Democrats are making a mistake in rural America

+ why vinyl records are sacred US Edition - Today's top story: How Democrats are making a mistake in rural America – by not showing up [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [US fossil fuel use increased despite presidential energy goals]( - [Using microbes to determine when a frozen body died]( - [New and improved rules for screening dense breasts]( Lead story For Democrats, the days of winning votes in rural America in presidential elections have been nearly over since the 1960s. The last time a Democrat came close to winning a majority came in the 1990s when former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was the Democratic nominee, and he earned only 49% of rural votes in both 1992 and 1996. Those numbers have collapsed even more with the emergence of Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement. In 2020, Joe Biden captured about 35% of rural votes — the majority went to Trump. But as contemporary political history professor Jeff Bloodworth discovered during his time in Mississippi, part of the problem is that [Democrats don’t even try](. The significance of the rural vote, especially in the anticipated close 2024 election, is not to be underestimated. “Though only 1 in 5 Americans live in rural towns, Trump’s apparent monopoly automatically puts nearly two dozen states across the South, Midwest and Great Plains out of reach for Democrats,” Bloodworth wrote. [ [The best of The Conversation, every Sunday. Sign up here](. ] Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor Voting signs are seen in Jackson, Miss., during the 2023 governor’s race. Brandon Bell/Getty Images [How Democrats are making a mistake in rural America – by not showing up]( Jeff Bloodworth, Gannon University Democrats have been losing rural voters across the US since the 1960s, and that collapse has fueled Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ movement. Politics + Society - [Politicians often warn of American decline – and voters often buy it]( Jonathan Schulman, University of Pennsylvania Donald Trump often speaks of an America in decline. Kamala Harris counters with a rival emotional appeal centered around excitement and joy. - [How Russia employs ‘hard soft power’ to influence overseas media and sow dissent and fear among foreign populations]( Catherine Luther, University of Tennessee; Brandon Prins, University of Tennessee A new study found that pliant local media in Ukraine and Georgia was manipulated by Moscow to present anti-Western narratives. - [Neutral news sources could exploit today’s polarized mediascape to boost revenue − here’s why they may choose not to]( Abhishek Ray, George Mason University US news outlets perceived as politically centrist could inch rightward or leftward to attract a larger, more partisan readership − but only at the cost of journalistic credibility. Science + Technology - [The Boeing Starliner has returned to Earth without its crew – a former astronaut details what that means for NASA, Boeing and the astronauts still up in space]( Michael E. Fossum, Texas A&M University NASA’s decision to send Starliner’s crew home on a SpaceX capsule will have implications for Boeing, the agency itself and the astronauts still on the space station. - [Found dead in the snow − how microbes can help pinpoint time of death for forensic investigations in frigid conditions]( Noemi Procopio, University of Central Lancashire; Lavinia Iancu, University of North Dakota An accurate estimate of when someone died is a critical part of forensic investigations. In extremely cold conditions, molecular biology can provide critical information where the naked eye cannot. International - [Is it time to retire the ‘Arab-Israeli conflict’? Hostilities now extend beyond those boundaries]( Nader Habibi, Brandeis University America and Iran are now just as much a part of the decadeslong conflict as Arab states. Is it time to start referring to the ‘MENA-ISRAME’ conflict? Environment + Energy - [US oil and gas production surged to record highs under both Trump and Biden-Harris, despite very different energy goals]( Valerie Thomas, Georgia Institute of Technology Trump aggressively supported fossil fuels. The Biden-Harris administration focused on replacing them with clean energy. Yet, data show the US oil and gas industries still thrived under both. Health + Medicine - [FDA’s new regulations underscore the complexity around screening for women with dense breasts]( Nancy Kressin, Boston University; Christine M. Gunn, Dartmouth College; Priscilla J. Slanetz, Boston University; Tracy A. Battaglia, Yale University The FDA’s rule change requires that all women in the US be informed about breast density and options for supplemental screening. Ethics + Religion - [Putting a spiritual spin on my love affair with vinyl]( Brock Ruggles, Arizona State University A scholar explains why some people see their vinyl records as a sacred collection. Education - [Can schools stop students from praying?]( Frank S. Ravitch, Michigan State University Praying in school is protected by the Constitution but only under certain conditions. Trending on site - [Crossing state lines to get an abortion is a new legal minefield, with courts to decide if there’s a right to travel]( - [New NFL helmet accessory reduces concussions − but players and fans may not be ready to embrace safety over swag]( - [Kamala Harris’ purported Irish ancestry highlights complicated backstory of identity and enslavement]( Author Comment 💬 "The challenge is to learn how to use the tools of screen media productively. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of guidance on that as yet, but since screens aren’t going away – the vast majority of people rely on screens to some extent for work, school, entertainment, etc., learning how to maximize our benefits while minimizing our costs is an important goal." – Author Robin Nabi on the story [Guilt over kids’ screen time is common, uncomfortable and can stress family relationships − but it can have a silver lining]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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