominick8847]

@@andrewosborn1451 Racism is part of who's problem? Part of Abraham Lincoln's problem? Since Republicans freed the slaves, and Democrats owned the slaves? how does racism become a part of the problem with Republicans?

[@dominick8847]

@@andrewosborn1451 The white liberals, who have been posing as our friends, have failed us. The white liberal is the worst enemy to America and the worst enemy to the black man. White liberals are those who have perfected the art of selling themselves to the black man as our ‘friend’ to get our sympathy, our allegiance and our minds. The white liberal attempts to use us politically against white conservatives, so that anything the black man does is never for his own good, never for his advancement, never for his own progress, he’s only a pawn in the hands of the white liberal. I only cite these things to show you that in America the history of white liberal has been nothing but a series of trickery designed to make us think that the white liberal was going to solve our problems. Our problems will never be solved by the white liberal. The only way that our problems will be solved is when the black man wakes up, cleans himself up, stands on his own two feet, stops begging the white liberal and takes immediate steps to do for ourselves the things that we have been waiting on the white liberal to do for us. The media’s the most powerful entity on Earth. They have the power to make the innocent look guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the mind of the masses. The Democrats are playing you for a political chump and if you vote for them, not only are you a chump, you are a traitor to your race. Malcolm X 1964

[@ethanpetersen810]

This was mostly Democrats complaining about how rural Americans won’t vote for them instead of them thinking about how they might be doing something wrong.

[@chasingbears7635]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5PKnHWoe9SChdEsi=pFHw3D5ojFxFz7fm

[@Horatio.Mantooth]

In part 2 of this,the segment will be "how the democrats lost Latinos"

[@Hi_Its_Chris]

Man, I’m not a Democrat, but I feel for the other folks who have to deal with Aimee Allison. She is completely writing off rural counties and the people representing those constituencies are exasperated. The Democratic platform has a lot of good ideas and policies, but they aren’t worth anything politically if they aren’t shown to be helping everyone. I mean, look at Aimee. She is smirking at the rural Democrats - the look on her face is absolute contempt. Bill Clinton was SO much smarter than these modern “identity” politicians.

[@kindofbluenyc]

She is not writing them off. But in the immediate future trump lovers have a lot of hate in their heart. Spending a lot of time trying to convince them that Democrats will actually do things to improve they’re lives is a tall order. Republicans have written off the metropolitan areas of our country. That’s why they’re so interested in gerrymandering. Democrats don’t fight for their own voters. Republicans give their voters an enemy. They don’t improve their voters lives, but they keep them angry and scared. Both parties are deeply flawed.

[@jayklink851]

The culture war makes suckers out of all of us. Corporate Democrats offer empty platitudes regarding trans, LGBTQ and race so they don't have to discuss why people flipping burgers at McDonalds pay more income tax than 40 of the wealthiest billionaires in America.

[@kindofbluenyc]

@@jayklink851 exactly. If we’re distracted by culture wars both parties can pick our pockets and destroy our environment.

[@jayklink851]

@@kindofbluenyc That's exactly right Robert! And you better believe, the mainstream media and establishment Dem/Reps will crucify and politician that attempts to point out the hypocrisy of their party.

[@RSTI191]

They didn't call him Slick Willy for nothing..

[@lorik475]

The democrats interviewed at 11:53 convinced me to vote a straight Republican ticket this election and in 2024. I was on the fence on a few candidates. I live in NE iowa. Thank you for this piece NBC.

[@dddz961]

That woman is a racial supremacist, and it is weird other Ds don't notice that their party has been infiltrated and subverted.

[@seanbrown9048]

The Marxist Party hates America: they love crime, perversion and illegal aliens.

[@Nepthu]

I'm with you. I used to be Independent but I'm becoming more Republican all the time.

[@lifeaquatic1267]

@@Nepthu Well, Im also an Independent, and I will never be a Republican, but I will be voting like one come 2022. Im so sick of the Democratic party.

[@johnadams1281]

​@@lifeaquatic1267 Vote Red, Democrats have become the elitist party of woke rubbish. They look down on everyone and pander to get votes.

[@strechinpick]

Yes Democrats, listen to “She the People”. That’s your winning ticket.

[@whazzat8015]

They can't win uncontested races with that approach. Way to go .

[@Mr.Williams23]

@@whazzat8015 they consider rural America dead weight

[@kbanghart]

@@Mr.Williams23 all Trump supporters are dead weight

[@prism8289]

Caribbean women will win elections. That is probably the stupidest statement I’ve heard in five years.

[@kbanghart]

@@prism8289 Caribbean women?

[@ashvandal5697]

Democrats will eventually have to come to terms with the fact that even though identity politics is critically important to a portion of their constituents, it’s is inherently divisive and pushes a lot of people to the republicans, and in fact has energized THEM more than their own people. Seems the message here is don’t worry about it. Democratic leadership is ok with the divide, and is ready to double down on the strategy of focusing on minority urbanites. The problem is more and more influencers of color are also finding messages and turning some of poc into conservatives. So seems a losing strategy for dems.

[@hashiramasenju6058]

Identity politics isn't the only focus in the Democratic party. Climate change, social programs, secularism, etc. are also big issues but rural residents don't care about any of them.

[@Dirtymacked]

@@hashiramasenju6058 maybe because those “big issues” have zero effect to their lives. Nobody asks their opinions of any of those issues so they have no input into what they want their government to do for them. You’ve proven this entire point in your statement above.

[@hashiramasenju6058]

@@Dirtymacked I never tried to dispute it. What are you talking about? I replied to his comment because he was implying that the only thing Democrats care about is racial politics. That is FAR from the truth.

[@olivesama]

Republicans don't stand around fretting that the issues they care about are "inherently divisive". Is there are reason we should regard the Democrats' positions as being particularly so?

[@VinceSlzr]

@@Dirtymacked The 5-6 million people living in Urban cities in the State of Georgia have had the most influence and power within the state than the rural populous within the last decade. It's a shitshow here come the gubernatorial. I hope Kemp wins. I don't want someone who can't take care of herself and look like Rasputia from Norbit to be our governor.

[@robertjerand417]

Aimee, not sure what you said is entirely accurate. Cuban Americans in Florida are trending conservative and so are Hispanic males in general. I hate to put people in boxes, but that is what the data shows.

[@Misaki896]

we don't talk about that because the left has done whatever it can to pull in immigrants and tell them which party pulled them in for free. They assume the vast majority will vote for them

[@JohnSmith-vr3xr]

Grateful that Meet the Press did this story. I feel like it answered its own question when it used "Uneducated" to describe people who won't vote democrat. I grew up in rural Ohio. The farm kids were at the top of the class in very tough schools. They didn't go to college they chose a profession that required science, farming. I now live in Michigan in a very diverse rust belt city. Democrats use victim speech to create dense bureaucracies and regulations which turn off working-class people. In 2016, Trump really didn't win, the Democrats lost us. Did you know, that where Trump won, many of the local issues to increase social services passed? Working people want to question and challenge issues but in this party, when they do, they get insults like racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, and uneducated. By the way, I mostly vote democrat and I have two advanced degrees but I am looking for a new party.

[@codymarks8051]

Which party do you think would fit you better? Are you thinking of joining a third party?

[@JohnSmith-vr3xr]

@@codymarks8051 I would love to see the moderates who were pushed out of both parties due to the extreme base form a party. If the moderates could create a party it would be bigger than our existing parties. We really could find a middle ground for abortion (like the Europeans have), immigration, reduce regulations, protect the environment and demand systemic justice for all across the board. The laws won't be perfect and probably no one will be happy but it is better than what we have right now.

[@olivesama]

What exactly have you heard them say about the issues that they are being called "racist," "xenophobic," "misogynistic," and "uneducated" merely for speaking out? It cannot be denied that some of those labels actually do apply to people. There's no use pretending they don't exist. There's a reason many sexual and racial minorities feel very uncomfortable in certain towns.

[@seanbrown9048]

Silly, isn’t it, when democrats are the drug addicted pansexual career activists and republicans the ones with real working skills?

[@Nepthu]

@@olivesama It cannot be denied those labels are now being misused and overused by the Democrat party to squash dissent. Racist is now the same as a heretic, especially when Democrats use those labels to describe minorities who profess Republican ideals.

[@john.m.shukites]

I don't know if it was intentional or Democrats are just that out of touch but this report missed the heart of the issue. People in rural America traditionally voted Democrat because Democrats were the protector of jobs. In the past several decades, Democrats have become the ones who have pushed for policy that has decimated jobs and economies in rural areas. That is why rural America is hostile toward Democrats. But as long as Democrats keep believing that it is entirely about race, they will continue to see low turnout...even from people who are not white.

[@randyrogers8201]

Shut up and listen, McCaskill has informed u already that u need the democrats. the problem is that u wont listen and have a disconnect with reality as a result

[@1848revolt]

Class not race. Democrats are pathetic sjw types no one could find common ground with.

[@scratchy996]

Intentional or not, but the message is clear, the democrats are out of touch. It's a problem all over the world, the populists are taking advantage of it, the extreme right sentiment is on the rise. Look at France's election. Same with Hungary, Turkey, Poland, etc.

[@1848revolt]

@@scratchy996 populist = democracy. Just in case you didn't know. You know popular things are passed in a democracy. In a republic nothing gets passed. That's the problem. Unless it's bipartisan which means an extra screw you to the working class. Bipartisan only happens for policies that help the wealthy

[@1848revolt]

@@river2100 so what you are saying is this is a class issue. Gotcha. We already knew that. When your jobs go overseas or automated you think it's easy peasy to re-adjust your life? When you have a mortgage to pay and all the decent paying jobs are now 2+ hours away what do you think is going to happen? You seem to think this is easy to navigate for people that just got the american dream taken from them.

[@stephenholmes1036]

Aimee Allison and people of her viewpoint are the reason why people in rural areas of all colours feel invalidated and ignored, and is a prime reason why division politics is so poisonous in the USA and here. It's not about people and Aimee Aillson let the mask slip it's about winning. The majority black village said it all we are forgotten and ignored and the democrats don't care and their sadly right. It's all about winning and the rest don't count this is why division politics is so wrong so many people are ignored and forgotten. The Brexit vote here and the reaction from the democrats equals here in the UK shows how they really despise people who they don't agree with and look down upon. Good politicians look after and listen to all voters sadly the quality and integrity of many politicians is very low. A like in the the song the King is in the all together tbey dint realise we can see they have no clothes sadly they are that arrogant and often do t care.

[@joesef7718]

When you say the dems dont care about blks how would you know if your not blk .blks feelbthey can never ever trust the lying racist hypocrite rep

[@williamg8269]

The only Democrats who is strong enough to flip rural counties are Jon Ossoff and John Fetterman.

[@joesef7718]

Wow I some what agree and disagree .I feel the divided strategy wrkd cause most people in rural America are simple and gullible.they fell for the con.theyve been tricked .I judge people by their deeds and language.

[@joesef7718]

@@williamg8269 you may wanna add more names

[@williamg8269]

@@joesef7718 they're the only 2. Democrats have good candidates who can win individual races in Iowa. Rob Sand, first example, could unseat Joni Ernst if 2026 is a blue wave midterm. But only a true populist like Fetterman could win the state in a national election.

[@KarlBonner1982]

Democrats can regain rural support by ignoring divisive culture wars and laser-focusing on pocketbook issues: higher wages, union rights, health care. They need to take on the billionaire/corporate forces corrupting their own party from within. (Why do you think Bernie Sanders outperformed other Dems in rural polls?)

[@jirky015]

What Democrats need to do is actually go talk to them to persuade them to vote Democrat, and stop ignoring and vilifying potential voters. Oh, and also do what they say they're going to do.

[@katzgar]

the pocket book issue for rural America is to rent them uhauls so they can move to the cities.

[@Geotpf]

"Ignoring divisive culture wars" = throw minorities, non-Christians, and LGBTQ under the bus. And, yes, if Democrats were as bigoted as Trump and most Republicans, they would gain votes from racist, bigoted, white rural voters.

[@katzgar]

The thing is there's no reason to live in rural areas there's no industry farming is going to be done by robotic tractors there's no reason to be in rural areas. The divisive culture is rural people hate LGBTQ and minorities so the Democrats would have to dump their base in order to appeal to rural people.

[@nathanmiller3891]

@@jirky015 you need a reason for them to vote for dems aka what will the party do for me?

[@Kick_Rocks]

I'm a black woman, and I will never vote for another Democrat again. So that lady doesn't speak for me.

[@jtphog9711]

The gal saying to leave the white voter behind is the reason rural America has turned on the Dems. You should try to persuade every voter. Prove to them how beneficial you could be to them personally, that’s how you win.

[@williamsherman1942]

American politics is already bloodsport, might as well dedicate to the fight. You either go full in or you don’t go in at all, it’s the American way

[@Indylimburg]

No need to earn rural votes when you can get urban voters in lockstep, stuff some ballot boxes in key areas, and eventually flood the whole country with new voters.

[@Misaki896]

its far too easy to pander to supposed trials and tribulations and say you'll help out whichever "affected group" (and then not do anything, in fact do less than your opposition does) because voters operate on a simple of principle called "what if they're being honest"

[@ianslade22]

Wow, pretty shocked by Aimee Allison, I don’t think she was even listening, she was just there to promote herself. You can tell she didn’t want to hear any other voice in the room besides her own. Echo chamber!

[@RealYRM]

Diversity and Inclusion doesn't include you. It only includes her. If you don't shut up and be an Ally, she has some names she'll call you.

[@gocoastal1988]

She's a radical. An ideologue. A soft-headed know nothing. This is the problem in America, too many stupid, emotional lizard-brained idiots who allow only their emotions and their emotions alone to guide them in their political outlook. Then, given our decrepit and corrupt poisonous media system, the most obscene among us float to the top of the cesspool of American politics and are pushed, relentlessly, into the faces of the American people. So tired of it

[@justinmcare814]

Maybe try reaching out to them instead of calling them r*cist deplorables. It turns out that smearing rural america as mostly racist and uneducated when they don't vote your way isn't winning their hearts and minds. It's driving them into your opponents arms.

[@ashtonmottsevert591]

If democrats would just return to FDRs party of workers…

[@eagledrive.]

Bc now Democrats are the laziest of Americans

[@johnadams1281]

They care more about transgenders than the working man

[@adele19b3]

@GG BG they were still racist…

[@northwestgardener5076]

So democrats should return to when they championed eugenics? No thanks

[@natenae8635]

@@northwestgardener5076 You can support old working policy without supporting eugenics

[@joespice785]

8:25 this is why you are losing us rural voters. Calling us names and talking down to us isn't appealing and is offensive. 90% of Iowa is white and all we ever hear from you Democrats is that we are privileged racists.

[@jpgohard]

Because you vote like racists. Stop voting for people who mingle with racists. Stop voting for people IN SPITE of their racism. If you can ignore someone's racism just to get a tax cut...then yeah, I will call you a racist as well. Do better and vote better. Stop being more worried about a label than your actual voting patterns.

