Only one farmer in the MN delegation

[question everything]

PHILADELPHIA – It is called the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, but the farmers who support it are getting harder and harder to find. Debra Hogenson and her husband farmed in Nobles County for more than 40 years before they recently retired, and this year she is the sole farmer in the DFL’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention.

(snip)

The DFL’s struggle to win votes among farmers and agricultural communities is not surprising, given a decadeslong national phenomenon of rural communities moving into the Republican column. The DFL has successfully delayed the trend somewhat — to a point. In 2014, Republicans flipped 11 seats — 10 of them outstate — to win the majority in the state House. Although they know winning farmers will be difficult, the DFL hopes to run up margins in smaller cities to win back a few of those seats, as they chase the seven they need to win back the majority.

(snip)

As for why farmers have turned away from Democrats, Hogenson said she has given the matter a lot of thought. There are the faith-based social issues on which farmers disagree with the more urban DFL.

Plus, agriculture has changed, she said. Razor-thin margins mean any interference from the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Labor, no matter how necessary, can be crippling and can embitter farmers, she said. She also said it is cultural: Farm communities are cohesive, meaning they pull together to help one another.

Hogenson said DFL candidates need to show up in farm communities and make the case that they want to create a high quality of life for all Minnesotans — armed with data showing rural communities get more in state tax revenue than they put in — to counter GOP attempts to drive a wedge between outstate and the metro.

http://www.startribune.com/meet-the-one-farmer-in-the-dfl-delegation-to-the-democratic-national-convention/388273921/

[AwakeAtLast]

1. As a person who grew up on a farm

And whose family famed in So. IL eight generations back, this is so true. The county I'm from couldn't be redder.

I visited with some of my parents' friends from when they were in high school (in late 50s/early 60's). One person's opinion of Hillary as President? "Well, at least she is white." Now you know why I don't live there. Sad thing is I may be moving back, but that's another story....

My Dad is retired and cash rents his land, but a lot of the farmers he knows complain loudly about 'welfare' while cashing their subsidy checks and buying the latest and greatest combine. None of them have a good thing to say about the government, almost as if they don't know where those checks come from.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Great post.

These so called Social Religious issues were used as wedge issues in the late 70's by the Rethugs. Mention none other Allen Quist and his organizing of the Rural Counties in South Central Minny. His most favorite platform was the Lutheran Church. And he and his Cabel worked it to no end. Traveled southen Minny during time frame,calling on Business and Industry,and one could see the change to a fear and distrust of those Liberal Twin City people. Got to remember,all these Rural areas had nothing to offer their children as far as job security other than Farming. And with the foreclosures that were happening,the communities bought into these false promises and when you continues to blame the Straw Man for your problems,well you see the results.

[dflprincess]

3. My aunt's husband (we'll call him Uncle 1) was raised on a farm in Renville County

the farm is still in the family though he never farmed it, just rented the land out. (And both uncles are gone now.)

Years ago my mother's brother (Uncle 2), who turned Republican, something most of us couldn't understand started to get into over politics pretty strongly. Uncle 2 finally said he couldn't understand how anyone cold vote for a Democrat (Wellstone and/or Dayton were probably the big issue here. Uncle 1, who had been sitting quietly finally spoke up and said "My dad always said we would have lost the farm if not for Roosevelt, so I became a Democrat. I can't understand how anyone out here can be a Republican."

Then my aunt chimed in and reminded Uncle 2 that their dad had had PWA jobs and they had had food on their table as kids because of the Democrats and she could name a lot of people in town who wouldn't have gotten through the Depression if not for FDR.

It didn't change Uncle 2 at all - but you do have to wonder why rural areas have always been so Republican -- even during the New Deal.

[question everything]

4. And it continues to this day

We've seen rural people, many in Texas and other red counties, who live on disability payments and, of course, in due course they have Medicare. Yet they still hate Obama.

[question everything]

5. About the Minnesota delegation

We've seen and heard Klobuchar and Franken and Ellison.

And in today's strib there was a photo of the delegation delivering the votes. Yet I have not seen any mention nor picture of the other Democrats: Wallz, McCollum and Peterson.

[progree]

6. Farm owners are predominately older and white -- both those demographics tilt Republican

I also think this has a lot to do with it, from the OP:

"Razor-thin margins mean any interference from the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Labor, no matter how necessary, can be crippling and can embitter farmers"

In California, farmers are dealing with both nitrate regulations and ground water usage regulations for the first time. Both are still in the preliminary stages, but the process has begun, particularly with the nitrate regulations.

ETA: Both are necessary.