Two Worlds, One Country

Paul Kendrick is a professor, author, and the Executive Director of Rust Belt Rising, an organization that trains Democrats to connect with rural and working class voters in the Midwest. He explains what Rust Belt Rising does and how he sees the Democratic party moving forward to support working-class people. [2:01] Background in organizing for education [6:10] So what does Rust Belt Rising do? [1...

Cynthia Wallace is a former congressional candidate and the founder of New Rural Project, which encourages rural citizens of North Carolina to become politically active. She discusses her background in community politics, campaigning for Congress, and engaging rural Black and Latino voters at the New Rural Project. [2:30] Growing up in rural Georgia [6:25] Campaigning for Congress in North Carolin...

Anthony takes on a recent NY Times piece by Paul Krugman, entitled “Can Anything Be Done to Assuage Rural Rage?,” and similar work by liberal pundits. He discusses whether rural people are underrepresented in politics, if government assistance is unfairly concentrated in rural areas, and whether or not rural people are respected by urban elites. [3:20] Krugman’s basic argument [4:24] No, rural peo...

George Goehl is a community organizer and the founder of People’s Action. Anthony and George pick up their conversation from part 1 with a deep dive into deep canvassing. [2:15] Deep canvassing on immigration [8:28] Do deep canvassing results stick? [17:25] Breaking down the rural-urban divide with conversations [24:10] George’s community organizing road trip across America georgegoehl.org peoples...

George Goehl is a community organizer and the founder of People’s Action, a national progressive advocacy organization. He talks getting clean and organizing at his soup kitchen, founding People’s Action, and how rural organizing differs from urban organizing. [7:16] From the ground up: getting clean and the soup kitchen [11:39] So what does People’s Action do? [19:14] Strategies for urban vs. rur...

Erica Etelson is an activist, former lawyer, and co-founder of RUBI. She explains what she learned writing her book, Beyond Contempt: How Liberals Can Communicate Across the Great Divide, about how and why respectful communication is so important. [4:10] Why the left needs non-defensive communication [11:08] Listening to conservatives [16:16] How liberal attacks push conservatives to identify with...

Cody Lonning is a lawyer, professor at Eastern Washington University, and a co-founder of RUBI. He discusses his path to RUBI and his work on the recent report about Democratic success in rural America. [1:24] Growing up farming [5:18] Getting involved with RUBI [10:28] Why Democrats should care about rural areas [13:28] RUBI report: “Can Democrats Succeed in Rural America?” [18:42] So what makes...

Joan Williams is Director of the Centre for WorkLife Law, a professor at the University of California—Hastings School of Law, and author of White Working Class, among others. Joan compares America’s middle class with its elites, talks the role masculinity plays in politics, and explains the divide that college education causes. [2:57] What middle status in America really looks like [8:50] College-...

Dr. Kathy Cramer is co-founder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, professor of political science at UW-Madison, and author of the book The Politics of Resentment. Kathy talks hearing from rural Wisconsinites in gas stations and church basements, the concentration of resources and respect in urban centers, and answers, “are rural conservatives are just racist?” [1:18] Introduction [5:30] Studyin...

Host Anthony Flaccavento is an organic farmer, writer, former candidate for Congress, and the founder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative. Anthony explains his own background, why he thinks America is so divided, and what Two Worlds, One Country is going to do about it. [1:58] Anthony’s background [7:40] An intro to the podcast [13:55] Why are Americans so divided? [24:01] So what can Democrats d...