[@joespice785]

@@jpgohard "anyone the media tells me is racist is a racist" -jpgohard 🤡

[@jpgohard]

@@joespice785 "reading comprehension is for those smart people" @Joe_Spice #teamBeta

[@leechowning2712]

And this is the mindset that brings us "Ultra Maga" and "Maga King". They manage to insult all the Indep voters, and then ask why in regions where the Dems are effectively the third party, they lost. Turn your back on the small towns... eventually even the union blue Dems will turn their back on you too.

[@crismcdonough2804]

And overly sensitive. Who is the snowflake now?

[@joshmccollen700]

It was a conscious choice made by Democrats starting in the 90's.

[@hsgrain490]

Exactly, made the switch to R in 94' after the Clintons and the democratic party began disrespecting every bodies religion, taking money from special interest groups, and calling places like Iowa 'fly over country'.

[@chasingbears7635]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5PKnHWoe9SChdEsi=pFHw3D5ojFxFz7fm

[@trollwhisperer1770]

No. It was great until she the peoples input. It's racial to extremist on both sides so they frame it racially. It's simply years of economic pain that just gets worse, no matter who is in charge, while watching billionaires and corporations still breaking profit records, banks and institutions getting bailed out, we got all the money for wars and to send overseas and it's necessary but can't even get higher wages, healthcare, better access to education, loan programs, tech training, something...just like the guys in the gas station at the end say. Everyone knows we are being screwed and we're tired of it, but then politics and culture wars make sure we can never agree and effectively retaliate against the 1% since our government is just a giant pay to play scam.

[@michaelkulman7095]

Distract the masses with bread and circuses...its an old strategy...

[@kbanghart]

@@blakejohnson3864 yes, but that's the only two who win

[@michaelwoods4495]

None of the "billionaires and corporations" ever took anything from me. I gave it in return for something I wanted. It's government that takes, mostly for its practitioners' own gain and after that to buy votes and keep power.

[@kbanghart]

@@michaelwoods4495 umm we're talking about stuff like taxes and high prices. Corporations take from everyone.

[@thomashahn631]

Honestly, i don't think you really understand how power works in this country. Both parties are under the control of a few thousand people with deep pockets and the politicians shape policy towards their interests. The people you dislike and their extremist race baiting habits are inconsequential in the sense of shaping economic policy. They are meant to get you worked up so that blame will be deflected away from the actual sources of economic hard times. NAFTA and GATT were not the conception of BLM, nor the fantastically expensive and bloated health care system.

[@mikeb8824]

Clair is right you have to hit every corner not just the city and popular cities . They have to hit the rural areas

[@gekisaidai1811]

You really should look at voting maps sometime. The trend is the same in every state. Major cities vote blue, rural and smaller cities vote red. In fact if you look at the state of NY, the only folks who vote blue are in NYC. These are cultural and values differences

[@zo62]

Yeah take advice from someone who lost. Don’t send out Hilary and just I’m a woman do elect me and a Clinton. Also encourage trump to run so they can have an easy win

[@mpls1982]

@@gekisaidai1811 Republicans in rural America vote against people wanting to pass legislation that actually helps them, because they are brainwashed.

[@gekisaidai1811]

@@mpls1982 since you want to make broad stereotypes, please enlighten me on the policies they vote against that would help them in rural America?

[@mohammedsarker5756]

@@gekisaidai1811 New Yorker here, that works forNY because we have multiple cities and blue suburbs that provide enough blue seats to win, from NYC to Westchester and Long Island and Buffalo. However, this cannot be replicated in all 50 states because other states are far less urban, we Dems NEED to get better at winning over rural voters or we're doomed to being a regional party of the Coasts.

[@colonelpotter]

I'm very conservative and moderate, the Dems seem too far off for me and the republicans are going a direction I don't like, I'm considering myself an Ind or libertarian.

[@VinceSlzr]

Have you ever heard of Blackrock? They have political power believe it or not. You won't find results on google!

[@Steinmetal4]

We need a viable 3rd party so bad.

[@ALeaud]

Canada has 3 major parties and other minor parties running in every election. The US needs this.

[@DavianSinner]

That's nice.

[@mikejohnson2173]

@@Steinmetal4 me too!

[@dalepetersen1166]

All the African American lady talks about is getting the African American vote. Why can't she talk about middle class and American needs instead. Why does she make everything an ethnic issue.

[@리주민]

16:00 Agreed. That lady saying we need to ignore the white people and focus on the ethnically diverse. Wow. Imagine if a white person had said that we need to ignore all those black people (who make up only 13% of the population) and focus on the white people (which are ethnically diverse too-Irish, German, English, ukrainian). Racism goes both ways. Ps: the very weak rebuttal (which didn't even mention what I just did) also shows why NBC had lost viewers to right-wing media like Fox over the years.

[@jacksonbiggs7993]

It was worse than that...she only stressed the need for WOMEN of color, men be damned across the board. The reactions of most of the Black men in the latter part of the video confirms her anti-MAN stance. Horrible

[@kayycharm5532]

She is dumb. African Americans are the ones suffering the most now..

[@johnadams1281]

Yep, this is why the democrats will become unelectable.They're so out of touch.

[@M123Xoxo]

Because she is racist

[@shostycellist]

It's simple. The Democrats moved too far left. Rural America could care less about identity politics, CRT, the "problem of Whiteness", aren't particularly concerned about global warming, and don't believe in abortion on demand. They've always been conservative but supported the Democratic party mainly because they were pro union and generally were moderate on the other issues listed above. When the Democrats became more and more elitist, stood by as jobs got shipped overseas, showed little interest in the cares and concerns of rural America, took up the woke politics of the left, and became more radical in identity politics, they went Republican, especially when Trump took steps to stop the exporting of jobs overseas. It's pretty simple.

[@Indylimburg]

Bingo

[@Misaki896]

No one should care about any of the 5 things you just listed but for some reason they bow to insanity

[@Indylimburg]

@@Misaki896 and that's why Democrats are struggling in rural areas because you don't care about issues that rural people care about.

[@rupertneverton3887]

@@Misaki896 the same people who say "you shouldn't worry about identity politics" are the ones who push it constantly. Everyone is kind of done with the race discussion, especially in areas of the country where no one has the power to hurt minority Americans, let alone help themselves at the expense of another race. People just want to be left alone and the Democrats cannot help themselves but project racism onto people who they disagree with. Even in this piece... it starts off as blaming democrats for losing rural voters but quickly turns to "the racist republicans are just better at messaging."

[@olivesama]

Rural America talks about CRT more than anyone else.

[@David-bl6yg]

I live in rural California, we’ve been wracked with economic stagnation, drug abuse problem and collapsing infrastructure for a while now, this was all out into overdrive after the lockdowns. A lot of young men I was in an apprenticeship couldn’t find work to get their on-the-job hours to journey out. For a lot of us it was the end of the line, if they couldn’t make this happen than it was over, so far I know of two suicides (one was called a death of despair), other guys fell into drug or alcohol abuse while other took a risk and took what they had left and moved, I haven’t heard from anyone who has. I count myself lucky in that I had the GI Bill to fall back on but for all those other guys they ran out of options. I know guys who stuck it out who are chafing under gas prices, I usually don’t get very emotional over politics but I was overcome with indignation when I heard Governor Newsom offered a $400 rebate on the gas tax and free public transportation. $400? Guys go through that much in a week just driving out to job sites. Free public transportation? We don’t even have a bus line in some of the towns we have to go work in, I wanted to punch my computer screen when I saw that video. It’s that sort of thing that makes us the way we are in rural America, and the smug attitude and gas lighting from democrats and the urban liberal elitist who try to deflect the blame back to us is unbearable. The gaslighting is the worse, we get talked to like it’s our own fault that this is happening to us, that it’s our fault that we’re not voting for them and that we’re bad people for it, never once turning the mirror on themselves and taking the blame for this disillusion among rural folk. I don’t know how to fix this, it seems people would rather die than admit they are wrong

[@fakepeople9385]

How much infrastructure was done under Trump he had four years

[@honkhonk8009]

Im liberal thinking, and have been for awhile, but seeing how democrats treat the interior US is honestly sometimes disgusting. Democrats went from the party for the poor, to the party for the rich. If your rich and educated, democrats are the party that best suits you.

