NPR reaches out to the heartland

http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=123942224&m=123942221

The above link will take readers of this blog to a National Public Radio discussion that aired Sunday on NPR’s “Weekend Edition.”

I was pleased and honored to take part in that discussion, which dealt with President Obama’s efforts to stimulate the economy and the impact they have had on this part of the country. The other participant was Kevin Riley, editor of the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News. Riley and I have discussed political issues with NPR on the air several times since 2008. I enjoy it immensely.

But the more important point is this: NPR is gauging the impact of Beltway policymakers’ decisions on what is commonly known as “Flyover Country.” Dayton is a vastly different community than the Texas Panhandle. It’s in a swing state; Dayton leans Democratic and it has suffered grievious job losses in the wake of the economic downturn. Texas, on the other hand, is anything but a swing state; we are heavily Republican; the Panhandle leans even more Republican than most of the rest of the state; and our local economy is in relatively decent shape.

Thus, our respective communities’ readers have different views on the state of affairs and on the Obama presidency.

Thanks for asking us for our opinion, NPR.