Politics

‘Truth Is I Think He Sold Us Out’ — Trump Voter

Posted on July 7, 2017 by CharlieClaywell

I recently had lunch with a friend and eventually our conversation turned to the national political chaos we all are enduring. The friend casually noted how House of Cards, a political drama starring Kevin Spacey, is becoming too close to reality. If you’ve never seen the show, I highly recommend it as it delves into the behind-the-scenes debauchery that has come to define our political class. Shows like House, and it comical counterpart Veep, shine a light on a harsh reality — that the average American voter has no true voice in the political direction of the country.

For some, that realization leads to anger or despair, for others it strengthens their resolve to chip away at the injustice.

Regardless how one responds, though, one thing is certain, with our ever-shifting reality, truth is under attack.

Inside The Mind Of The Twitter-In-Chief

As is the case with all of us, a level of predictability exists, even in the apparent chaos. Many on Twitter have taken the time to dissect what T-Money obsesses over (hint: it’s not governing), while other find very humorous ways to mock the insanity (often getting blocked by the thin-skinned reality TV president), but one professor took the time to boil down the Tweets into their four basic categories — and once you see the system 45* uses the Tweets are easier to understand in a broader context.

It’s also easy to see that Trump’s fan base loves his attacks on the press.

In Defense Of Local News

One of the reason a Trump can rise up from the under current of American society is because people are consuming more tainted, and less local, news. As stated numerous times, Trump won the Electoral College vote by winning at the county level. Many of the counties are small enough that local, in-depth news coverage often wanes. In my county, the size and depth of the news coverage from the 1970s is much different than today. This is not a reflection on the individuals doing the work — it’s an indication of organizations downsizing to the point that the handful of reporters remaining cannot begin to cover news at the depth required.

There are simply not enough hours.

Take, for example, this small stat from my county. In 2006, the Eaton City Police handled 28 trespassing cases. A decade later, despite (or maybe because of) the city’s stagnant population growth, the EPD handled 109 trespassing cases. This is up sharply from 2014 (30) and 2015 (50). The stat can be interpreted numerous ways. For example, a few interpretations could be:

The EPD is taking a more aggressive approach to policing the crime
Businesses are requesting more people to be trespassed off their property (for example, Walmart)
More citizens are trespassing

One could also ask — is it 109 different people or are some people multiple offenders. Are certain locations prone to trespassing?

Or take another stat, the number of manufactured homes being introduced into the county (10 were recently delivered in the southern part of Preble County). How does that reflect the county’s income level? Are these homes having an impact on overall property values since the county is currently averaging about 20-30 new home constructions annually.

Or, how about the question posed last fall by a local farmer. Why is his property tax bill escalating — and is it — or is he mistaken?

Each of these stats create a perception and without strong reporting the story behind the numbers is left to hearsay.

But all of these ‘small’ news stories require manpower and, in some cases, database building skills, to flesh them out. This costs money, money that smaller news organizations cannot, or will not, spend.

Montgomery County — Epicenter Of Opioid Crisis?

But local news can deliver in-depth, accurate and important information for citizens. An example of the value of local media can be seen in a recent article by the Dayton Daily News.

The national media reported that Montgomery County was the worst county in the country for heroin-related overdose deaths. When I first heard the national story it did not seem accurate (no, I don’t consider it fake or fraudulent) because I had recently attended a seminar conducted by two retired Columbus, Ohio police officers. The officers had spent decades investigating drug-related crimes. In their presentation they referenced a map of the U.S. which demonstrated the heroin crisis began in the area that some historians refer to as the Greater Appalachian region (Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia). And, the map showed (I’m relying on memory, so these are estimates) that Ohio had about 30 heroin-related deaths per 100,000 compared to 45 per 100,000 in West Virginia.

So as the national media ‘swooped in’ and told the Montgomery County story from a surface level, the local paper put considerable effort, time and manpower into digging out the local stats which suggest they may not be the worst (although still very high up on the list).

The paper also took the time to explain the difficulty in getting up-to-the minutes numbers on heroin or opioid deaths (something the Columbus officers also said in their presentation — they used Center for Disease Control stats which were a couple years old) which further demonstrated that the national news story may have rushed in its judgement of the county’s rank.

So, at the end of the day, readers of local news were given a thorough and in-depth understanding of the Dayton-area heroin problem.

The Media Is Not The Enemy

When the 2016 election was in battle mode last fall, the GOP leadership in my county posted (on Facebook) an image of a sign saying MSM (Mainstream Media) was the problem. InfoWars.com bumper stickers can also be seen here — highlighting the information source for some locals.

When I see the attack on the media, I do wonder if former president Ronald Reagan had any clue what he unleashed when he vetoed the Fairness Doctrine. That veto ushered in the era of cable news, talk radio, alternative and fringe news organizations. Maybe Reagan thought Americans were smart enough to figure out the truth.

