Hacker News Reader

Comment by gottorf | Hacker News Reader

> It’s rural America that keeps voting for local, state, and federal politicians that put them in this place.

In my experience, not everyone's primary policy goal is to ensure that as much taxpayer money as possible gets redistributed in their favor.

Of course, this isn't to say that the problem you described (of people wanting government services but not wanting to pay for it) does not exist, but I find that to be applicable broadly, not just to rural America.

View on HN

Agree, I live in (fairly) rural area and most of the people out here don't want much more from the government but maybe roads to drive on, and to be left alone.

Are you saying they are going to refuse Trump’s bailouts for farmers?

Are you saying they don’t want hospitals near by because that means they would have to accept government help? I’m sure even providing basic infrastructure is coming from funding from sources outside of their community

I don't know any real farmers. Have a few neighbors with small herds of cows but that's not their only or even primary source of income. I try not to talk politics much.

People live out here knowing full well that the nearest hospital is 30 minutes away and if they need to call an ambulance it's probably going to be at least 15-30 minutes, maybe longer, before it shows up.

But you do know human nature. Do you think conservative farmers who are struggling are going to refuse to take government funds?

If someone is having a heart attack are they going to refuse to go to hospital that is backed by the federal government?

I doubt they would refuse government money, IDK.

It's kind of how I feel about Social Security. I'm not going to refuse it, especially since I have paid into it my entire working life. But I'd rather it didn't exist, and I know it isn't sustainable.

That isn’t true either. Worse case if nothing changes, there would need to be a 20% cut in benefits. I am 51 and have modeled that in my retirement projections

Counter-point: I live in a kinda rural area and the people out here want the government to enforce their religious, cultural, and misinformed beliefs on everyone else everywhere else, this is typically a higher priority than roads or public safety.

This is my experience as well. Local issues, local gossip and local struggles.

Yes it’s not there goal until they go hungry and they are homeless.

Then they beg the president for handouts because they can’t sell their food they are producing.

It’s only socialism when it helps someone else.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com