[@David-bl6yg]

@@fakepeople9385 get out of here with your whataboutism, I'm talking about the Californian state government

[@RealYRM]

California is a prime example of a state that has a Democrat super-majority in the state and most major cities and the state has done nothing but go backwards. "Progressivism" means more crime, more drugs, more homelessness, higher taxes, less energy, less water, more fires (no fire breaks, no clearing)... it's a disaster.

[@biggb3921]

What are Republicans proposing to solve any of that? They just play up your hatred of 'libs' and literally do nothing at all.

[@andydotyhere303]

That Amy Allison is the perfect poster-child for how out of touch and pathetic modern democrat is.

[@isaacwojo3273]

Amy is going to be very disappointed when desantis wins by 10.

[@deibydei8487]

You should always put this Aimee Allison on air. Like, her rhetoric reeks of exclusion and is gonna push a lot of people to vote Red. She gives credence to the "left behind" rhetoric. Buuuuut she is the perfect guest for this particular edition of Meet the Press😅

[@joesef7718]

We had fours yrs of exclusion from the oval office. Just criminal.

[@willster8759]

It is really amazing that they ask the question, "How did Democrats lose rural America?" and never talk to a Republican or someone who switched who they voted for. I came into this video hopeful they would cover real issues but all they could do was blame "racist Republicans" which is such a cop out. They were so close to getting it. The African Americans at the end saying that they feel abandoned is exactly what a lot of people in rural communities across the country feel. It is one of the reasons Trump got elected. People felt like his message and policies were representative of them and gave them a voice. It is also the exact reason Virginia flipped back to red, and Florida now being a solid red state. The policies advocated for by the Democratic party do not resonate with rural voters.

[@strechinpick]

You have a person on called “she the people” and you wonder why Democrats cannot reach rural people… 😂

[@lembergnative7731]

To rephrase the immortal James Carville, "It's the woke, stupid"

[@residentgomez]

her name is aimee allison, not she the people. Her organization is called she the people. Learn to read.

[@jhangzhou1762]

@@residentgomez you missed the point

[@luisc3682]

😅

[@biggb3921]

So a political organization made by women to encourage political engagement of women is a bad thing? Maybe your comment is why people feel the real resentment in politics is from bigots. Any even modest reference to anyone that's not a white man or completely neutral is magically "woke"

[@flpndrox]

As a Pro-life voter I don't feel like there's a place for me anymore in the Democratic party.

[@JohnSmith-vr3xr]

I learned the intolerance of the Democrats on this issue. The cultural wars started with this issue when the Clintons supported late-term abortions. Wikipedia has a graph under "Abortion in the United States" under the "Opinion" section that illustrates how views on abortion changed dramatically in the 1990s. Now the majority of Americans are for abortions within limits. Again a chance to compromise and it won't happen.

[@marknolan5182]

That's because there isn't. Im in Australia but after listening to the Democratic "geniuses" on this give their views, I'm starting to see the Democratic party as dying. They genuinely have no idea... most people don't want Government in their lives... they believe the lie that Government is the solution.... it's only ever the problem.

[@tomrhodes1629]

GOD gave you freedom of choice. GOD is pro-choice. Satan is anti-choice, and calls it "pro-life." And satan has fooled you. GOD's prophet, the prophesied return of the prophet Elijah, has spoken in these end times.

[@flpndrox]

@@tomrhodes1629 you know they have doctors for that.

[@joespice785]

That's the biggest issue that prevents me from voting Democrat. I can't vote for people who want to have abortion on demand.

[@trepan4944]

It speaks volumes when the only focus for that woman on the panel was which groups to ignore for the hopes of her trying to win an election.

[@Steinmetal4]

We've tried nothing, and we're all out of ideas. "Midwest is a lost cause guys. Let's just double down on pc culture and calling all white people racist. People are loving it."

[@troyadeyemi1996]

MTP needs to talk about how the Democratic Party is losing minority voters. As a black male, millennial, and a former Democrat who voted for Obama 2x, I am done voting for that party. Switched to Trump in 2016, and now consider myself a conservative.

[@trendel13]

Translation: I saw a bankrupt ex game show host grifting America and thought maybe I can exploit others too. Besides we all know that's not really you in that picture. You are probably some old white guy.

[@SeanJ2A]

Me as well, black male and millennial and I’m done with the Democrat Party. I did vote Clinton in 2016 but in 2020 voted Trump. I

[@trackmaster152002]

Pretty much. And I don't think that the Democrats always defaulting to "racism" as a smear against Republicans instead sticking to the issues is helping their cause.

[@LicardoDeBousee]

Obama even commented on when he was interviewed on how he was able to win key swing states and even turn solidly red district more or less purple to increase his margins of victory when he initially won the presidency in 2008. He said “I knew I wasn’t going to win certain districts, but if I could just lessen the amount of which I lost by, it would make all the difference.” This is the mentality democrats need to regain. Stop bastardizing rural people simply because of the generic ignorant “stereotypes” seem more important than actually meeting and talking to voters. I currently volunteer for Marcus Flowers, Democrat and Army Veteran who is running to defeat Marjorie Taylor Greene in GA’s 14th District. I live in Chattanooga, TN just over the border in what is a solidly red district. I currently deliver groceries for a living right now while I’m in school to get my paralegal certificate. The other day I was at one of the local Walmart’s and was talking to one of the pickup associates who was looking at my “Flowers for Congress” bumper sticker as he was helping me load groceries in my car. He’s an older guy, real nice. Knows me since I’m a regular at his store. He said “Brother, hear me out. I’m a life-long Republican. But if I was in his district I’d vote for him in a heartbeat over that crazy cook Majorie Taylor Greene any day of the week.” It speaks truth to the thought that yes, there are plenty of good-willed people willing to vote morality and accountability over their own party when they know those values are on the line.

[@notray4802]

Yup. Every county strategy worked wonders for Obama. It's not just about the counties you win, it's also about how much you lose the other counties by. But...Republicans may have already maxed out their margins in the rural regions in many states like Texas or Georgia

[@jonathancummings6400]

@@notray4802 Nope. Pay attention to the video, Republicans are gaining Southwestern Latino/Hispanic support. This is essential for holding onto Texas. If they keep having a majority of "White" voters and approach 50% of Latino/Hispanic voters, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for Democrats to ever flip Texas. Georgia might actually be gone, but since Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are turning "Red" that is a good trade for the Republicans. 44 electoral votes gained and only 16 lost, +28! Here's the future problem for the Democrats, the Republicans win all of the Trump 2020 states in 2024 Presidential Election, regain Arizona, flip Wisconsin, flip Michigan OR Pennsylvania, you don't need both, to win.

[@yapper58]

Obama was lagging in the polls until the real estate market collapse. That is one of the main reasons he won 2008. 2012 was won against as milquetoast an opponent as you find in Romney, who, like McCain, had no way to argue against Obama's policies without being branded a racist. Trump broke this cycle with having the luck to be running against Clinton, who did not have the personal charisma to overcome her policy defiencies the way Obama did.