On some things that may be true, but, as the saying goes, politics is war by other means.

American politics is convoluted and intentionally complicated. It has been reduced to tag lines, sound bites, 140-character rants and tainted advertising sponsored by Super PACs. Without a strong press to dive into the myriad of documents, to attend countless meetings, and reporters to educate themselves on the various issues of the day, Americans must rely on talking heads or worse — social media.

In my county, if a citizen were inclined to, for example, understand what their commissioners did, they would need to know where to get an audio of the meeting (Commissioner’s Office/$1.75). Then they would need to wade through three to five hours of weekly conversation while, at the same time, educating themselves on the various programs, procedures and protocol of local government.

Americans I know, though, would rather watch paint dry (or a sporting event) instead of becoming knowledgeable enough to understand the political process to that level.

Which is why we need a strong, devoted and unencumbered media.

These men and women actually enjoy readings the documents and attending the meetings. No, they are not perfect, but having worked in the industry, by and large, most journalists are very dedicated and honest. (They could not be dishonest if they wanted to be — because the industry and/or their sources would weed them out.)

Without a strong media — especially one that includes strong local coverage — politics gets dumbed down to a spectator sports mentality where voters are rooting for their team, oblivious to the rules of the political game.

In the noise of Twitter and social media, far too many Americans vote on how they identify with a candidate, without understanding the candidate’s policy position (except maybe a handful of hot button issues like abortion). Too many vote like the Preble County man I quoted in the headline. He said,

“Truth is I think Trump sold us out,” adding “I voted for him because I liked him better than Hillary.”

But, as the local man is learning, likeability and $1.50 will buy a nice cold drink — just not a political voice.

Categories: My America, Politics, Preble County, Understanding Trump Counties

10 Things I Learned This Week

Posted on February 24, 2017 by CharlieClaywell

Since this has to be the making of one of the most asinine eras of American history, from time to time I’m going to list what I learned over the course of seven to 10 business days.

Risk-based screening. I was reminded that word choice is integral to shifting public opinion when I read an update from my Congressman Warren Davidson (OH-8th). Davidson, who noted he had been on Fox & Friends to discuss national security, advised in his newsletter that,

“It is time for Congress and the President to work together to pass legislation reforming risk-based screening for refugee and other immigration programs.”

It reminded me of the words by 20th century journalist and satirist H.L. Mencken,

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed by an endless series of hobgloblins, most of them imaginary.”
Fast-Track ILC (In Lieu of Conviction). Although an individual who utilizes medication-based therapy to kick a heroin habit has a 70-90 percent chance of relapse — and those who try ‘willpower’ alone tend to relapse with 30 days — my local prosecuting attorney’s office has created a plan to fast track heroin cases so defendants can get treatment instead of jail time. I’ll be following the results of these cases because it feels more like fast-tracking defendants through the system and creating a new crop of felons. (See 13th)
Americans are (still) angry — My Senator from Ohio, Rob Portman, is denying allegations that he refused to allow Democrat constituents to attend a Presidents Day event.
Farmers who supported Trump, may get the shaft. Since I live in a rural, farming region, I found these stories interesting. Some farmers who use immigrant labor were hoping for a status quo approach to deportation since it affects their bottom line. That, of course, is not happening. Farmers who export crops to China or Mexico may also be negatively impacted if relationships between the countries continues to be strained.
The GOP ‘mavericks’ are voting in line with Trump. Talk is cheap and despite the maverick image of GOP heavyweights like John McCain and Rand Paul or even my governor — John Kasich, the image appears to be more hype than reality since they are voting (or in the case of Kasich — meeting) in line with Trump’s agenda.
Boehner says Repeal and Replace won’t happen. Whether you like him or not, former House Speaker John Boehner, at times, can be very direct. With regards to repealing Obamacare he says the GOP is just blowing smoke. It’s not going to happen.
Deportation is fueling private prison profits. Follow the money is the old journalism adage. Big actions often mean big profits for some and such is the case with the drive to rid of the country of the ‘bad dudes.’
Trump travel costs outweigh Obama’s — by a lot. The GOP loved to moan about Obama’s vacations, golfing, etc. Turns out Trump is outperforming the former president in money spent on getaway trips.
Losers go home. Mitch McConnell, the Senator from the state where I was born, Kentucky, is apparently tired of all the protests and demonstrations. He said he is not opposed to obstructionism, but the losers in this election need to get over it, because winners enact the policies and losers go home.
Americans still have a sense of humor. Apparently Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of the president is gaining popularity.

Categories: 8th congressional district, My America, Politics

Heroin, Meth Just Part Of Life In Small, Rural Town

Posted on January 13, 2017 by CharlieClaywell

I live in Ohio, a state where the Attorney General has declared a heroin epidemic. My county is no exception. The possession of heroin cases in Common Pleas Court have skyrocketed from about five in 2012 to around 50 in 2016.

