Matt Hildreth
- Director, RuralOrganizing.org
Key Center
Director of @RuralOrganizing.
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Articles by Matt Hildreth
Iowa Democrats need to get serious about clean water and cancer
Jennifer Breon is a Senior Iowa Organizer with Food & Water Action, the political and lobbying sibling organization of the national environmental group Food & Water Watch. She is based in Iowa City. Matt Hildreth is the Executive Director of Rural Organizing, a national organization working to rebuild a rural America that’s empowered, thriving, and equitable. Originally from eastern South Dakota, Matt is based in rural Washington State.
The Harris-Walz Rural Team Could Have Written the DNC Autopsy Report on Day One
Last week, after much delay, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) released its post-election autopsy of the 2024 cycle. As CNN noted, the report concludes that Harris lagged in rural areas nationally, that the gap proved insurmountable in the swing states, and that the campaign effectively wrote off rural America on the assumption that urban and suburban margins would make up the difference. Those of us who worked on the Harris-Walz campaign did not need an autopsy to tell us what happened.
Rural voters know that ultra-millionaires and the elite political class are out of touch with their day-to-day lives Original
Matt Hildreth, RuralOrganizing President Trump won more than nine out of every ten rural counties in 2024. He’s now sitting at 52% favorable, 46% unfavorable among rural voters in battleground states, and 49% of rural voters in the same territory say they feel worse about him since he was re-elected, including a quarter of Republicans. That is not a man cruising into the midterms. That is a man whose coalition is fraying at the edges, and the edges are exactly where we live.
Rural Voters: How Democrats Can Win Them Back | Susan J. Demas Talks With Matt Hildreth of Rural Organizing
Nearly 20 years ago, Democrats won a sizable chunk of rural Americans in their coalition that helped Barack Obama win big in his first presidential election in 2008. However, the relationship between rural voters and Democrats has soured in the Trump era, with many embracing MAGA … only to find nothing but empty promises from Donald Trump’s “America First” messaging.
Melania Makes a Robot Friend
The White House has horny pun fun with sex-working farmers. Marco Rubio wants you to know he listens to rap music while various prediction market fiascos continue to surround the non-war with Iran. Also, Iran hacked the FBI director’s emails and we learned that he pays for porn? Yeah, Kash Patel pays for porn. Then we get into the overlords’ obsession with replacing teachers with A.I. ,which somehow led to the first lady having to hang out with a Roomba with feet.
A Conversation About Rural Prosperity and Its Connection to Policies, Past, Present & Future
In this Rural Impact Extra Episode: A Conversation about Rural Prosperity and its Connection to Policies, Past, Present & Future, Michelle leads the episode with a discussion with two esteemed experts in the field. Tony Pipa, a Senior Fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution, and Brent Orrell, a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), bring their wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation.
Antitrust Lawsuit Against Live Nation: What It Means for the Future of Live Events
Last week, The Department of Justice and 30 state and district attorneys general announced a lawsuit against ticketing giant Live Nation on antitrust grounds. The lawsuit claims Live Nation engaged in harmful practices affecting artists, venues, fans, and industry start-ups. The outcome of the legal battle could upend the ticketing and live events industry for years to come. Thanks for reading New Country Traditions! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Rural News Clips for May 23, 2024
Alabama Reflector As judicial fights get tougher, Southern Poverty Law Center looks to advocacy training May 23, 2024 “The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Alabama office is developing a program to train people in the state to advocate for issues within their communities.” “Up to 15 participants will be selected for an Advocacy Institute that will offer lessons for those supporting change at the local level, community organizing and connecting people with tools, resources, and partners they will...
New Randy Travis Song Sparks AI Debate in Country Music
Country music legend Randy Travis is back, over a decade after suffering a debilitating stroke, with a brand new single. But this time, he's getting help from “the latest artificial intelligence technology.” The new single, titled "Where That Came From," was created with the assistance of an AI-powered music platform called Amper Music.
Weekly Skews: Weekly Skews - 3/26/24 – Congressional Chaos w/ Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on Apple Podcasts
Description: On tonight's show we talk the recent chaos in the House with special guest, Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA)! Also, how Joe Biden used the power of diversity and immigration to destroy that bridge in Baltimore (according to idiots). Join us. Support the show
New Bluegrass Supergroup Announces Debut Album With Music Video
This week, Mighty Popular, a recently formed bluegrass supergroup featuring Andrew Marlin from Watchhouse, Noam Pikelny, and Chris Eldridge from Punch Brothers, Greg Garrison of Leftover Salmon, and Alex Hargreaves, announced their debut album with a music video. The self-titled record is set for release on March 31, 2023, via Free Dirt Records.