[@notray4802]

@@jonathancummings6400 This is cope. Yes, Republicans are making gains with the Rio Grande Valley. But it's a numbers game. Democrats have been making large gains in the Dallas and Houston suburbs, as well as in Harris county (Houston). This vastly outnumbers any gains republicans are making in the sparsely populated southern border. Texas was closer in 2020 than Minnesota. Republicans are indeed making gains with Hispanics...RELATIVELY speaking. Compared to Romney's pitiful 2012 numbers, they've improved massively. But Bush in 2004 won 44% of Hispanics. Republicans have a long way to go to match that, if ever. You are drinking far too much partisan kool aid.

[@jonathancummings6400]

@@notray4802 35% is far away from 44%? Especially with the gains this year? Seriously? It might be more.

[@nickharmon2157]

It’s not just white rural Americans, look at south Texas. 90% Hispanic counties went republican.

[@chunpoon3398]

Interesting piece. I agree with the rest of the panel except Aimee from She the People. If Aimee is saying forget about them rural individuals since most of them are white and focus on the other minorities in rural areas, it only legitimizes those grievances and it's not conductive to being inclusive ironically. I think Aimee needs to understand you need to hear all communities regardless of type, urban, suburban, and rural. I mean that's why the land we live in is called the United States of America for a reason. Personally, if thinking and doing the strategy like Aimee keeps going it will shut out other groups of people. Then you'll run the risk of becoming more divisive than we are now to the point of the Second US Civil War will be evitable. The end result will be a group of balkanized states.

[@ajbXYZcool]

I agree. The idea is that each party should understand the issues presented by each corner of America, and then present its proposed solutions to those problems. They may come up with different solutions guided by different principles, but it definitely seems like each election cycle has had its topics narrowed time after time as they try to optimize their election spending, hence leaving out the less dense areas.

[@whazzat8015]

It's anger over loss of white privilege. So , yeah, make them feel angrier. Neither side can communicate. One knows how to organize anger.

[@johnadams1281]

Ironically, the Democrats are also losing latino voters, they've been shifting towards the GOP in increasing numbers since 2016. They've already lost the male vote, and now more working/middle America are voting for them, Latinos as well now. Democrats are in loads of trouble if they're taking advice from Aimee. Funny that they did mention how out of touch the Democrat strategists are, definitely seems to be true.

[@johnadams1281]

@@karikling7268stop watching MSNBC

[@whazzat8015]

@@johnadams1281 I've a lot of Texas Latino Dem friends. Even they are deluded as to how the Repubs here resonate with the Latino voters, even when they are openly abusing them. This is culture war territory and the Dems have not a clue.

[@pjw7269]

The people who talk for a living need the people who work for a living. Democrats have forgotten this.

[@zebulon9307]

And that´s why those workers love D. Trump? And throw their money at him? Come on!

[@Justin_in_NC]

@@zebulon9307 it’s more so that the democrats don’t represent them at all, so why not side with the other side who at least has a little in common? I’m a lifelong democrat, but we need to wake up cuz we abandoned common sense for woks ideologies and 99% of people HATE that

[@zebulon9307]

@@Justin_in_NC Justin, I hear your words but I can´t agree. If you side with the MAGA-folk, YOU have a problem, not Democrats. That complete hate-on-democrats-thing, own-the-libs, the WOKE-thing.etc. are made up by Republicans, and you know why they are doing it. No Democrat cheated in the elections, but Trump repeats that lie on and on. The same about Critical race theory, pro-life, anti-vaxx, pro gun etc.: all made up by Repubs in order to "own the libs". If you belive those lies and find them more important than, say, health insurance for all or fair taxation, or good relationship to neighbouring countries, I can´t help it. But I can tell why your 99% of WHITES hate Black Lives Matter and equal voting rights - can you? Biden has a lot of flaws, it´s true. But the Republicans, as they are today, are really dangerous. You make up your choice!

[@ZachMorris2035]

Well said

[@chasingbears7635]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5PKnHWoe9SChdEsi=pFHw3D5ojFxFz7fm

[@jdneely9939]

Iowa is a pure red state... Republican Governor, Two Republican senators, Republican lead state house... We're doin just fine, didn't shut down didn't stop schooling didn't over due mask mandates didn't get told to stay in your home. Iowa ran as usual n made it through just fine.

[@MsHashy420]

Garbage policies will do that to a party. Why are they playing stupid?

[@jlrob85]

When you only focus on city college issues, this is what you get. Majority or people care about jobs, wages and standard of living, not how many genders there are.

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

This is on both “sides”. Its media that diverts to attacking caricatures as representative of the “opposition”.

[@Yuki-qh9kg]

And the Democratic policies do that, the gop gives people a 1-2,000$ tax cut for people then calls it a day

[@markwilliamson7573]

Perfectly put...AMEN!!

[@Misaki896]

@@marshallsweatherhiking1820 one side is far louder and has greater impacts than the other.

[@juana2631]

Well said.

[@matthewwolff3729]

They lost them because they despise them.

[@teresabenson3385]

Bingo!

[@ryeguy7941]

Exactly, Dems have huge contempt for rural America because it's White. In fact every left wing party in Western countries have open hostility towards those of European descent.

[@larrypestes2205]

Racist? Xenophobic? Misoginistic? Are you kidding me? Maybe talk to some Republicans in that same area next time. Chuck you are so partisan. Are you scared to talk to the locals outside of your echo chamber?

[@lostcat9lives322]

How many Americans are you going to shoot with your A-15?

[@WindwardToEden]

13:58 She missed the point of her whole speech. "things that are changing for the good, but..." Changing for the good for who? You answered your own question. What you think may be good, may be bad for rural people. I am rural, and I see many "changes" to benefit urban areas, these are the areas with the most crime, most theft, most fraud, most policing problems, require the highest taxes, and produce very little...simply put, these people being interviewed are just as out of touch with rural America as they people they are complaining about...The one good statement I heard was "we don't hear from rural people, we just don't understand their lives." That is more true than most know.

[@schroederscurrentevents3844]

I think the state auditor had some good advice too, though he didn’t get much time.

[@adele19b3]

Areas with the most people have the most crime? Wow what a revolutionary discovery. Did you see urban areas produce very little. Your ignorance is baffling. Urban areas pay for rural areas. You can research that if you want. How idiotic of a take.

[@MrMleewilson]

"... these are the areas with the most crime, most theft, most fraud, most policing problems, require the highest taxes..." These are also the areas with almost all of the people.. So much so, if we had a straight popular vote, and a senate that was determined by population and not simply by assigning two to a state, you'd never even know rural people existed. We have this screwed up system that gives rural voters so much over representation that it distorts reality. In some cases senators in urban states represent more than 10x the number of people represented by senators in rural states, yet all the senators have the same power. And so we end up with a single senator determining who gets reviewed for the Supreme Court, and what legislation gets voted on for the whole country who is only answerable to a tiny population of people because he represents a rural state. How in the world is that fair?

[@csharp3884]

@@MrMleewilson “if we had a straight popular vote… you’d never even know rural people existed” exactly why the USA SHOULD NOT do a popular vote system. Do you think the news would even cover the issues of rural people? No. This video would not even have been made highlighting the struggle of rural communities. At least with our current system it forces politicians to listen to the rural community more. They are just as important if not more so than our urban people (rural people work the farms to get us food and work the land to get us energy and make us the #1 energy producer of the world). Certainly would not be so under a popular vote system.

[@MrMleewilson]

@@csharp3884 And why should the problems of a relative handful of people living in isolated rural areas out way the problems of hundreds of millions of people living in urban areas? Logically, it doesn't even make sense. This why Congress ignores infrastructure, information systems and internet security, housing, disease, pollution, and climate change - because these are not rural people's problems, who, because of our electoral system, are overrepresented. So these issues take a backseat to the issues that concern a minority of Americans. I don't see how that is a good thing. So why does the vote of the average rural American, who happens to be a white male, have more weight than the average urban American, who is probably a minority and probably female? And why are we ok with this? This is one of the things that CRT looks at - institutional bias within our society that favors one group over another.

