Let's capture the heartland!

[Eye See You]

So the latest dig by Howie Dean aimed at the Republican Party is
that Fox news is a GOP propaganda machine. Oh really? I didn't know
that! No shit? (Sarcasm). You got to wonder why does Bush have any
supporters at all? I thought about it and here is what I came up
with. Most of his support comes from the heartland. Most people in
the Great Plains are white farmers who are not political junkies who
watch CSPAN or listen to Pacifica radio. They believe in the
Protestant work ethic and do not spend a lot of time parked in front
of their T.V. sets. They are up at the crack of dawn and work to
sunset. Most don't even have cable or satellite TV. They have
regular free TV, you know? The type of TV you need antenna for. The
most TV stations you get are maybe 2 or 3, if you’re lucky. That is why
the right wants to get rid of PBS. PBS reaches most of the heartland
and the GOP does want these people to get another point of view. God
forbid if they do. These farmers will drive their beat up old pick
up trucks and listen to AM talk radio or country music. The only
talk show they hear is of the right wing variety. Occasionally they
will read the local paper, which is Conservative. They watch network
news at night and not learn anything. Most of these farmers do not
have Internet access. They use computers for accounting. Then they
go to church on Sunday and their pastor is promoting the Neo-Con
agenda. These salt of the earth people are not stupid, just not well
informed. Believe it or not, the heartland use to be a hotbed of
left wing activity back in the 30's. Now it's an isolated region of
poor white people who are lied to. Say what you want about Air-
America but it a vital counter-point to Republican bull shit. This
is the last bastion of a right wing stronghold and if Bushes
opponents want to demolish Bushes support, they must work against
him in the so-called red states.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Enronscam/

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I say lets go after the heartland and the south

[Tux]

2. I say

Let them rot. They are so full of ignorance, it'll take generations to get them up to speed with the rest of society and the world. Many act as though it's the 1800's. Time to drop them, move forward, and if they want to keep up, they have to run. If they want to live in the past, let them. They are only holding back progress and democracy.

[losdiablosgato]

4. You are wrong

Without at least winning a few southern states it is almost impossible for us to win the Whitehouse.

[meganmonkey]

5. Can you say 'sweeping generalization'?

"Let them rot. They are so full of ignorance"

Who is 'They', exactly?

[Qanisqineq]

17. Act as though it's the 1800's?

That is so ridiculous I can't even be offended.

The whole post is just utterly ridiculous. Yeah, we can't wait to get some of that electricity we've been hearing so much about! We don't know nothing except going out with our oxen and plowing the field, planting our wheat, and making sure our women are home cooking and cleaning.

Retarded.

Edit: By the way, I lived in Kentucky (I see from your profile you live there) for a short time and I would say it fits your description much more than the Heartland. But I would still never say what you said about KY.

[Tux]

18. Sheesh

I tell it like I see it and people get upset. Too bad. I was used to an area that allowed thought. Here, everything is faith based. Wasn't too bad till the Nov elections but now, it sucks. Little fish magnets everywhere. Baptists vs Baptists when new churches are built. I still hear people complain about evolution. A neighbor bugs me over Christian stuff especially how I have to agree with the Pope because gays can't get married, abortion is evil but screw jobs. Can't destroy good jobs to replace them with cooking jobs instead fast enough. One more Bush-Cheney sticker and I'll go off on these fools. I can't even go to B&N without some nut trying to turn me to the fundie side.

The south is important for elections but not for anything else. They're too far gone. When evolution creates heated debates and hold up lines in Best Buy, time to let them go their own way.

And yes, that is how I see that south as I live in KY for a 2nd time. First time in eastern KY. Once fundie employers allow non-Christians to attend grad school and not mess with schedules over it till they attend a certain church, my view won't change.

[Qanisqineq]

19. Hey, I understand your experiences

but I thought the original post was about the Heartland -- everywhere I've lived, the Heartland refers to part of the Midwest and the Great Plains states. I was talking about there, not the South. I've been to the deep South a couple times and I lived in Kentucky (near Louisville) for a short time. I don't know too much about those areas.

I tell it like I see it, too. And that's what I was doing.

[Tux]

21. Sorry

I overgeneralized but I'm surrounded by freepers and freaks. Hell, it's hard to even get a job through a temp agency. This is nuts. American Dream® is dead in the south.

[DrGonzoLives]

24. Becuase clearly

What you experience in one place applies everywhere that isn't California, New York, or New England. Moron.

[Roland99]

3. Ever drive around in rural areas?

Satellite dishes galore.

Plus, people have PCs, too, you know.

Granted there are some who aren't "wired" but they aren't going to care one way or another.

[MuseRider]

6. Not so fast.

These people are going broke working 16 hour days. You try living the life that these people live and then want to spend your few hours of free time on the internet. In their trucks and in their tractors 90% of many, many days and there is no Air America out here. Nothing but RW radio.

Just because one can't afford to be "wired" does not mean they do not care.

[Roland99]

7. I know many people in rural areas of Kentucky, including family.

You're trying to push a stereotype that is far too generalizing.

[MuseRider]

8. HAHA

I AM a farmer. I know what I am speaking of, this is NOT a generalization.

