Thursday, November 18, 2010

The values of rural voters


This week's Capital Press editorial explains why rural voters largely rejected the Obama-Reid-Pelosi triumvirate.

A snippet:

People who wager their livelihood on the weather and the markets each growing season don't run scared every time the economy tanks. They deal with the issues up close and personal every day, and they have a clear understanding of the facts.

They are not against government. Even the most conservative farmer or rancher understands that there are a few big things government does well -- defense, air traffic control and law enforcement, for instance. They are against a big, intrusive government that reaches into the smallest aspects of their lives.

They resist unreasonable rules and regulations formulated by unelected and unseen functionaries. They resent the patronizing paternalism of the nanny state.

Rural voters are unwilling to surrender their independence. They don't want a government that dictates what they should eat, what they should think, what they should do with their own property. They are tired of the arrogance of a ruling class that assumes Washington bureaucrats know better than the rest of us how we should live.

The elite might say it's simplistic, but farmers and ranchers really do expect a legislator to read and understand those 2,000-page pieces of legislation before voting "yes." It's just common sense.

The upshot:

Many farmers and ranchers still unapologetically believe in America's exceptionalism. To them this is still a special place, where great things happen. It's a country where people of the most humble origins can make something of themselves if they are willing to work hard. They believe in providing a helping hand to those in need, but balk at creating ever larger groups dependent on entitlements.

Farmers and ranchers are the epitome of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Faith in themselves, and in the grace of God, drive them to plant the next crop, raise their families and provide stewardship for the resources in their care. And rather than bitterly clinging to these values, they happily embrace them as the guiding force of their lives.

Candidates who hold similar values earn their support.

1 comment:

Michael Lewallen, AIA said...

What a bunch of crap. Stewards of the land, yes some are the majority?

It is government interference that allows the products they grow or raise be safe enough to send to market; hormones, pesticides, herbicides, contaminated slaughter practice, milk production, on and on.

It is government that protects the streams and waterways from complete degradation, so communities downstream have water to drink or fish to catch.

It is government that gives billions upon billions of dollars to farmers, & dairy production. What about the range land that is leased and used at cost impossible if the land had to be purchased on the "free" market.

It is the government who subsidized irrigation districts, electric districts across the country.

It is the government which try's to keep in chack the predatory banks and large corporate "farms".


on and on.

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