[@tanjoy0205]

If the Dems had more practical solutions to problems rual folk actually cared about they may have a chance .Cool down the Progressive social stuff and increase practical solutions.

[@honkhonk8009]

Exactly. I saw a stat that said people were more inclusive of LGBTQ+ folks in 2010, than they were in 2022. Identity politics is a disease.

[@JR-wu8gf]

Doesn’t matter. Cities are getting bigger and that’s where the democrats get their votes. Rural America is getting smaller and smaller so it doesn’t make sense to get voters there. I

[@jamesbickle4912]

I live in a town of 700 in western Illinois. We have a bar and grill that we go up to once or twice a week. That is where we have met and socialize with a lot of the town's residents. There are a lot of older houses in town that don't cost much. Younger blue collar union workers buy them for their first house. One would think that because they are union, they would vote democratic. Not by a long shot. Virtually everyone that I talk to criticizes Biden. Or Hillary. There are a few liberals that come into the bar. They are in such minority that they never talk politics. With corporate media and large tech companies behind the Democrats, they are not the "party of the people" anymore. With regards to racism, I almost never hear any. It is not a factor. Branding everyone who doesn't vote Democrat a racist is very short sited. It just isn't true and turns people off from the party. I vote libertarian and think a lot more people will start going that way as an alternative to the 2 dominate parties.

[@BiteTheCurbNow]

Near the end of this piece, the reporters are assuming that because people are black, they will vote Democrat....lol

[@kenlandon6130]

Whole piece is about Democrats losing ground in rural areas and black people are a key constituency for the Democrats so...yeah they aren't going to ask black people how the GOP is doing in this segment.

[@honkhonk8009]

Its funny seeing how people assume that just because your an immigrant, your gonna vote democrat too. Republicans have no idea just how conservative/libertarian alot of immigrants are. Republican party in many ways is much more relatable to alot of immigrants than the Democrat party is. It is a genuine gold mine in terms of votes lol. Christian, and Muslim americans are some of the most conservative folks in the country. Easily could win over votes from them. Asian American stereotype is valuing work, so im surprised that with the Republicans with their "personal responsibility/workhard" motto, they only recently tried to cater to our beleifs.

[@Alexander44665]

The Republicans should absolutely cut a check to the producers of this video. This was basically a half hour advertisement for why you should vote Republican. Aimee should be our national spokeswoman.

[@beckypetersen2680]

I'm actually shocked there are so many conservatives commenting here...and I agree..this video didn't make me want to vote for the Dems.

[@mikescarlett3186]

I was a democrat till the 1990s. It was for working people. But no more! As Regan said I didn't leave the party it left me. Same here!😮😅😊

[@stevenhuffman9032]

You interviewed Democrats about why Republicans vote Republican? Seriously? Maybe you should have talked to some Republicans. Smh.

[@Buck1954]

Calling rural America "Fly-Over Country" was an outright insult.

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

Yeh but it's kinda true in many ways though. What is there really to do in rural America. Not much really hence why it often gets referred as a fly over country or state

[@disoriented1]

@@Atrail_Mckinley4786 You're correct! Some really dull, boring people with hard work and determination, over a series of decades, found 'something to do' in rural America. They created a system of productive agriculture that makes it possible for people to live in urban America and believe that the food they eat 'grows' at the supermarket.

[@dniboc7227]

Your problem Chuck is that you immediately approach this with the mindset that if you are not a Democrat something must be wrong with you. People like you are why the country is so polarized. For the media, and I mean all media it is no longer about ideas, it about what side you are on. Thats the problem.

[@heartysteer8752]

So true. Q: How come democrats lost rural america? A: Let's go talk to a bunch of rural democrats!!! What a stupid idea. And then they have the gall to claim the problem is other people are in an echo chamber!

[@damagegadget]

I will say tho I am a huge advocate of farmland and self sustainability but that contradicts consumerism

[@lostcat9lives322]

Big Agg relies on consuming artificially generated fertilizer/water. Not self-sustaining. Not even a little bit.

[@fencius]

Aimee Allison just sitting there, demonstrating exactly how the Dems lost rural America.

[@kennethadams5796]

It seems difficult for democratic leaders who haven’t missed enough meals to find empathy with rural voters

[@nickelazoyellow7360]

No one in a city ever misses a meal.

[@mpls1982]

But it's REPUBLICANS who don't support things like food assistance!!

[@lostcat9lives322]

Red states receive more fed tax money than they contribute. If it wasn't for California/New York paying the bill, you punks would starve.

[@user-qu6ij5sl1v]

@@nickelazoyellow7360 Some do but the politicians don't

[@captain4595]

Do America have rural areas?I thought that America only has cities.

[@azaleaoutdoors8109]

Look how far right Bill was compared to the current dems. The party has moved left. I voted dem until the party moved away from me.

[@josephquesnel1737]

That Aimee Allison is THE literal problem. Quite sanctimonious and exclusive in her thinking. Also, very presumptuous about how people of colour think.

[@yapper58]

Let these "opinion makers" work at a job that involves manual labor and hourly pay for, let's say, 1 year and see what occupies their attention. It isn't transgender rights or organic farming. It's having the energy to get up at 5:30 am to go and stack lumber with boards weighing anywhere from 2 pounds to 200 pounds for 8 hours in a shed that is open to the heat and cold. It's deciding how to spend a paycheck that buys less and less. It's finding someone to watch the kids when you work swing shift at the plant. I understand less than 2% of present members of Congress has ever worked at a job involving manual labor...EVER. I expect the legacy news media is much the same. There is your disconnect...idiots.

[@samuelrosslee408]

So, Trump has worked in or under the conditions you described? No. The world has become increasingly complex, both Democrats and Republicans know this. The difference is Republicans are willing to lie to you and give you a Fox News view of the world. Democrats are less willing to do so, trying to bring you along with a changing world and getting the best from it.

[@yapper58]

@@samuelrosslee408 What makes you think I support or voted for Trump? I chose 3rd party the last 2 elections (I don't even remember who) as a personal rebuttal to the choices the 2 main political parties have given us. I thought Biden would be an even worse President than Trump and I'm thinking the evidence so far proves me right. As for Democrats being "less willing" to lie to me and other voters; after Russia-gate, lockdowns, uncontrolled borders, inflation, incoherent speeches and general incompetence of our present adminstration's "experts" I can but laugh at your assertion...when I'm not crying.

[@lostcat9lives322]

Do you think the pigmessiah has worked a day in his life? I'll admit he does spread a lot of manure. Is that how you like it?

[@yapper58]

@@lostcat9lives322 I bow to your obviously superior intellect and debating skills backed by rational arguments and historical knowledge. (In case you are wondering, I'm being sarcastic...snicker.)

[@Geotpf]

Why does performing manual labor mean that Democrats shouldn't support trans rights?

[@EricThePioneer]

The Aimee person is exactly what is wrong with the Democrat party. The entire point of this video is about how to regain the rural parts of the country but she spends all her time basically saying "F" them and lets focus on niche identity groups...uhhh HELLO!? that is what got you here in the first place! Even when all other people on the panel were like nah that aint gonna work she still doubled down smh. The Democratic party has become the biggest recruiters for the Republican party how poetic.

[@Kilamanjaro009]

You can't care about democracy and appeal to rural america at the same time. Stop dancing around it.