Tyler Childers, Margo Price, Lucero, Arlo McKinley, and Lost Dog Street Band to perform at opioid epidemic benefit concert
Two-day tickets are now on sale for the 2022 Healing Appalachia concert set for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24 at The State Fairgrounds of West Virginia, outside of Lewisburg. Appearing at Healing Appalachia will be one of its founders, RCA Recording Artist Tyler Childers and his band. Other headline acts include New Orleans jam masters, Galactic and country rocker Margo Price and her band.
Opinion: Finally, some good news for small towns and rural communities
“It is what it is.” That’s a statement I hear all the time about old timber towns with shuttered mills, coal communities with abandoned mines, and remote rural areas whose number one export is young people. Between 2010 and 2020, rural America experienced an overall population loss for the first time in history.
National Parks Bring Billions of Dollars To Small Town and Rural Economies
With millions of Americans on the road this Fourth of July holiday weekend, a new study shows the massive economic impact of our country’s national parks on largely rural gateway communities is even bigger than previously documented. According to the National Park Service’s 2021 National Park Visitor Spending Effects study, over 297 million visitors spent $20.5 billion in communities within 60 miles of a national park in 2021.
Historic flooding in Yellowstone is a preview of what's to come at our country's national parks
Over thousands of years, Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world, was shaped by one of the most dangerous and powerful volcanoes on Earth. The first major eruption of the Yellowstone volcano occurred 2.1 million years ago. It covered more than 5,790 square miles with ash. It was one of the largest volcanic eruptions known. While it’s been about 70,000 years since the last lava flow, the volcano is still active.
Hildreth: How The Biden Administration Can Maximize Covid Relief in Small Towns and Rural Communities
Hildreth: How The Biden Administration Can Maximize Covid Relief in Small Towns and Rural Communities BOB ENGLEHART | Cagle Cartoons Matt Hildreth While much has been reported about the American Rescue Plan providing needed relief to pandemic-battered cities, less has been written about the potential historic economic boost this policy could have on small towns and rural communities.
The Recorder - My Turn: How the American Rescue Plan can help small towns
While much has been reported about the American Rescue Plan providing needed relief to pandemic-battered cities, less has been written about the potential historic economic boost this policy could have on small towns and rural communities.
Matt Hildreth, Guest Columnist: Maximizing COVID relief in rural communities
While much has been reported about the American Rescue Plan providing needed relief to pandemic-battered cities, less has been written about the potential historic economic boost this policy could have on small towns and rural communities.
Commentary: Democrats Are Well Positioned To Win Rural Votes Thanks to President Biden’s Pro-Rural Agenda. But There's More Work To Be Done.
In his first hundred days, President Biden and Congressional Democrats passed the American Rescue Act, the single biggest shift in rural policy in decades.
Immigration 101: What is a Dreamer?
Originally published November 2017; last updated March 2024. WHAT IS A DREAMER? When it comes to immigration and immigration reform, a “Dreamer” or “DREAMer” refers to an immigrant youth who was brought to the US as a minor and who remains undocumented.
Trae Crowder Has Some Advice For Democrats About Talking To Rural Voters
If you know anything about Trae Crowder, a.k.a. The Liberal Redneck, you know that he’s not afraid of saying what’s on his mind. Trey is a comedian from Celina, Tennessee who offers a fresh take on the south and rural culture and challenges “redneck” stereotypes too often portrayed in the media. Recently we asked Trae to send us his take on politicians, especially Democrats, who ignore rural voters. You can see the video here. Please note that this video contains explicit language.
Report: Front Groups for the Anti-Immigrant Lobby
[Download PDF] Major anti-immigrant organizations such as the Center for Immigration Studies, NumbersUSA and the Federation for American Immigration Reform are closely aligned with the Republican Members of Congress who are now in charge of immigration policy for the U.S. House of Representatives. In a series of hearings, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep.
Commissioning ceremony set for 4th USS Indiana
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Indiana residents are set to celebrate the commissioning of the first Navy vessel to bear the state's name since the end of World War II.The commissioning ceremony for the USS Indiana will be held Saturday in Cape Canaveral, Florida, The South Bend Tribune reported. The nearly 380-foot-long (116-meter-long) sub can reach speeds of more than 25 knots.Construction on the new vessel began in 2012.
The GOP’s Immigration Playbook is Becoming a Liability for Candidates in Critical House Battleground Districts
This weekend, Donald Trump issued renewed threats to shut down the government to get his border wall and railed against immigration laws. But, that’s not the immigration issue that’s captured the nation’s attention. Instead, voters across the country are tuning into Trump’s policy of separating children from their parents. This policy plays out as new polls show that support for the GOP is in decline in critical House battleground districts. There are numerous reasons for the drop off.
Is Stephen Miller a White Nationalist?
