John Glionna (Los Angeles Times): Bush Losing Ground in Rural America

EDITED to fix link

From the Los Angeles Times (free registration required)
Dated Sunday April 18

Bush Losing Ground in Rural America
Voters in struggling outlying areas tend to identify with his values, but economic concerns are alienating some lifelong Republicans.
By John M. Glionna, Times Staff Writer

Sherman County, Ore. — Like much of rural America, this isolated community south of the Columbia River Gorge is a place where people — like their parents before them — vote Republican when they pick their presidents. They went with George W. Bush four years ago. And most are likely to support him again this year.
But cracks have surfaced in President Bush's once-solid rural constituency. From places like Sherman County to Montcalm County, Mich., and Mahoning County, Ohio, some Republicans are so concerned about crop prices and high unemployment that they're considering voting Democratic for the first time.
They're hardworking people like Sherman County farmer Tom Martin. As he plows the stubble of last autumn's wheat harvest on his 12,000-acre spread, the 60-year-old hears mostly grim economic news on his radio . . . .
For Bush, winning the rural vote looms more important than ever — especially in such swing states as Oregon, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. In 2000, rural voters overwhelmingly backed him over Democrat Al Gore, giving him the boost he needed to win in some states.

Encouraging news.

I'm from southern Indiana and the mood is 180 degrees different from the onset of Iraq. A lot of people feel betrayed and lied to and there is another large constituency with family overseas in Iraq now wondering why? Before the war when I was skeptical about the reasons for pursuing it, family members thought I was some crazed, tree hugging nut. After we found nothin a few of them actually apologized, and it was the worst I ever felt for being right, but now I hear anti-Bush sentiment right and left/ The tax cuts for the wealthy and the immigration policy really irked a lot of the good ole boys, and I think for once there my even be a race in my state.

pull these disenchanted rural voters into the Dem camp.

What do you think?

We need to prove that Repug values are not the values that everyday people want as part of their life. Especially where it involves gw*.

How about gw* being questioned about various verses in the Bible? How about asking him if he believes in speaking tongues?
How about asking him about the rapture?
How about asking him about the use of snakes in churches?
In his case ask him about the time that turned him to be born again.

Need to ask him about various aspects that are not recognized by all "Christians". That would expose gw*s "faith". I would say that the Christians that support gw because of his "faith" do so because they think he believes in just their beliefs.