[@LadyJay114]

I'm a Black woman of color living in the bluest part of the country (NYC) and people like Aimee Allison INFURIATE me. The reason why Democrats lose is that their focus should be POCKETBOOK ISSUES, not the ethnicity of the voters. Also, its apparent that Allison and her ilk never do this thing called MATH. Rural districts with Black/Brown voters are too small to make a difference in elections. In order to win, you have to get a decent percentage of White rural voters or its going to be difficult to win. And Dems are now risking losing suburban America (a section they are actually gaining) because of wokeness & victim ideology, which is a huge turnoff for people of color in surburbia who are successful and don't want to be labeled victims.

[@teresabenson3385]

Thank you for this!

[@joespice785]

This is a fair analysis.

[@Skaarxiong1]

Victims, aren't we all?

[@rhisavbora2975]

Amy Alison angered me.. Clair presented good points..

[@tonitoniitoniii5624]

That Aimee lady got on my nerves. She's banking on women of color and I'm sorry, that's not going to make a big difference. I've typically voted democratic in the past but republican is looking better. I'm not a Trump fan but I'm definitely rethinking democrats.

[@RealJackHQ]

Democrats have a big problem regarding bread and butter issues. They could fix that in multiple ways. Here's a few suggestions: --Democrats must get a handle on the amount of fraud that took place with COVID relief (some estimate it to be $400 billion) and return it (however they decide to do it) to who rightfully deserved that money back. --Democrats must focus more attention towards nuclear power development to ensure that oil and coal companies do not have the last say as it pertains to energy, which will only keep rising sea levels and droughts abundant for the near future. They should also focus energy towards hydrogen powered vehicles instead of electric power vehicles (since electric power vehicles require more metal to be mined, which makes these cars cost more and is more costly to the environment--bad for both consumer and regular citizen). This would help with gas prices that could potentially rise in future events besides COVID-19. Perhaps there's a way right now where the government could make it easier for people to trade in their current car for a higher quality hybrid car. --Democrats must focus more attention towards regulatory power rather than spending power. There does need to be some raising of taxes to help pay off the national debt we have and to make proactive environmental investments for our future, but we can retool all governments. The goal should be to improve the environment of the private sector, not just put more resources towards programs. For example, we could regulate banks to ensure they provide more funds to worker cooperative startups (to help give workers more respect) and consumer cooperative startups (to help speed up innovation with products), but we do not have raise billions in tax money to accomplish that goal. Citizens can keep that money. Another example would be by improving setting new standards within public schools so that children can retain information better. Start the school day for school kids, for example, at 9:30 AM, then parents can pick them up at 6:30 PM (after rush hour has passed). That's a full nine hours of schooling that would also include children doing their homework at school, so that they're not bogged down with homework when they come home, while still retaining important information for the next day. These are some of the regulations that would make public schools compete better with private schools. I relate to your post because I have been favoring voting for the GOP favorite James Craig for Michigan's governor this November, although I voted for Democrat Gretchen Whitmer the first time out. I think he would be more open minded to tax cut relief and cutting government waste. Plus, I say this even though I'm not sure that Craig will be as open hearted as he could be on social issues regarding the protection of the environment, protecting rights of transgender children, the right to have an abortion (especially for women who are at high risk of mortality), making it easier to vote, making it less palatable to owning a gun, as well as when it pertains to issues of criminal justice such as stricter police training (he took issue with Ohio officers having to train more than 500 hours [www.michiganradio.org/news/2021-10-12/james-craig-officer-chief-of-dpd], which would translate to a little over 3 and half months before taking a job regarding public safety), as well as implementing more community service and house arrest policies instead of simply locking people up in jail or holding people up in jail before a trial. Although Craig has been a very good police chief for the city of Detroit in terms of public safety, I know that the city like any other city in America does not want to have a punitive government forever. However, Gretchen Whitmer could have been more nuanced regarding school policy during the pandemic (at least mandate schools to conduct hybrid schooling for students instead of all-virtual learning) and I do believe there was data that was hidden regarding nursing home deaths by her administration regarding admitting COVID positive seniors just as there was with New York's health department when Andrew Cuomo was governor. However, she has been focusing attention on repealing the retirement tax and she did prevent other outsiders from making the situation within nursing homes worse. She has wanted to implement childcare in the state (which will help relieve other federal taxpayers if the federal government plans to use tax dollars to pay for childcare), and I have seen roads being repaired. She did veto a suspension to the gas tax, but yet, she did it because it wouldn't go into effect until next year. But yet, she could certainly come up with an idea of her own. Overall, I'm just like you. I'm still thinking this through. Right now I'm just Independent.

[@karthikeyannataraj3786]

She made my blood boil and I'm not even american :)

[@tonitoniitoniii5624]

@@blakejohnson3864 She said democrats should rely on women of color. My point is that strategy is not enough to win when the rural folks are flipping to republican.

[@tonitoniitoniii5624]

@@blakejohnson3864 Again, depending on more women of color won't make a big difference

[@tonitoniitoniii5624]

@@blakejohnson3864 I know that women of color alone did not do it

[@SuperArtarded]

Not a single policy discussed, only race and gender. What a video.

[@taj__]

I'm not even American but I'm so intrested in US politics

[@arnaumaureliapeidro2485]

ME TOO

[@taj__]

@@generalvanman8270 no it's not Dude it's far better than 80% of the world I believe

[@taj__]

@@arnaumaureliapeidro2485 yup

[@ernst91]

Rent free.

[@rareroots]

They lost it with the help of this news station

[@sprint429]

This reminds me why the electoral college still works well today. It protects the little guy. In this case, it’s rural America and all the crops and staples that we produce and consume to sustain our livelihoods. Rural and urban America would be in a scary place if we weren’t electing leaders to stand behind our farmers.

[@admirationlakes8994]

corporate farmers or small farmers? because in California we've done a really good job at making things near impossible (or, in some counties outright impossible) for the small farmer.

[@sprint429]

Small farmers.

[@desertsoldier41]

@@admirationlakes8994 Thats because California is a corporatist cesspool that has lobbied for laws that pushed out competition. In rural states any such politician would be hung.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

The Dems are just going to have to find a candidate who wears a pair of overalls and can talk about the weather like he has actually had an outdoor job …

[@christopherlane5238]

The dems need to speak truth louder than the repubs lie.

[@sallysimpson872]

In PA we found Fetterman. He's a candidate for senate. He fits the bill. He's a bit rough around the edges but we'll educated however to look at him you'd never know it. He was our Lt governor and mayor in one our towns. He's proven himself. He's the real deal.

[@markbole2496]

@@christopherlane5238 just censor whatever repubs say. it worked last time.

[@리주민]

16:00 That lady saying we need to ignore the white people and focus on the ethnically diverse. Wow. Imagine if a white person had said that we need to ignore all those black people (who make up only 13% of the population) and focus on the white people (which are ethnically diverse too-Irish, German, English, ukrainian). Racism goes both ways. Ps: the very weak rebuttal (which didn't even mention what I just did) also shows why NBC had lost viewers to right-wing media like Fox over the years.

[@JustinBroce-po4rw]

@@리주민the white people are ethnically diverse, but consider themselves more importantly as WHITE, African Americans call themselves Black because they don't KNOW WHERE THEY originate from...but the nuance would likely be lost on you, because it all about "what about ism"

[@TheCommunistColin]

It's because the Democratic Party stopped caring about organized labor. There's a reason Bernie Sanders consistently was one of Republican voters' most respected Democratic candidates, because he talks about the bread and butter issues that affect the rural poor. NAFTA, the dismantling of unions, and the shipping of jobs overseas killed Democratic support in the countryside, and upper middle class suburban donors in the outskirts of big cities became who the Democratic Party pandered to for financial support and votes. Republicans, for their part, did an incredible job of converting people's destroyed lives into anger at innocent minorities, and convincing the rural poor to vote against their best interests. The rural and urban populations of America have far more in common with each other than they do with either the greedy hatemongers in the Republican Party or the feckless corrupt neoliberals in the Democratic Party.

