Read on Twitter
The electoral map of WI (rural sea of red, urban/suburban islands of blue) could decieve us into concluding rural progressive organizing is a lost cause. It is not.
Here are some thoughts from organizing in Dunn County in rural west central WI
Here are some thoughts from organizing in Dunn County in rural west central WI
1) Our local democratic county party grew its membership by 30% since 2018. Our ranks of volunteers tripled. Our local fundraising expanded and allowed us to open an office earlier than ever before
2) This was due to a deliberate commitment to ORGANIZING which started with building a plan that focused on grassroots action. We mapped out a timeline with clear goals that allowed us to build a foundation during 2019 and mobilize in 2020.
3) Not only did we have a plan, we were disciplined in following the plan and communicating it to people in our county. People knew where we going and how we planned to get there, making it easier for them to say "yes" when we asked them to get involved
4) Our plan focused on BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS to engage new people. In 2019 we held a series of house meetings across the county, where people gathered in their neighbors living room or dining table to share stories about how this election was personal to them.
5) This allowed us to change the narrative for people and make the election about our lives, our families, and our communities - not just abstract policies - which helped them understand why it was so important for them to canvass, phonebank, etc.
6) Once the pandemic hit, we had to shift gears like everyone else. Thankfully we had already built a foundation of relationships so we were able to easily pivot while maintaining the commitment of our people.
7) For example, we built from scratch a deep canvassing program that engaged infrequent voters across our rural areas and had over a 1000 conversations on the phones focusing on voters personal experiences and values not political talking points
8) BUT...... good organizing was not enough to flip Dunn county. Trump voters turned out stronger in 2020 than they did in 2016. The number of Trump yard signs quadrupled this year. Why?
9) IMHO because the Democratic party has not offered rural voters a clear vision that speaks to their lived experiences. The pain and desperation in my community is real yet rural people feel it is not taken seriously by the Democratic party
10) My FEAR is that Democrats will continue to blame rural voters for the red sea/blue island electoral map and dismiss these voters as backward. My HOPE is for Democrats to listen and learn to the voices of rural people.
11) Signs of desperation are everywhere – barns with collapsed rooves, crumbling roads, empty storefronts. The vacant stare of depression in your neighbors eyes. If you live here, it is impossible to ignore the depletion.
12) Rural folks want to share in the prosperity but the economic divide between rural/urban America is wider than ever. Business growth has halted in rural communities since the 2008 recession & only worsened with COVID. Capital flows to metro areas.
13) Most rural jobs are not provided by small business. The small town economy is now dominated by large corporations - low wage retailers like Walmart or dollar general or agribusiness firms who have no connection to the community.
14) The things we grow here get shipped off into a vast global supply chain, profits get squeezed out and little revenue left for us to save or invest. Money flows out of here & doesn’t come back. Farmer’s share of every retail food dollar has fallen from 50% 1952 to 15% today
15) Everyday, farms are closing bc they are being squeezed by agricultural consolidation. From the seed & fertilizer they buy to the grain or meat they sell, corporate monopolies are on both sides of the supply chain sucking out profits.
16) Rural health care is a disaster. 90% of hospital closures in the US has been in rural areas bc its not profitable to operate in low pop’n density areas. Our profit based health care system is failing rural people. There are zero ICU beds in my county.
17) The digital divide is real. Limited access to broadband stifles rural economic growth. Working from home or starting a new business is next to impossible in todays economy without high speed internet. Kids can't learn from home without it
18) Rural people in WI are dying by suicide at rates higher than folks in suburban/urban areas. This is not just a matter of poor mental health services, it is about an overwhelming feeling of failure and no future here.
19) Sad thing is none of this is an accident - it is the result of deliberate policy decisions made over decades that deplete our communities but benefit a small group of people who do not live in our communities. This is the lesson Democrats need to learn.
20) There is a story to be told about rural America but Democrats are not telling any story. Donald Trump is telling a story but it is the wrong story. When people feel left behind, they look for a way to make sense of what is happening to them.
21) The story is of rural people and our way of life being sold off. The wealth of our soil and sweat being extracted and sent away. The villain of the story is a system that drains the life of our communities by financializing and exporting our human and natural resources.
22) Dems need to look this in the eyes and realize that the sea of red electoral map is a result of their failure to present a bold progressive vision that will renew the countryside with good jobs, access to capital, decent healthcare, and an equitable food system.
23) To do this Dems need to show a willingness to FIGHT for rural people. Not just propose a bullet point list of wonky policy platforms on their website. Rural people understand economic power and know that nothing will change without a fight.
24) With a fight, we can reshape rural WI (and US) into a place where food production is localized, soil is healthy, energy is clean & cheap, people have good jobs, main street is bustling, schools are vibrant, and everyone can see a doctor if they need to.
