If rural America is so great, why does everyone want to leave for the big city? (suspect, Brown)
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I agree with this. It seems like instead of fixing places like Oklahoma and West Virginia, Republicans want to turn the entire country into them.
Oklahoma is so Republican though not because of economic plight, but because of cultural issues. It's very much about God, guns, and gays around here. Democrats are widely seen as out of touch with traditional American values and are less popular than ever around here. Meanwhile, Republicans offer no solutions to the real problems facing the state like a failing education system at all levels and a severe budget crisis. As long as the politicians wave a gun and a Bible and say "God bless America," the sheeple will fall in line.
That's all out true for most rural Oklahoma counties. Less true for urban Oklahoma where Oklahoma City in 2018 elected its first Democrat for Congress in decades. I think the urban/rural divide in Oklahoma is going to be more amazing as the election and political cycles continue.
So people are escaping that and running to big urban cities where the air, water and soil is cleaner? LOL Do you even believe the BS you spew here?
Uh, the jobs and economic possibilities are vastly better...as with the education opportunities.
Also, the flexibility. If said person moves to the city and gets an education, trade and job they have much more chance of being able to move to where the job takes them (sell their houses, etc.)....
If they stayed in WV, like we considered doing, it's only a matter of a short while before you hear they are going to strip mine the property adjacent to you.....and since you don't own the mineral rights, you are SOL.
The point, which seems to escape you, is that the so-called benefits of rural living often are not there in places that have been poisoned (and that is a LOT of places).
That's relevant to the discussion...your post less so.
People in cities are snobbish with their frou-frou martinis and going to look at modern art or going to the opera. Most Americans are content to barbeque hamburgers in their backyards.
Not like that.
We have some homeless. They live in various shelters supported by some tax dollars but mostly local churches and organizations. I know a couple people who lived in a tent or a vehicle in the woods but they both had mental challenges. I have never seen a tent city in the woods in rural "Appalachia".
Oh wait, we call those campgrounds.
I have seen "homeless" people in both rural and urban areas (including wealthy ones), but they are not considered so because they paid (on time payments), $2,000 for an old tin can mobile home up on blocks....or, in the case of Florida, live in a 12x15 shed out back of someone's house with a hotplate and bed in it (but no heat or A/C).
It's quite sad to see - not because of just those conditions, but obviously said people cannot have proper nutrition, health care and...of course, not too much "happiness". They get by....and then they die.
One wonders what the meaning of life is...sometimes....in a country that has decided this is OK for tens of millions while continually passing laws to make it easier for one person to have 200 Billion instead of 100 billion.
Not like that.
We have some homeless. They live in various shelters supported by some tax dollars but mostly local churches and organizations. I know a couple people who lived in a tent or a vehicle in the woods but they both had mental challenges. I have never seen a tent city in the woods in rural "Appalachia".
Oh wait, we call those campgrounds.
I won't speak to Appalachia but Florida has a lot. They just are not as evident. Collier county has over 1300 students that are homeless. There are 48000 students in total. So that is one in very 36. Thats significant.
Now compare that to NYC with an estimated total of 62,000 homeless in a city of 8.6 million. That is one in every 144.
People in cities are snobbish with their frou-frou martinis and going to look at modern art or going to the opera. Most Americans are content to barbeque hamburgers in their backyards.
I know those BBQ's and they cost big bucks. Often they sit on decks that cost 20K or more.....
There is a large lower-middle class in some areas...but I think the point of my OP is they may have a cheap BBQ, but they cannot pay the car payment or health care deduct, let alone for any emergency.
People in cities are snobbish with their frou-frou martinis and going to look at modern art or going to the opera. Most Americans are content to barbeque hamburgers in their backyards.
The reality is more like eating every meal at McDonalds or KFC. I know, I live in Oklahoma and those stereotypical backyard BBQs only happen on special occasions. Meanwhile everyone wants to live off a diet of only fast food.
Uh, the jobs and economic possibilities are vastly better...as with the education opportunities.
Also, the flexibility. If said person moves to the city and gets an education, trade and job they have much more chance of being able to move to where the job takes them (sell their houses, etc.)....
If they stayed in WV, like we considered doing, it's only a matter of a short while before you hear they are going to strip mine the property adjacent to you.....and since you don't own the mineral rights, you are SOL.
The point, which seems to escape you, is that the so-called benefits of rural living often are not there in places that have been poisoned (and that is a LOT of places).
That's relevant to the discussion...your post less so.
The key is to learn your trade , then move rural.
Our tree service guy by our cottage wears a Rolex and lives on a golf course. A painter I knew years ago bolted out of the city and now lives in Charlevoix, a very high rent rural city in one of the most beautiful areas of MI. Can barely keep up. Construction, plumbing, electricians etc...can barely keep up with the work. Granted, at a much lesser rate than it would be in the big city...but the cost of living is less.
Last time we had to have our well repaired on a Saturday, when it came time to pay, the old time asked me how much would I make on two hours of Saturday work...I told him $135, he said just give me an even $100
People in cities are snobbish with their frou-frou martinis and going to look at modern art or going to the opera. Most Americans are content to barbeque hamburgers in their backyards.
I notice this snobbishness every time to travel to Dallas. Unfortunately I have to go there again in a few weeks. I live in an urban area in FL, but Dallas feels like a prison.
PS. We do barbecue pretty much every weekend where I live, in urban FL. After all, most people who live in urban areas live in single family houses with a back yard, pool, etc. Its called 'suburb'.
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