[@anthonymendoza1327]

Bingo!

[@ea42455]

Aimee Allison... Completely out of touch with rural America (white or Black). I'm a 67 year old Democrat liberal that lives in the rural south (think McConnell... 'fraid so). I voted for local candidates in the last presidential election, but didn't cast a vote for president. In this past Tuesday's primary election I voted for no one beyond state legislative office. Could not bring myself to vote for any of the Democrat candidates to challenge Mitch, but oh Lord, I wish I could have. As it currently stands I don't foresee ever voting for a Democrat national office holder again. And unless our current Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear essentially divorces himself and the state Democrat party from the national party agenda (but won't happen), then he's gonna' be a lame duck.

[@jamesgrimsey8865]

it is well known that small town america is dying, I think because corporations are taking over all of agriculture. So why should anyone care? it is a smaller and smaller part of the pie. they already have an outsized influence in politics

[@elainegoad9777]

As long as corporations are recognized as people they control the congress and the peasants have to work someplace to survive

[@ajrimmer7231]

You got that right. Large Agricultural Cartels are ruining rural America and small family owned farms, which is why the right-wing corporate smear machine is working overtime to hoodwink these voters into blaming left-leaning urban dwellers, further dividing America for their own benefit.

[@kimhunter8395]

You are correct. Giant, corporate factory farms destroy local environments and economies. They buy up small farms and let all the houses and building fall down. They cut every single tree down, pile them and burn them so they can plant more corn. Corn damages soil and ground water if grown continually. Makes life for few hold outs miserable.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

The Democrats should care because every state no matter its population has 2 senators and that for the most part electoral votes are winner take all.

[@mpls1982]

Because those places get to vote in senators.

[@danieferreira9094]

The Dems arrogance about getting the turnout is astounding. Claire is correct. The dems need to pay more attention to rural America, while maintaining their turnouts in suburban and urban America.

[@lostcat9lives322]

Wrong. "Rural America" needs to quit worshiping the pigmessiah.

[@-Down-D-Stairs-]

Dems are losing the suburban vote too though. They can't win with just the urban vote.

[@thomasgrabkowski8283]

The thing is urban and rural values are often conflicted with each other. As their vote share fell in rural areas, their vote share gained in the cities

[@SeanJ2A]

@@thomasgrabkowski8283 This is 100% correct. It’s like trying to pander to the Black Panther Party and The KKK, they have completely different outlooks and views.

[@ericsniper9843]

@@SeanJ2A Do you just compare the Black Panther Party to a terrorist organization created to maintain White Supremacy?

[@latinolawdog5067]

This one is pretty easy. Modern Democrats completely look down on anybody who doesn’t live on the coasts, and freely admit it. They flat out say that the urban centers should control all elections and that rural voices shouldn’t be heard (I.e. they support a simple majority vote and despise the electoral college). Democrats are the party of elite whites and minorities (who they use as a means to an end.) It’s not hard to figure out why middle America won’t vote for them. Not only have they lost touch with the common American, they’re actually proud of it.

[@wildshepherd5918]

Nafta. That’s why. If the dems actually did care about workers back then it never would have happened. Easily understandable, not mentioned in this at all.

[@user-qu6ij5sl1v]

Shhhhhh we were supposed to be too dumb and confusey by book larnin to identify the actual problem.

[@honkhonk8009]

Yeah I heard abt that. Im Canadian myself, and it would genuienly be nice to be in NAFTA, but selling out blue collar americans in favour of other countries, is just plain stupid. Americans want blue collar jobs. Not every city is sanfrancisco, where everyone has some office job. Sometimes it would be nice to have Mexico turn into a china-tier superpower through manufacturing, but at the same time, really??

[@mitchgarbeno3788]

Rural America? You mean most of America. This is more widespread the rural.

[@coreyham3753]

Really .... delusional MAGA as usual. You must be mathematically challenged since Biden got 81 million votes to Chump's 74 million. Hmmmmm.... what grade did you graduate from? Maybe you need to go back to school.

[@Cika044]

🤣😂😭😭 that's what I was thinkin earlier.. this is blasphemy

[@recompile]

Reality disagrees.

[@trendel13]

You mean geographically most of America. Not population wise.

[@Cika044]

@@trendel13 approval ratings in the 30s.. I definitely don't mean geographically and most certainly population-wise

[@jpvoodoo5522]

They never had rural America in my lifetime. Quite frankly, they don't care.

[@rageface101]

I’ve never been registered as a Republican, I used to be registered as a Democrat, but no more. The primary reason: I was pushed away because of the increasingly hostile rhetoric about people like me. I come from a rural area in Colorado, I’m white, I’m straight, I’m working class, and I’m part of the gender of savages (I’m male). Did I forget to mention I’m inherently racist, sexist, toxic, and a bigot? I’ve seen some other comments here about How government used to be based on a dichotomy of “aristocrats versus the populists” but now it’s just saturated with culture war topics/ideas, strong-armed by the woke left. Based on what I’ve heard here, the Democrats are starting to understand it… maybe. And they need to because, did I mention, I also believe in curbing global warming and environmental issues. I care about socializing healthcare. I care about codifying abortion rights. No party is truly the one I subscribe to but only one is demonizing me.

[@crismcdonough2804]

Or maybe you're just too sensitive. Why do you care so much about what total strangers think of you?

[@joespice785]

@@crismcdonough2804 Because our leaders are standing up on a national podium and describing us this way. Same goes with Hollywood and the media. It's not "total strangers" when national figures are constantly labeling you as the enemy.

[@garrettolson5516]

claire is why dems have lost over the past 20 years. derp.

[@lizr87]

To the lady at 13:48 saying: "You're economies only work now due to tax dollars". Maybe they don't like that! Ever thought of that? Maybe they don't want their economies to run on tax dollars, they'd rather work for a living. Geeze Lady. Edit: The focus on race and hating on "white people" in this is a huge turn off... seriously, I'm about to turn it off.

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

This video looks at the current political situation, not how we got to this situation.

[@hillsane9262]

That's dangerous!

[@Richardcardiel-xs2yl]

What we need to do, is pass mandatory term limits for congress and the senate.

[@Eric-yp9nc]

please sign the Convention of States petition in your state...this grassroots organization is trying to invoke term limits by utilizing Article V of the US Constitution....check it out!

[@Richardcardiel-xs2yl]

@@Eric-yp9nc, thanks Eric.

[@hanleyalexandre7815]

Why is it because i am blk i have to vote DEMOCRAT i refuse to go back as a democrat being a conservative is the BETTER pick.

[@blyt5046]

One thing you have to realize is that there’s a difference between looking out for minorities urban environment and looking out for them in a rural area. The problem with America and its politics is one size will never ever ever fit all. in the rural parts of America it’s mostly white in the urban parts of America it’s mostly minorities. What you fail to realize is that the cities like New York City and los angeles these are cities that carry the United States because that’s where the money isThey carry small towns like in Iowa, and Kentucky. take a look at how the taxes are split up. i’m sure you have a lot more minorities working in urban areas than you do and small town rural areas. again I say one size will never fit all.

[@desertdetroiter428]

Facts!

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

@Bryan Kirby I'd say you're right.

[@roxaskinghearts]

Ohio what kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJvYmmWgiM2Bl9k hey ohio buddy watch the video and repent you godless brainless sociopaths rott in the abyss if you vote republican your godlessbrainless sociopaths end of story

[@thomasjackson2223]

I live in a big city. There is not a majority of people of color.

[@thomasjackson2223]

@Bryan Kirby The undocumented Mexicans who do all the work?