Federal policies are hurting rural areas in many ways, driving out people, raising costs for ag

Editor:

Rural communities must fight for themselves.

Since the quality of life has deteriorated since the early ’80s, new and bolder capitalist answers are needed. Not everything is socialist just because some robber baron pays for advertising, or Hub contributor, says it is. Structure, math and competition are quantifiable.

Our farmers are being hurt by the huge costs of diesel and fertilizer. Ending tariffs quickly with Canada – before it signs contracts with its new trade partners – is part of the answer.

Tax breaks to entice companies to relocate to New York are unfair to rural areas. Rural areas can only match the dollar amount rebated by urban areas if they give up a larger proportion of the property tax dollars they collects. Dollar for dollar it costs more.

The cuts to Medicare/Medicaid and forcing rural hospitals, ERs and Well Care Centers to treat more people without insurance. This means spending is in the red. (Some entire states, like New York, are hurt because good health care is a good way to keep people with small kids employed.)

Farm workers need a better way to stay here and work the fields or do the other low paying jobs typically filled by first generation immigrants. Talents we need, we need to attract and keep. (Canada and others have active relocation programs for researchers and university professors.)

In the early ’60s the County and Albion plan for expansion between the tracks and canal. Some communities with foresight have done this. Just because local governments can be clueless those communities should not suffer. New thinking is needed.

Recently a Hub op ed claimed “progressivism” was sneaking into “common man” Democratic politics. As with many polemic political nostrums it was fully backwards.

In fact, there have been 9 “progressive” parties since Teddy Roosevelt; 4 were Republican based and 1 was Democratic based. Historically the term “Progressivism” involved a concern over the socio-economic challenges produced by “Robber Baron” capitalism as defined by selfish elites, political corruption, and the concentration of corporate power. Several of the 9 had their roots in farm, rural, labor, and “common man” issues.

Rural problems are unique. The current Federal Administration is actively hurting rural areas. Bold action is needed to address deceitful “Robber Baron” self interest which is indifferent to what it destroys.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion