I have spent a great amount of time in the past 20 years reading books that I believed would make sense of how the great political divide developed. There are presumed givens that the Electoral College and the Senate of the United States favor conservatives and are lesser democratic institutions of our government. Obviously a popular vote count representing one vote per citizen would be a more pure system than the college system. The Senate favors land mass over population representation, another less than ideal institution. It is a pipe dream that either of these will change in the future as it behooves Republicans to keep the status quo.
“White Rural Rage” — a book by Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman — is a treasure trove of interviews, polls and professional research that delves into the reasons that rural white voters have such an outsize sway over attitudes and elections. Geographic isolation and economic stagnation play big roles here, but the feedback loop of conservative media and conservative politicians take advantage by stoking fear and resentment to garner votes and retain their power play. What was once considered coastal liberalism versus the “big flyover” or middle of the country has morphed into urban versus rural conflict and seems to be the situation we have earned.
The authors offer no ideal solution to quelling the great divide. They do however, suggest more recognition of the uniqueness of rural problems and laughingly suggest rural folk get better Republicans! Having viewed so many local Republican commercials blasting liberal walls with sledge hammers and waving assault weapons in the air, the comment just seems spot on.
Horst Holstein, Salt Lake City
