Trump gives America's 'poorest white town' hope

[goatprairie]

They used to be, but no place - at least in the eastern U.S. - is remote any longer. They also used to mistrust government, but then people like Sen. Bobby KKK Byrd came along and showed them how wonderful a life perpetually on the dole truly  could be. So regardless of their attitude toward government in the abstract, they love the "concrete" of their monthly do-nothing benefits.

I read an autobio of Jerry West a few years ago. West is from West Virginia and goes back there from time to time to visit friends and kin. West is also a strong Democrat who bemoaned the lack of education and the rise of drug use in WV. He seemed to think the gov. should do something to help the people.
My own thought that as much as I admired West when he played, maybe he should realize that gov. might be the cause of many of those peoples' problems.

[jmyrlefuller]

I was under the impression they wanted to be left alone.

To a certain extent, they do, but they also want (need) to be able to make a decent living. Farmers and entrepreneurs can lift some of the slack, but more capital is needed to sustain widespread employment.

I can't speak for this town in particular, but in my hometown there are no less than three abandoned factories, two of which are along the rail line that was torn out in the 1990s. One is now ruins after fires gutted it the past couple of years. Another sits empty. The third is being partly used to store craft beer. Now, Little Valley isn't anything special; it was on the rail line and was seat of the county government, but other than that, there wasn't much of a reason for factories to build here, yet they did. Several knife manufacturers (among them the Case company that later moved to Bradford, PA) made and sold their wares in Little Valley. For most of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Little Valley was a thriving industrial town. Then in the late 20th century, they all shut down. The last one was Bush Industries in 2007. Meanwhile, there's been nothing in the "new economy" comparable to it to come in and fill the void. Startup costs and risks are too high.

@AbaraXas made a good point earlier that it helps greatly if a town has something unique and/or valuable to offer. The question is, these days, what can the small towns offer?

[bigheadfred]

AbaraXas[/member] made a good point earlier that it helps greatly if a town has something unique and/or valuable to offer. The question is, these days, what can the small towns offer?

About all that is left is the peace and quiet. Not so sure about the peace part these days. And many small towns survive only if they are within affordable commuting distance to a larger commerce hub.

[Cripplecreek]

About all that is left is the peace and quiet. Not so sure about the peace part these days. And many small towns survive only if they are within affordable commuting distance to a larger commerce hub.

Exactly. My little town (75 people) is within 5 or 10 miles of multiple small but larger towns with shopping, factories etc. We have a small party store and that's it. We don't even have a gas station and its just fine.

[bigheadfred]

Exactly. My little town (75 people) is within 5 or 10 miles of multiple small but larger towns with shopping, factories etc. We have a small party store and that's it. We don't even have a gas station and its just fine.

This town is 4000. Not that many small businesses. We have the jerky plant (locally owned) and a potato processing plant. There are three of those (the same company) stretched along up the valley. I drive 13 miles to work in Idaho Falls.

[Cripplecreek]

This town is 4000. Not that many small businesses. We have the jerky plant (locally owned) and a potato processing plant. There are three of those (the same company) stretched along up the valley. I drive 13 miles to work in Idaho Falls.

The biggest small town near my is Brooklyn but its an odd place. Fairly upscale with a lot of expensive boutique style retail mixed with the standard retail. The biggest business in town is NASCAR which turns Brooklyn into the 3rd largest city in the state 2 weekends per year.

I go out of my way to buy 2 bags of "Better Made" potato chips on every shopping trip because they're made in Detroit.

[bigheadfred]

The biggest small town near my is Brooklyn but its an odd place. Fairly upscale with a lot of expensive boutique style retail mixed with the standard retail. The biggest business in town is NASCAR which turns Brooklyn into the 3rd largest city in the state 2 weekends per year.

I go out of my way to buy 2 bags of "Better Made" potato chips on every shopping trip because they're made in Detroit.

Most of the industry is agriculture based here. With  Corona and Budweiser malting plants. But we also have the Idaho National Lab. And Frank Van Der Sloot is based here.

[mountaineer]

I read an autobio of Jerry West a few years ago. West is from West Virginia and goes back there from time to time to visit friends and kin. West is also a strong Democrat who bemoaned the lack of education and the rise of drug use in WV. He seemed to think the gov. should do something to help the people.
My own thought that as much as I admired West when he played, maybe he should realize that gov. might be the cause of many of those peoples' problems.

Jerry West - "Zeke from Cabin Creek" - went to the same high school as my father, albeit several years later.  The "government" is doing what it can for drug addicts, but our state has no money. There's nothing there to spend on drug treatment or job training. It's all we can do to keep the high schools operating. The problem is that too many of our children don't take advantage of what is available. Those that do move out of state, because there's so little for them here.

[goatprairie]

Jerry West - "Zeke from Cabin Creek" - went to the same high school as my father, albeit several years later.  The "government" is doing what it can for drug addicts, but our state has no money. There's nothing there to spend on drug treatment or job training. It's all we can do to keep the high schools operating. The problem is that too many of our children don't take advantage of what is available. Those that do move out of state, because there's so little for them here.

Although my region (western Wisconsin) is doing fairly well, it's still pretty small compared to bigger places in the region like the Twin Cities, Madison, or Milwaukee.  Many young people in the metro area move out because although there are jobs, there aren't the numbers and types of jobs many of the college grads want.   
And there is a growing drug problem (mostly meth, but also a little heroin) in my surroundings. Like elsewhere in the country many young people from the small towns move out to bigger places and better opportunities.
Naturally, the local Dems (who are strong is my area) are always advocating for bigger programs for the "unfortunate" in the area.
Charity is nice (if private), but at some point you have to tell people to stand on their own two feet. Not easy solutions to the problems of small towns.

[Silver Pines]

As soon as I saw the posted article, I thought of the J.D. Vance book, "Hillbilly Elegy." He describes how and why Appalachian people think and act as they do. He speaks of personal experience; his grandparents hailed from a little town in Kentucky.

 Anyone here with any connection to Appalachia really should read the book. I couldn't put it down.

@mountaineer

I don't have any connections myself, but it sounds worth a read, anyway.

[Smokin Joe]

Beattyville Kentucky's primary economic source is the local prison where most residents work. (after that, the local school system and mental health hospital).

They are not a mining town where a mine closed. They are not a manufacturing town.

They mostly support a prison and mental health hospital.

I wonder what they think Trump will do to increase business at a prison and mental health hospital?

Well, the Liberals are rioting in the streets and going stark raving mad. I'd say they're due for a boom!