Putting a Face on the Numbers

By Joshua Seidemann, Vice President of Policy, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association 

February 7, 2018

A 2001 article in Economic Review, the journal of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, reported a series of population trends that affect rural representation in Washington: 1990 was the first time that more than 50 percent of Americans lived in metro areas with populations greater than 1,000,000; 1992 was the first time in the nation's history that the majority of votes cast for president came from suburban districts; by 1994, suburban representatives occupied all top five positions in the U.S. House of Representatives; and, by 1996, only 76 of 435 Congressional districts were predominantly rural. 

soi-rural road sign

The impact of these trends is that there are fewer members of Congress who answer to predominantly rural constituencies. And, while one could also argue that there may be fewer members of Congress with a personal connection to rural America, that would be an inference based on population trends rather than a member-by-member survey of personal backgrounds. Nevertheless, the trends argue for a greater emphasis on education on Capitol Hill of not simply rural issues, but why rural issues matter.

The potential disconnect between rural and urban viewpoints was evidenced last week in comments that readers posted in response to a story in the New York Times. The article, "5-Year-Olds Work Farm Machinery, and Injury Follows," offered readers a glimpse of agricultural lifestyles. While the author presented a "just the facts, ma'am" account of the issues through interviews with farmers, physicians and others, readers' comments revealed a gulf between the perspectives of those who live this lifestyle and those who presumably do not. And, this may well illustrate the need for education on Capitol Hill as the potential for representatives who are removed from rural issues increases.

To be clear: I did not grow up on a farm. My understanding of certain issues comes only from peripheral interaction. I grew up in a state where the driving age was 16, but 14 for farm equipment. My closest involvement with active agriculture was visiting the state fair each year and listening to the farm report on the noon news each day. But, it was a pervasive piece of my childhood. I do not recall the last time I watched a TV advertisement for industrial herbicides. In central Ohio, however, it was a fixture on evening TV as pharmaceutical ads are for network evening news broadcasts today. It is possible to appreciate another's life through osmosis.

NTCA's Foundation for Rural Service exercises a response to this need with its annual tour of rural America for Congressional staff. Others have championed a "domestic student exchange" program whereby rural students can be brought to study in urban areas and urban students can study in rural areas (see this article, "America, Meet America: Getting Past Our Toxic Partisanship").

Your stories matter. Share them here. As we push the ball forward on technology for rural America, your stories of innovation will illustrate our advocacy. Numbers are compelling, but it's the faces that make those numbers stick.