Let me tell you about real small town life

John Cougar Mellencamp has a song about life in small towns (I was born in a small town). It made him a lot of money hawking GM products. John McCain and Hillary Clinton use the song to seek voters who believe they are the real "peoples candidates."

I found out that John Cougar is an Obama Man like the New Jersey megastar Bruce Sprinsteen. I have Springsteens CD's. In the late 1980's Bruce tapped into the bitterness of the decline in Blue Collar life. America, that produced 50% of the industrial products in 1950 now produced less then 15%. Others could produce our steel and alluminum and coal at lower prices. Bruce spoke of the "bitter" pill of the post industrial American life. His "Living now in Allentown" was about the small towns being boarded up because the mills closed down. Like Obama he spoke the truth "and they ain't coming back." Yes folks, the small towns and almost everywhere in the Rust Belt have seen the mythical American small town that Hillary Clinton (and her $109 million dollar blue collar income) claims was where her grandfather taught her to shoot a gun, fall into disrepair. Memo to the meida and any urban/suburban readers: This is not a new story. The decline in Industrial America was a new item back in the early 1980's. I was in Western Pennsylvania when the steel mills closed their doors and the "Steel City" of Pittsburgh was in real turmoil. Families that could count on good wages and good health care and modest (but guarenteed) pension now were left with nothing but minimum wage jobs. We saw the continued effects of the job drain in Pittsburgh last year on our Hosanna Mission trip. The city looks great but the rank and file worker is not doing well.

What I like about Obama and McCain, is that they sometimes let their guards down and actually speak the truth . Yes, folks, small town people are bitter about the life they have lost. I have troulbe visiting my grandfathers farm in Iowa because little Waverly is a shell of what it once was. without the college my mother attended there it would be nothing but boarded up shops. Only 11% of small town people feel good about their prospects. The ambitious youth all flee to the cities. The churches and other community organizations that served as the glue and gathering places for these decent and hardworking people have had to cut back to part time programming (and usually retired, part time clergy) if they stay open at all. It is sad. Yes, they are often bitter --although they are too proud to use that word.

The real question they have is why is something not done to provide them with decent healthcare and some job protections? the New Yorks Times writter Tim Egan said the small town folks serve only as props in the economic debate. Yes they blame NAFTA and other trade deals. In some parts of the country they get reved up by Lou Dobbs and the Mike Savage and rail against Mexican immigrants. There is real racism--I never heard more N words then in my 5 years in Slippery Rock. They do rail against polticians (Democrats) who might help them with economic issues and health care because "they are trying to take away our guns." I used to get verbally assaulted by the gun nuts because I made a comment on the Brady bill that would limit access to AK47's. "Those are legitamate hunting rifles" one drunken man berated me at a wedding reception.
The issues that some of the media have jumped on Obama for was the comment that they "the bitter folks" turn to god. The God part was poorly addressed and it missed Obama's insight into the roots of racism and religious fundamentalism. Fundamentalism (also called Evangelicalism --although not all Evangelicals are Fundamentailists) plays to those fears and they seek to turn back the clock. Put Men back in charge of families. Get rid of sex outside of marriage and killing babies through abortion and if you only got rid of special rights for homosexuals the whole country would get right with god and everyone would be able to gather around and sing "Kum by Yah." Fundamentalims..Christian and Islamic are fed by economic realities of being left behind and jealousy that others are benefiting on their bad fortune. I am sure the news that the top 10 hedge fund managers all made $1 billion dolars or better last years selling short mortgage backed secruitites and gbetting on banks to lose tons of money. Oh, yeah, they also fed the speculation that is driving oil to $120 a barrel. what they should be angry at is the reprehensible spending of the Bush team that has made the dollar little better then note paper around the world.

Who is the most down to earth candidate? My guess is that they are all "elitists." John McCain's wife comes from one of the richest families in Arizonia. It is beer distributer money. Maybe this means that John will be the guy to replace George W as the candidate people would most want to sit and have a beer with. Of course George gave up drinking to salvage his life and got it together just in time to run this country into the ground. I won't repeat my worst President ever comment because no one is left to argue the point. Are Americans as inane as the press makes us out to be?
All of these candidates were well educated at elite institutions. Yes, the Naval Academy is en elite place. Hillary learned to shoot her rifle but then moved on toe elite prep school, to Smith and then Yale Law school. Obama got a scholarship to the Ivy League and his wife was from a comfortable middle class Black family and she recieved an elite education. With books sales the Obama's made over $4 million last year. Paupers they are not.
But do we really need to be led by a President who can yuk it up over pints in Pittsburgh? I wants competence not oh shucks charm. George Bush is well liked by the press--he is a nice guy who like people and would play a pick up basketball game with any takers. But please--get me someone who listens to someone other then "his heavenly father" and thinks that he is the only "decider" in the american constitutional system.
Obama is right. They things are all distractions. The Clintons are working hard to spoil whatever dignity they have left. Thre rap on Hillary is that she will say and do anything to get elected. She proves it more each and every day. Sad to see someone self distruct and take the nation further down the road to "we can't change the system" cynicism. Finaly, don't get me started on the sad "debate" questioning by Charles Gibson. I know the late Peter Jenning's is rolling over in his grave.
Obama offers freshness that is lacking. Maybe if he had the "experience" of running for Presdient like his tow colleagues, he would be more careful what he says and remember to always speak with empty slogans and spend 8 days (yes I am counting Ms. Clinton) harping on the small town folks are "bitter" comment.