From the White House to the county courthouse, we have you covered on rural politics and policy. Look no further for election analysis and rural voter data, reporting on how policymakers and federal programs are aiming to serve rural communities, or simply the many roles rural people and places play in democracy and civic life.
Women Running for Office in Rural Missouri Look to Shift Mindsets and Beat the Odds
Stepping forward as a candidate brings a lot of challenges, but according to these women, the rigors of campaign life are worth it for the chance to create change in their communities.
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Commentary: Supreme Court Rulings on Religion Will Hurt Rural Kids Who Have Few Options
Twenty years ago, I was pressured into prayer services at a rural public school. Now the Supreme Court has ruled that religious coercion in state-sponsored schools is just fine.
Antitrust Advocates Grade USDA Efforts as Passing, but Just Barely
The same report says the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are doing a better job fighting the power of large corporations to control the agricultural sector.
Commentary: Blue America, Red America Is Not Always What You Think
Some urban pundits are so certain about who rural Americans are that they don’t even look at us.
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Racial and Ethnic Diversity of Rural Population Grows by Nearly 20%
The size of the rural White population declined in the last decade while non-White population increased. The combination created a substantial increase in the share of the rural population that is Hispanic, Black, Indigenous, or some other race.
Commentary – The Biggest Question on the Local Ballot: Who Cares?
When no one else she encouraged to run for county office stepped up, Teri Carter took her own advice and ran. Her campaign taught her more than she wanted to learn about the state of American democracy.
Bipartisan Senate Bills Seek to Diminish Corporate Squeeze on Meat Pricing
Do corporations exercise too much power in setting the price at which they buy and sell meat? Two bills would give the federal government more investigative tools and transparency in pricing.
After ‘Maus,’ Taking on Book Bans and Building an Inclusive Nation in Tennessee and Beyond
For McMinn County neighbors seeking to build shared purpose and advance lasting change, the decisions of a few school board members need not represent the community at large.
Commentary: What Growing Up in Rural Germany Taught Me about Guns
In the Bavarian village where I was raised, guns are a part of life. Mass shootings are not.
Rural Iowans Rebuke Republican School Voucher Bill
Iowa constituents who delivered election victories to the Republicans played a part in stopping a school voucher bill that could strip rural Iowa schools of funding.
As Energy Transition Nears, New Bill Creates an Economic Pathway for Fossil-Dependent Communities
The new legislation will create an endowment fund and federally-chartered corporation to support communities struggling economically due to waning extraction industry.
Beau of the Fifth Column on Fact, Opinion, and the Democracy In Between
The popular YouTube commentator tells us how his channel got its start, and its name, what can be done to bridge our divides, and why democracy can work a little better in small towns.
Q&A: Political Organizing in Rural Places with Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward
Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin and political strategist Canyon Woodward talk with the Daily Yonder about their new book, Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why our Future Depends on It.
Report: Rural Communities Lack Access to Banking, More Likely to Turn to Predatory Lenders
The federal agency protecting people from unfair financial practices launched a new initiative focusing its authorities and resources on the needs of rural America.
Housing Study: Rural Communities Leverage Their Knowledge to Solve Problems
The author of a study examining vacant homes in New York said smaller communities may have the expertise necessary to solve some of their housing problems.
White House Announces ‘Rural Playbook’ and 30-Community Tour, Starting in Iowa
The initiative will help underserved rural communities gain access to federal stimulus funding, according to the White House.
Commentary: The Growing Diversity of Rural Leadership
In small cities like Wilson, North Carolina, diverse young leaders are building stronger communities. Progressives need to invest in their future.
Biden’s Budget Proposal Would Boost USDA Funding by 9%
The White House is proposing $31.1 billion in new spending for rural priorities, including economic development, high speed internet, housing, conservation, energy, and climate mitigation programs.
Bipartisan Bill to Create a Permanent Office for Rural Prosperity at the White House
The Rural Prosperity Act is meant to cut red tape and make it easier for rural Americans to access government services and economic development initiatives.
Writing Her Own Story in Rural Politics
A political writer-turned-politician talks about how politics became more than a story to cover.
Analysis: In Face of National Apathy, Local Groups Lead Rural Democratic Efforts
Local organizations are playing the long game trying to rebuild a Democratic presence in small cities and rural parts of Texas and Virginia.
Gun Storage Tax Break Is Rare Point of Unity in Firearms Debate
Lawmakers across many states want to increase gun control through tax incentives on safe storage of weapons.
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