Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen

Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen


Why Democrats Should Listen to Deep Red Nebraska

January 05, 2021

Why should population density continue to determine Democrat or Republican wins? How is it that the Democratic Party seems to have given up on what used to be our working class farm/labor base? In his new book Rural Rebellion, our guest Ross Benes, who is from a Nebraska town of 300, reveals what drives this important key constituency and how they became so solid Republican. The home state of populist WJ Bryan, Nebraskans today see smug elitism coming from the Democrats. But progressive, caring issues bring Midwest rural people together. For example Nebraska welcomes more refugees per capita than any other state. Utilities are municipally owned. Democrats would do better there taking on the big corporations. We can either give up or listen to their voices.