Perhaps the farmers where you are are a little better off than they are here but I am telling you about the people here and not making any kind of generalization at all.

[Roland99]

10. My aunt and uncle have satellite TV and they manage a farm.

They even have dial-up internet access.


My mom and stepdad have satellite TV and they live 45 min. outside of town, sandwiched between farms on either side. I see dishes on rooftops, on poles next to houses, etc. everywhere.

[MuseRider]

11. That is fine and I believe

you but out here it is much different. Besides that, is there really a lot of good news by satellite or is it much the same of what we get with cable? Out here the satellites are used for local TV stations and mostly because there is very little TV watching going on. If you can't pick up anything with an antenna, and out not too far you can't, you need it for weather and local news.

I am not trying to be contrary but in this part of the country it is very different. Then again, I am talking about the few family farmers left. Out west not too much farther than I am there are not any family farms left, or not many anyway. Mostly it is people working for the man. I have no idea what they are doing. I would think they would be the most likely to switch over to the Democratic party.

Seriously here, it is very difficult to find anyone who actually has the time to look past the normal news that they get while in their trucks, barns or tractors. Nobody around here knows what the hell is going on. I mean it is really very sad and any mention of the smallest of issues gets a wave and a walk off. It isn't that they do not care really, I think mostly they have given up and they know that what they do or want really means nothing to anyone but themselves.

[Roland99]

13. Perhaps take a proactive approach with them.

(can't believe used the word proactive. :) )

Get at least one to order a subscription to the NY Times or the WaPo. They have national versions. At least it's something to run counter to the crap on AM radio. And, if one person does it and they get one person and on down the line....

[TheFarseer]

23. yes

they don't have much money, but they find the cash for that dish

[htuttle]

9. Did the Great Lakes states get kicked out of the 'Heartland'?

Seems like since MN, WI,IL and MI started voting blue all the time, nobody considers us in the 'Heartland' anymore. The 'Heartland' has shifted west and south in the media's definition, apparently...

[downwitbush]

14. I live in the "heartland" and to be honest

I dont think the problem is that we are uninformed. Of course that could be because i live in a city but consider this...all of north dakota's congressman are democrats, yet we voted Bush. We voted Bush probably because the majority of people didn't trust Kerry. He looked a little too "northern" for them. I think the key to winning the heartland is to find someone who is a little more charismatic to them.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

15. Hi downwitbush!

Welcome to DU! :-)

[yebrent]

12. Don't forget The West!!!

New Mexico, Montana and Nevada are all in play.

[Qanisqineq]

16. Is this really how America views us heartlanders?

I grew up on a farm. Most farmers I've seen are NOT driving old crappy pick-up trucks -- if they are, that is their "field" truck. Most everyone has satellite or cable. Many, many people have computers and internet access. Hell, even my 75 year old grandmother living in a tiny Great Plains town has a computer and internet. And where I grew up, the churches are mostly Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Catholic. I've never heard a Lutheran or a Presbyterian pastor spout neocon talking points.

I think part of the problem is the democrats just ignore us! Sure, there are other reasons they vote republican but it isn't so easy as "they are un-informed". North Dakota has two democratic senators and their one representative is a democrat. How come?

[CAG]

20. "Most are farmers"

statement in the original post demonstrates the misconceptions of those on the left who are on the coasts. It demonstrates that ignorance is nationwide, not only in the heartland.

I've got news for those of you on the coasts:
Most of us in the heartland aren't farmers
Most in the heartland have cable/satellite
Most of us do NOT listen to right wing radio (no time; workin' hard)
Most in the heartland are online
Most of us are Christian, but unfortunately, many have become brainwashed into the christian right fold where evidently Jesus somewhere taught the benefits of unbridled capitalism.
Most of us (shocker) do wear shoes!

[4BunnyMon]

22. Oklahoma Rural Demographics

In CD2 Oklahoma (the only Blue District), farming is a predominant but declining rural occupation. In Cherokee County, full time farm income for more than 50% of family farmers is under $10,000 annually. Farming is becoming a subsidized activity. Why? Vertical integration of the protein market and overregulation of farm products, compliments of the giant corporations like Tyson, Con-Agra, Seaboard, etc. It is illegal to sell your neighbor a chicken if you do not deliver it hand-to-hand to the ultimate consumer's family member. Raw milk? FDA discourages it, and states overregulate it too.

In my county, the bluest voters are the ones living on less than $10,000 per worker per year (except, the hispanics who are replacing them are Republicans). In rural Oklahoma, there is a 'connectivity' gap. There is a presumption of good faith toward the President. There is a declination to complain. Farmers here think of Farm Bureau as their political affiliation. They think of Tyson as their champion in the political system. And they are very at-risk on Farm Bill appropriations, because Small farms are fading fast. And these are over 55-year old folks with no retirement nest egg except being debt-free and owning land they can sell in a pinch. There are no new farmers... very very few. These are folks who have no hope of livelihood in any other occupation. They'll be subsistence farmers when the markets have totally dried up...when chicken is outsourced to China. They will say or do whatever their bosses tell them... Farm Bureau and the integrators who are their sole buyers under exclusive contract.