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.