If your definition of a white nationalist is “someone who hangs around white nationalists, shares their views, and advances their policies,” the answer seems pretty clear Is Stephen Miller a white nationalist?
Sign the petition: Paul Ryan: Pass the Dream Act Now!
Last week, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced that he is stepping down at the end of this term.That means he’s quitting Congress at a time when Donald Trump’s deportation force is separating more families than ever.Paul Ryan has stated a belief in immigration reform and the Dream Act. Just last year, he told a Dreamer, Angelica Villalobos, that people like her don’t need to worry about being deported.
Keep the National Guard Out of Donald Trump's Deportation Force
According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration is considering a plan to mobilize as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up millions of undocumented immigrants in states along the southern border. This includes states like California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas; as well as states adjacent to border states, like Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. This idea is unthinkable.
Sign the petition: Stop politicizing the 2020 census!
Stop politicizing the 2020 census! Petition by Matt Hildreth To be delivered to Wilbus Ross, Commerce Secretary Petition Statement Unlike in years past, the 2020 census will feature a citizenship question, which will discourage Americans of color from participating. It's the government's constitutional duty to count all people in every part of the country. We should not stand for the politicization of the census. There are currently 2 signatures. We need 50 signatures!
Navy seeks savings, releases two-carrier RFP
WASHINGTONThe Navy released a CVN 80/81 two-ship buy Request for Proposal (RFP) to Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS) March 19 to further define the cost savings achievable with a two-ship buy.With lethality and affordability a top priority, the Navy has been working with HII-NNS over the last several months to estimate the total savings associated with procuring CVN 80 and CVN 81 as a two-ship buy."In keeping with the National Defense Strategy, the Navy...
Sign the petition: Stop Separating Families: Stop Felix Garcia’s Deportation!
Felix Garcia is a longtime Georgia resident, an aspiring American, and the father of three daughters, including a medical student and a young U.S. citizen. Earlier this year, during a regular annual check-in, Felix was detained by ICE with no explanation.Felix has lived in the U.S. since 1995 and has no criminal record.
Sign the petition: Tell USCIS: The United States IS A Nation of Immigrants
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a non-political federal agency that grants visas and U.S. citizenship to eligible immigrants. This week, it removed the phrase “nation of immigrants” from its mission statement with no specific explanation.This is a step backwards as to who we are as a nation. Words matter and have power. Our country was built by immigrants and continues to excel because of all the contributions they make each and every day.Make no mistake.
Justice Neil Gorsuch MUST recuse himself from DACA decision!
Neil Gorsuch, the newest Supreme Court Justice and a Donald Trump appointee, has not been an impartial judge. He recently gave the keynote address at a Trump Hotel event, and this week, he had dinner and discussed “important issues” with members of Congress including Sen.
Community Leaders Stand Up Against Abusive ICE Practices in Michigan
Last May, Michigan DREAMer Ivan Nikolov and his mother were detained in a Michigan detention facility, where Ivan was forced to watch while his crying mother was strip-searched. Only a small, shoulder-length screen separated the two.
Tell CNN not to run ads for anti-immigrant, right-wing extremists!
CNN is allowing a right-wing, anti-immigrant extremist group to run racist ads that scare Americans about family-based immigration.NumbersUSA, a group founded by white nationalist John Tanton, is airing a controversial ad that promotes Donald Trump’s racist agenda against immigrants.In their ad, NumbersUSA attacks family values by going after immigrants in the US who sponsor close relatives for green cards.
Tell CNN: No More Air Time For Anti-Immigrant, Right-Wing Extremists!
CNN is allowing a right-wing, anti-immigrant extremist group to run racist ads that scare Americans about family-based immigration.NumbersUSA, a group founded by white nationalist John Tanton, is airing a controversial ad that promotes Donald Trump’s racist agenda against immigrants.In their ad, NumbersUSA attacks family values by going after immigrants in the US who sponsor close relatives for green cards.
We need a real solution for the heroin, fentanyl, oxycontin, and opioid epidemic
We need a real solution for the heroin, fentanyl, oxycontin, and opioid epidemic Petition by Matt Hildreth, RuralOrganizing.org To be delivered to Eric Hargan, acting secretary of Health and Human Services and President Donald Trump Petition Statement The opioid crisis must be declared a national health emergency and significant new funds for a long-term, comprehensive strategy for both prevention and treatment must be granted.
Dreamer Dinners Archives - America's Voice
by Matt Hildreth on August 15, 2017 Today marks the fifth anniversary of the implementation of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Dreamers are once again making headlines all over the country. DACA allows nearly a million young people to come out of the shadows, work legally, and live in relative fear of deportation.
