​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.

Kamala Harris’ Opportunity Economy
   
A synopsis of an article by Egbert Willies published in Medium, Aug. 18, 2024


A direct challenge to the status quo, which has favored corporate profits over the welfare of everyday Americans.


Harris would try to reduce the high cost of living in the US.  One way is by targeting corporate price gouging.  She would also eliminate taxes on tips and raise the child tax credit by $6000.
Corporations have been raising prices beyond inflationary pressures, to insure high profits.  Asking the federal government to use its power to regulate corporations is reasonable—industry has not been inclined to self-regulate.


Corporate self-regulation has generally occurred only when the consumer base is at a breaking point. Things are bad—why wait for ordinary Americans to struggle even more?  If our response to cheating by overseas trading partners is to impose a tariff on their products, why not use the same approach with corporate greed on our shores:  tax them.


Harris has a strong focus on middle-class housing, a current crisis.  Harris has stated a goal of building 3 billion new homes in the next four years and to provide $25,000. in down payment assistance for first-time home buyers.  Creating more housing supply is aimed at corporations which have purchased homes as rental investments, keeping them off the market.


Harris’s plans have been derided as economic populism, an election gimmick.  However, the proposed policies address real needs of most Americans.  The status quo needs to be challenged.  Media outlets that tend to defend the status quo should not be trusted in their assessment of Harris’ plans.


And from MSN,  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-harris-reveals-plan-for-opportunity-economy/ar-AA1p0PNF


Kamala Harris Reveals Plan for ‘Opportunity Economy'
Story by Kate Nishimura


"I believe competition is the life blood of our economy, more competition means lower prices for you and your families," she said.
Without deviating into a discussion on trade, Harris called out her opponent's controversial "All Tariff Policy," instead focusing on the impact that a universal tariff system could have on prices at retail.
"He wants to impose what is, in effect, a national sales tax on everyday products and basic necessities that we import from other countries that will devastate Americans," she said, noting that it could raise prices on almost everything voters buy in stores.
"A Trump tax on gas, a Trump tax on food, a Trump tax on clothing, a Trump tax on over-the-counter medication," she said. "And, you know, economists have done the math. Donald Trump's plan would cost a typical family $3,900 a year. At this moment when everyday prices are too high, he will make them even higher." ​

What does “woke” actually mean to people in today’s political context.  It seems to be used just as a shorthand for various things the MAGA right does not like.  If so, it doesn’t make much sense to get into definitions and semantics.  Except that it does make sense to try to get people—at least some people—to confront the difference between their actual values and the implications of using the “woke” term.


And another road bump:  as an Anglo, and with limited experience with the lives of black people, who am I to weigh in on this.  Where I live, surely this is an issue removed, an issue for discussion in communities more diverse, like in the metroplex.   The problem, even here, is this any term of derision that can be brought forward against democratic candidates, even our local ones, …any term will be used.  We need some basis to mount a rebuttal or at least to lessen any impact of that attack.


So, as churches play and have played such an important role in speaking about and living values, what do we see from churches?


There is a recent book by Eric Mason, “Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice”.  See: 


 https://denverjournal.denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/woke-church-an-urgent-call-for-christians-in-america-to-confront-racism-and-injustice/


https://founders.org/reviews/you-dont-need-to-be-woke-to-be-biblical-a-review-of-eric-masons-woke-church/     Through points of good critique, an exploration of the difference various segments of society have in understanding the term.


https://www.centerforbiblicalunity.com/post/5-signs-your-church-may-be-going-woke  The troubling use of the term “woke” by those accepting Critical Race Theory.  The post mainly highlights troubling acceptance of terms associated with Black Lives Matter and CRT from the pulpit.


https://www.afa.net/the-stand/culture/2024/02/is-your-church-woke/  Another troubling stand


    So, you try to wake your friend up to the conflict between religious teachings and disrespect of woke…and you get a blank stare.  He isn’t moved.  Remind him of the “First they came for the Socialists….  scenario.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...).   
     Maybe he plays the “You say these black people deserve special consideration, but not us.  You call us ignorant rednecks for supporting Trump.  You diss me when you raise these others”.    
     A reply:  we fail if we disrespect you, but you don’t need to put others down to raise yourself (like Trump does).  So if we see you trying to hold blacks back, we bring blacks forward in our work.  But we are trying to raise wages for everybody, to provide for education for everybody, to help everybody get good health care.


    I am imagining a confrontation with someone you want to correct or someone who wants to correct you.  Some people are just parroting what they’ve heard on air or in posts and may not really understand the facets to the issue.  Perhaps the best approach is to just ask “What would be the opposite of woke?” or somesuch to have them decide this is not their real issue.  Some people may key on the racial basis, and that may be their touchstone.  You can’t expect to make headway against ingrained racism, but….  An imagined response to a racist who objects to your/our Wokeness:
     We hope you outgrow your racial bias, but until then remember:  You share the needs of black/brown/other people.  The same political/social group that is pressing for their uplift also works for your rise.  There is enough at the end of the rainbow for all to share.
DAB