This said, I agree, as others have said too, that the "rural poor" is a strawman when we're talking about the price of oil-based fuels (for vehicles or heating).
But I'm serious: those who barely make do with subsistence agriculture, at least can subsist. You can't eat dirt, but you can grow things in it. The urban poor can't eat asphalt, not grow anything in it. guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
What the hell are you talking about? Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
For starters ,the rural poor started becoming a big feature of the US landscape only after Reagan bankrupted them and then Wal-Mart finished them off by removing producer access to markets.
How many people are we talking about ? Seriously, the US is effectively empty outside the cities. Urban americans are massively under-represented in Washington because Senate and Congressional numbers don't represent the real concentration of populations.
Yes, there is a real problem with poverty in the USA, rural and urban. They need some serious answers to some serious problems and they could do with some serious politicians to do it. But saying that you can't begin to address a major crisis confronting the whole of America cos it will negatively impact a minority whose issues are entirely separate is the equivalent of avoiding a problem by going "Look....a kitten" keep to the Fen Causeway
1995, there were 2,288 rural counties [there are 3,086 counties in the United States (source)] in the US, constituting 83% of the land and home to 21% (51,000,000) of the population. (source) ... Currently, rural capital is flowing into either urban areas or some 33-40% of rural counties, namely the intermountain West, the Ozarks, counties along I-80 in Nebraska, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. ... Rural society is faced with various problems including the environmental degradation and overuse of water resources, the establishment and inadequate regulation of toxic waste dumps, and poverty.
I suppose the natural outcome of this is that wages for these low-wage jobs to rise.
The rural poor are going to have to change their lifestyle like everyone else. guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
And don't forget Clinton on Nafta and Welfare reform... Ooohhhh, we care so much about the poor. Then buy a cheaper car and give the difference to charity. Puhlease... Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
Unless I'm feeling malicious for some reason.
Nevermind - nothing I said should be taken as compulsory :-)
After reading this blog for a month or so, it seems people here are generally not that easily offended.
Well, eh, you dropped in after some mighty screaming matches were over :-) There was the ET-hates-Russians, the ET-hates-Britons, the Migeru-is-anti-American, multilinguals-exclude-us, and a number of other, usually based on serial misunderstandings. But people learned to deal with it, partly by indicating snarks if in danger of being taken as insult, partly by being offended less easily. (Myself, I am in a funny situation, having been made a frontpager with peacemaking duties, despite an on-line past that included quite a bit of flame-thrower use :-) ) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
The map is clickable, by the way. guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
Write in the miles you have to drive to your job. If your income is below a certain level, you get a tax credit depending on the miles driven.
Might help during the transition period.
However I offered this in the context of the current American political situation. Reading lots of diaries and comments on DKos wailing about political suicide if the gas price won´t come down. Not to mention tax increases on gas like we have in Europe. :)
In that context a tax credit for commuting might be a good idea for a limited time. Help the "poorer" people now to gain their vote for more decisive action tomorrow.
If you count the suburbs as 'cities'.
Urban americans are massively under-represented in Washington because Senate and Congressional numbers don't represent the real concentration of populations.
If by Congress you mean the House, how are urban populations underrepresented? House districts are basically equal in population size.
I run into this in conversations with people. They make the argument that "The U.S. is different from Europe - we cannot do things that way". To which my answer is that we have no choice but to change.
What worries me is that I don't see European governments talking realistically about the issue, and I'm not confident that they are enacting the right policies behind the scenes. Everyone has caught the free-market liberalism bug and believe that the market will fix things without the need for policy choices. guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
Do we have a valid analogy here between famine and the possible consequences of a severe oil shock? guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
Any Democrat who wants to buck the tide to defend Repubs and oilcos would have to be insane.