757 Va. Natives Serve Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The USS Gerald R. Ford isn't only the Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier, but it is also a big community with around 2,600 sailors on board the ship. Some of those sailors are from right here in southeastern Virginia. "When you run into somebody that's from the same general area as you, you immediately have this friendship that you didn't know you had," said Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Jenkins.
757 natives serve aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The USS Gerald R. Ford isn't only the Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier, but it is also a big community with around 2,600 sailors on board the ship. Some of those sailors are from right here in southeastern Virginia. "When you run into somebody that's from the same general area as you, you immediately have this friendship that you didn't know you had," said Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Jenkins.
USS Gerald R. Ford completes first arrested landing, launch
(WVEC) -- The USS Gerald R. Ford has completed its first arrested landing and launch, less than a week after President Donald J. Trump commission the aircraft carrier. “I could not be more proud of the men and women who, for the better part of the last two decades, have worked to bring these new technologies to the fleet,” said Capt. Stephen Tedford, program manager.
President Trump Helps Commission the USS Gerald R. Ford
NORFOLK, Va.--President Donald Trump helped commission the USS Gerald R. Ford on Saturday and declared that the most advanced aircraft carrier to join the Navy will cause America's enemies to "shake with fear" whenever they see its form cutting across the horizon. "I hereby place United States Ship Gerald R. Ford in commission," Trump said after delivering a speech in which he praised the U.S. military and the American labor that went into building the 100,000 ton, $12.9 billion warship.
One day to go until aircraft carrier Ford joins the Navy fleet
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- Up to 10,000 people could be on hand Saturday to witness the commissioning of the newest and most advanced yet most expensive aircraft carrier ever, the Gerald R. Ford. The Ford's arrival is a cause for much celebration. But it is also cause for some concern. This week, the Government Accountability Office released a report that shows it will take another $780 million to get the Ford combat-deployable. That's on top of the $12.9 billion already spent.
Gerald R. Ford: A Legacy of Service
NORFOLK, VA. - As the Navy prepares for the July 22 commissioning of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, 13News Now has prepared a series of special reports to commemorate the historic event. All this week on 13News Now at 6, we'll tell you about the ship, and the man behind the name.
Gerald R. Ford: A Legacy of Service
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- As the Navy prepares for the July 22 commissioning of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, 13News Now has prepared a series of special reports to commemorate the historic event. All this week on 13News Now at 6, we'll tell you about the ship, and the man behind the name.
President Trump to attend commissioning of the Gerald R. Ford
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- President Donald Trump will preside over the commissioning of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The nuclear-powered ship will be commissioned on Saturday, July 22 at Naval Station Norfolk. The Ford, named after the nation's 38th president, will become the newest, most advanced aircraft carrier ever. Construction on the Ford began in 2009. It was supposed to completed by September 2015, with costs at $10.5 billion.
Report: Budget for new carrier isn't reliable
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WVEC) -- Navy officials must come up with a new budget plan for the future aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy. The reason: a report from the Government Accountability Office expects it to run over its $11.4 billion budget. It's already under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. This will the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. The report says the cost for the Kennedy includes overly optimistic labor-hour projections. The Ford is the first ship in this class.
Carrier Gerald R. Ford delivered to the Navy
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- Fresh off a successful round of sea trials, shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries has delivered the newest aircraft carrier to the Navy. The Gerald R. Ford completed its acceptance trials on May 26, which were designed to prove the carrier and its crew could effectively conduct operations at sea. “Today is a historic day for Newport News Shipbuilding and one that is personally rewarding for me,” Newport News Shipbuilding President Matt Mulherin said in a press release.
The Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier returns from sea trials
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The Gerald R. Ford is back from its three days at sea. The Navy's newest aircraft carrier has been taking part in "acceptance trials." The trials will prove that the carrier and its crew can effectively conduct operations at sea. They are also meant to make sure the ship meets expectations, since the Ford has had several upgrades that need to be tested. Last month the carrier went through initial testing for seven days. Construction on the Ford started in 2009.
The Gerarld R. Ford aircraft carrier returns from sea trials
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The Gerald R. Ford is back from its three days at sea. The Navy's newest aircraft carrier has been taking part in "acceptance trials." The trials will prove that the carrier and its crew can effectively conduct operations at sea. They are also meant to make sure the ship meets expectations, since the Ford has had several upgrades that need to be tested. Last month the carrier went through initial testing for seven days. Construction on the Ford started in 2009.
Don’t Let Donald Trump Sideline Rural Development at the USDA
Don’t Let Donald Trump Sideline Rural Development at the USDA Petition by Matt Hildreth, RuralOrganizing.org To be delivered to Sonny Perdue, Secretary of Agriculture and President Donald Trump Petition Statement We demand that the Trump Administration keep their hands off the Rural Development Mission Area.
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