General Discussion

Bohunk68

(1,364 posts)

76. Very familiar to me.

Sun Oct 25, 2015, 07:11 AM

Oct 2015

I live in the country, poor. Struggling. I serve my local community on the county level by being on the Senior Council and doing things there. I see a LOT of the problems for seniors in the country. We feel like the old saying, red-headed step-children. No hurtful intent meant. The benefits available can have connected costs and often, enormous repetitious paperwork that has to be done annually. The paperwork alone is a major PITA. It's frustrating. I love living in the country. Right now, the trees are beautiful and soon, the snows of winter will be upon us, bringing beauty while at the same time, I will get an email that a senior needs fuel help and that the Council's Discretionary Fund is the last resort.

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Highlight:

Why the Left Isn’t Talking About Rural American Poverty [View all] KamaAina Oct 2015 OP

Must read. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #1

Around here (Appalachia), the rural poor are right-wing Republicans. Odd, but true. SharonAnn Oct 2015 #51

That's because they don't know any better because no one talks to them. Jesse Jackson kelliekat44 Oct 2015 #55

Well, there's also the fact that our party walked away from unions and labor. X_Digger Oct 2015 #92

given the choice between... lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #58

You barely hear politicians on the left talk about poverty at all. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2015 #2

And when you do, it's John Edwards. KamaAina Oct 2015 #3

The last time I heard "poverty" mentioned in the 2008 campaign, bvar22 Oct 2015 #9

It hit us pretty hard at DU KamaAina Oct 2015 #10

Yes. I know. I was disgusted, bvar22 Oct 2015 #12

John Edwards was a co-sponsor of the IWR. He also stood on stages and preached about his own Bluenorthwest Oct 2015 #14

Who else said that very same thing and WORSE, bvar22 Oct 2015 #15

actually edwards was worse since he brought himself up as being better JI7 Oct 2015 #41

Quibbling over very minor perceptions. bvar22 Oct 2015 #80

not really. edwards is a hypocrite JI7 Oct 2015 #87

Not sure what other people have to do with John Edwards being a self inflating hypocrisy balloon. Bluenorthwest Oct 2015 #88

I didn't call for him to be drummed out of the race KamaAina Oct 2015 #16

Were JFK and FDR also "sleazeballs? bvar22 Oct 2015 #21

Sorry, I don't go back quite that far KamaAina Oct 2015 #29

Why does that matter? bvar22 Oct 2015 #83

Marriage vows are not at issue here. KamaAina Oct 2015 #84

they didn't claim to be morally better as edwards did JI7 Oct 2015 #44

Neither did they father a child out of wedlock. KamaAina Oct 2015 #47

worse was denying the child was his JI7 Oct 2015 #50

"Billie Jean" should have been his campaign song KamaAina Oct 2015 #64

Elizabeth's cancer returned in 2007 TexasBushwhacker Oct 2015 #68

"serious" candidates reddread Oct 2015 #71

I think John E. was a total shit. I regret my initial support of him andmy continued support CTyankee Oct 2015 #38

I know, I know KamaAina Oct 2015 #48

I still don't regret supporting him hfojvt Oct 2015 #56

But then why support a candidate that blatantly betrays that platform? CTyankee Oct 2015 #69

You cannot betray a platform hfojvt Oct 2015 #73

But did he really? I supported the platform he said he was running on, too... CTyankee Oct 2015 #75

Edwards joined a hedge fund to learn about poverty. And what has he done about it JI7 Oct 2015 #40

I don't remember that being the reason hfojvt Oct 2015 #54

Then your not paying attention...... Historic NY Oct 2015 #59

Edwards was my guy. I don't hate him now or then. He talked about the 99 % before OCCUPY WALL STRE SammyWinstonJack Oct 2015 #60

his wife? HE TRIED TO SCREW US! reddread Oct 2015 #70

It matters to us because it speaks to John Edward's character. NobodyHere Oct 2015 #85

They seem to be deeply afraid of using the word POOR. ananda Oct 2015 #49

Whereas the Right talks about those lazy, underserving schucks with their hands in the Hortensis Oct 2015 #4

