Compare 2024 Platforms: Rural

​Texas Political Party Views on Rural Issues 

The up-coming election features many contests not in the national spotlight, but which are important for Texas and for us in Erath County.  One way to get an overview of the difference between major party slates of candidates is by comparing party platforms.  Here I compare Democratic and Republican platforms for issues important to our rural economy.

I began by searching both platforms for the term “rural”. The Republican Platform used “rural” two times.  In the Democratic Platform, “rural” got 50 matches.  (Neither party platform specifically mentions “dairy” or “dairies”.)

Republicans call for federal and state measures to support rural volunteer firefighters and first responders.  Of course there were some other platform planks that deal with issues of mainly rural impact without using the term “rural”.  Republicans are against sales of land to foreign interests and call for measures to stop foreign owned land being taken out of agricultural production.  Republicans call for less regulation of meat sales in local farm-to-table markets, and for direct purchase of other edible products from farms.  Republicans oppose federal programs that encourage renewable energy sources which may negatively impact neighboring landowners.

The Democratic Party platform includes a lengthy section on Rural Texas and Agriculture.  Here is a glance at some highlights.   
    Democrats seek to ensure Texans living in rural areas have necessary access to healthcare and hospitals, including by expansion of telehealth options and by providing grants to incentivize healthcare professionals to locate in rural areas.  The Democratic platform calls for farm policies that restore fair prices and address the current credit crisis confronting American agriculture.  There are several planks in the platform that address actions to ensure that rural areas will have the water resources they need.   A number of points are listed in a section devoted to ensuring that rural students have access to quality education. Texas democrats also call for reform of eminent domain statutes.  Their platform presents several points related to funding new public infrastructure that fosters rural economic development, including funds for rehabilitation of farm to market highways.
     The platform calls for expanded access to capital and credit for small businesses in low-income and rural areas. 
    There are a number of parts of a Fairness to Farmers plank.  One item featured is ensuring farmers have the “right to repair” their agricultural equipment.  Texas Cottage Food Laws should be modernized to allow families to sell homemade products with greater ease.
    The Democratic platform cites rural needs in other main issue areas.  For example, it calls for addressing unemployment and homelessness of veterans in rural areas.

Both platforms urge action at the federal level.  Those platform points might be directives to US Representatives or Senators—and good luck there.

Party platforms are not the whole story, of course.  The platform of the party out of power could be seen as more aspirational, while the platform of the party which has controlled Texas for the last 27 years might have been closer to a roadmap.  However, I think the Republican platform instead shows more an unfortunate state of the current party.