How to Place Rural Communities at the Heart of the Anti-Trump Movement

Democrats and others on the left need to put working people, farmers and rural communities at the center of efforts to defeat Trumpism. There is no doubt that rural activists are ready to take their place and play a role in the emerging coalitions. This was evident in the demonstrations that took place in hundreds of villages and towns across the country as part of the No Kings Day of Action on October 18th.

But much more is happening at the grassroots level. For example, in September, US Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) joined the activists from more than 30 states to address the urgent need to invest in rural and working-class communities and advance transformative policies such as Rural New Deal— that will combat excessive corporate power and help level the playing field for working Americans.

Since its launch, the campaign has held a dozen additional events, ranging from town hall-style meetings in rural Appalachia to virtual town halls focused on what the left must do to win back working people.

Local, regional and national organizations have joined the campaign, each organizing a range of actions and events that address working-class and rural issues in different ways. Campaign partners are Rural Urban Bridges Initiative, Progressive Democrats of America, Rural Democracy Initiative, Field Team Six, Public citizenand a dozen others.

The current resistance to Trump has managed to organize thousands of events with millions of participants. However, it has two significant gaps that hinder its effectiveness in creating a broad enough base to stop its most destructive actions: a lack of sustained attention to the serious harms being caused to rural and working people, and the lack of a clear pro-labor, pro-rural vision, policy platform and action plan. This was evident again at the “No to Kings” rallies, where – outside the rural communities where activists began to shape the debate – signs, chants and social media posts largely ignored the grave pain that farmers and working families in small towns face under Trump. These missing pieces are at the center of the Beyond Resistance campaign.

As Jared Abbott, Director Center for Working Class PolicyHe said, “The Beyond Resistance campaign is exactly what we need right now: a clear message about the empty promises the Trump administration has made to American workers, coupled with a credible, forward-thinking vision for helping working-class people and rural America—a vision that is sorely lacking in both major parties.”

The campaign has four main elements: First, show workers and rural residents that the left is committed to them by consistently highlighting their struggles and the harm being done to them by the Trump administration. The campaign created “Betrayal Tracker” is updated regularly and includes some of the many ways this administration is disrupting and harming workers, unions, family farmers and small businesses, industrial jobs and consumers. suggested slogans and statements use at resistance rallies and other events. While the common thread of these protests is to mock Trump's many shortcomings and defend seemingly abstract principles, our slogans focus on the concrete issues that matter most to working people.

The second element of the campaign emphasizes:rural success stories“, examples of local organizations and businesses making a real impact on public health, small town revitalization, economic and agricultural revitalization, and more. The campaign provides links to these groups, as well as suggested language to help raise their profile and support them.

The third element of the campaign is to put forward a clear vision, backed by concrete policies, to destabilize the system and address the problems of the rural and working class. It is critical that the millions of Americans who rightly believe the system is rigged against them see the left proposing concrete actions and policies that will build a new system that levels the playing field and reins in unchecked corporate power. To achieve this, the campaign now offers two main policy platforms – the Rural New Deal and the Rural New Deal. Rural Policy Action Plan– and others are also in the works.

The final element is to support and expand community engagement efforts aimed at rebuilding trust across the ideological divide through practical, concrete action at the local level. Public works The initiative, now active in six states, is one of the successful models of local trust-building efforts that Democrats and progressives are undertaking in rural counties. The campaign provides opportunities including a community service program. National Summit This event was held on October 22 so that people could learn more about this approach and take steps to open local branches wherever they are.

Beyond Resistance he was lucky enough to attract a lot of GenZ and other young participants. One of these young leaders, Lily Forand, who founded New populistsummed it up well: “There has never been a more important time for the left to connect with rural and working-class voters. This campaign does important work in bridging these two worlds and launching a movement that creates genuine working-class political representation.” This is what the left needs to do now to stop Trump, and this is what we must do in the long run if we are going to build a country for the many, not the few.