But heroin, is just one of the drugs the county deals with — meth has been in the region for years and it does not appear to be going away. In August, 2015 there were nearly as many meth cases (based on the presumption that the ‘manufacturing’ indictment is for meth production) as heroin — three versus four respectively.

When a community is hammered by drugs, typically thefts or burglaries rise as addicts seeks ways to fund their habit. In this regard, Preble is, again, no exception. In August, 2015 the grand jury handed down seven theft-related indictments.

Meth Nearly Destroys Iowa Town

In Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town, author Nick Reding examines a small rural, agricultural-based town in southeast Iowa which is about the same size as my hometown. The tale, mostly about the town’s (Oelwein) triumph over meth is an interesting read as it lays bare the wide-ranging reasons for the epidemic.

Three of the reasons are: political indifference, corporate irresponsibility and the myth of the American Dream.

Political Indifference

What may be most troubling about the meth situation is it never had to happen. As the author details in the book, research to create an alternative to pseudoephedrine — the chemical extracted from Sudafed to manufacture meth — was halted as in 2000. Before 2000, two approaches were being pursued that could have eliminated the ability to extract meth from Sudafed. The first was a chemical ‘mirror’ alternative to pseudoephedrine that eliminated the stimulant effect — making it worthless to the meth industry. The second approach was to use additives that blocked the ability to extract pseudoephedrine from cold tablets.

In the end, much like with the current heroin/opioid situation, Big Pharma’s profit potential influenced politicians to take a hands-off approach to regulating the industry — siding with business at the expense of American communities.

Corporate Irresponsibility

As president Calvin Coolidge famously said, the business of America is business — and this holds true even when it destroys livelihoods. Part of Methland deals with Ottumwa, Iowa where the meth trade skyrocketed in the late 1980s — making Roseanne’s Barr’s former sister-in-law Lori Arnold a very wealthy woman (and eventual felon). Arnold became wealthy by distributing meth to an ever-increasing base of factory workers.

When large companies, like Cargill, acquired food processing plants in the region, one of their first lines of business was to slash wages from about $18 an hour to $5. Workers, forced to work double shifts or take on a second job to sustain their earnings, turned to meth for the energy to get through the extended work week.

The companies also began actively recruiting immigrants, mostly from Mexico, to take jobs at the plant. The influx of immigrants, some with a direct line to the Mexican meth industry, increased the drugs presence in the workplace.

Today, with president-elect Donald Trump riding to the White House partially on the immigration issue, it remains to be seen if he will address one of the reasons illegal aliens are here. As Reding points out in the book, U.S. companies recruit inexpensive, illegal foreign labor and then hide behind legalities. Under U.S. law, companies are not responsible for knowing whether a worker is in the United States legally. They bring them here — and pretend to not know how they showed up. The scam has played a role in perpetuating an anti-immigration stance among Americans whose misdirected anger exists because they do not realize companies in their community caused the problem.

The American Dream

A significant portion of the book deals with Arnold who, within months of entering the Ottumwa meth business, becomes a very wealthy individual. Arnold looms high above the other small-time meth manufacturers featured in the book. But even the small time players create a significant cash flow because they have a captive market base — people working 60-90 hours weeks just to stay ahead of the economic curve.

The book is worth reading simply for Arnold’s story.

Even though the story is empathic to Arnold, and the other large and small time dealers, it does not shy away from what they are or what they do. It is very much a ‘warts and all’ type of tale. But, a bright side to the story does exist. It is seen mostly through the major of Oelwein, a progressive determined to purge his small town of meth while also returning viable jobs to the region. He takes some big gambles — and in the end they pay off.

It’s an approach small towns in the Rust Belt would be wise to follow.

Keen Observations

The book’s strength is the author’s many observations, including one about the American economic system. Reding posits that our economy is proving the theories of Karl Marx to be more accurate than Adam Smith’s — noting that even the agricultural industry is being cannibalized by a handful of companies. This handful of large companies control the lion share of the market, pushing small farmers to the brink of extinction, destroying local economies in the process.

One small way this is seen, he notes, is the disappearance of locally-owned grain elevators. Under locally-owned systems, every dollar created through the sale of grain generates another three to four dollars in local transactions, Reding explains. This keeps small economies thriving.

Today, though, grain is typically owned and handled by one seed company and the dollar transactions are reduced to a 1:1 ratio, eliminating any local upside. This guts the local economy often causing family-owned grain elevators to close. It happened in the Iowa town — and in my community as well. The grain elevators that existed in the village of West Alexandria and the city of Eaton closed years ago.

In Eaton, a Dollar General store sits where the former grain elevator operated.

Rated 5 out of 5: The book is fairly short, very well researched and a nice blend of investigative journalism and personal essay writing.

Categories: Life In A Red State, My America, Ohio, Politics, Preble County, Small Town Politics