You are confused. Hortensis Oct 2015 #5

+1 eShirl Oct 2015 #74

Indeed, anything lower than middle class seems too impolite for public speaking n/t arcane1 Oct 2015 #8

The poor in the cities actually have it better than the rural poor. LiberalArkie Oct 2015 #6

I think you are correct that cities have more resources for jwirr Oct 2015 #24

Dunno, seems about even Warpy Oct 2015 #52

Very familiar to me. Bohunk68 Oct 2015 #76

K & R historylovr Oct 2015 #7

keep voting for republicans nad nothing much will change nt msongs Oct 2015 #11

medicare for all, college for all, strengthening social security, raising the minimum wage, Warren Stupidity Oct 2015 #13

The rural poor are one of America's cursed groups AZ Progressive Oct 2015 #17

"Especially the rednecks. They are too stupid to vote for their own interests" CBGLuthier Oct 2015 #67

The left nowadays is primarily concentrated in large cities. Why would they care about rural poverty? AZ Progressive Oct 2015 #18

I think that this attitude toward rural poor started when this jwirr Oct 2015 #25

Small family farms certainly don't offer enough for the New Democrat to be concerned with but the liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #45

You are right there. They are as much a corporation as the jwirr Oct 2015 #46

The "Intelligence Level" is not the problem. bvar22 Oct 2015 #82

Poverty, schmoverty. They have white privilege. Comrade Grumpy Oct 2015 #19

Right! The only white privilege a poor white family has is that jwirr Oct 2015 #26

Owning houses via generational transfer is a privilege that has been largely reserved loyalsister Oct 2015 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Oct 2015 #32

yes they do. they don't have to deal with thug cops the way JI7 Oct 2015 #43

You haven't lived in many poor white areas, have you? Comrade Grumpy Oct 2015 #63

Depends on what you define as Left. If you mean the Democratic Party then yes. liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #20

The rural poor seem to always vote against their own self interest. Vinca Oct 2015 #22

Chicken and egg; what have the Democrats done for them? frizzled Oct 2015 #23

I am one of the rural poor. Social Security, Food Stamps, jwirr Oct 2015 #27

they ARE voting their interest if their interest is god guns etc JI7 Oct 2015 #42

I hadn't thought of that. Guns, guns, guns. Vinca Oct 2015 #78

sometimes i think bernie might with his income inequality stuff....but no he doesn't go there dembotoz Oct 2015 #30

True he could say the words poverty more but his policy positions of single payer health care, liberal_at_heart Oct 2015 #33

Entrenched conservatism. moondust Oct 2015 #31

This. Do the rural poor vote for liberals? treestar Oct 2015 #37

Short answer: Because Bobby was slain. WinkyDink Oct 2015 #34

ding ding ding ding Chitown Kev Oct 2015 #72

It's probably best that they don't at this point Lee-Lee Oct 2015 #35

K&R nt Live and Learn Oct 2015 #36

See, I don't feel this way at all. I feel poverty of any race of Americans is a disgrace. CTyankee Oct 2015 #39

Well said. Rural poor have been abandoned for decades, many turned right but not all. appalachiablue Oct 2015 #53

think the gop politics of fear would resonate well with them dembotoz Oct 2015 #57

Good points esp. about much needed rural broadband, nothing's been done for them since LBJ's appalachiablue Oct 2015 #61

The hub of rural broadband could be in Chattanooga KamaAina Oct 2015 #62

While the article makes a couple of points, it is very thin on facts. A better article is here: greatlaurel Oct 2015 #65

Why are they more likely to support Hillary Clinton than Bernie Sanders JI7 Oct 2015 #66

Live rural, work urban gwheezie Oct 2015 #77

We live very rural too, with a very low population density. bvar22 Oct 2015 #81

I'm where you are. gwheezie Oct 2015 #86

While the article makes a couple of points, it is very thin on facts. A better article is here: greatlaurel Oct 2015 #79

First post, after 5 years of lurking Kentuckymtnboy Oct 2015 #89

Great first post! KamaAina Oct 2015 #90

Thanks for your response YoungDemCA Oct 2015 #91