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Originally Posted by BloodFetish
Regarding the uneducated and rural Americans, if there was better access to college or university education in rural areas, and good incentives for young people in rural areas to seek higher education, over time could rural areas be turned purple or would you just start churning out educated Republicans?
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I honestly don't think this boils down to access to higher education. I think this is a failing in the traditional education system, and especially a responsibility of the individual states, as they hold the purview for education. Civics education is obviously weak and not getting the level of exposure required to develop an informed electorate. Civics education, like media literacy education, should start in grade school and the development of these basic tenets of our society should be entrenched equally across the country. It should not come down to one state believing in one series of facts because they are controlled by one ideological position. I think this is the greatest weakness of Americans and why/how other nations are attacking and defeating the United States.
On the higher ed thing, I think education should be accessible and free to anyone who wants it. Education is the great equalizer, which is why wannabe authoritarians immediately weaken and limit access to the education systems. If America, or any nation for that matter, wants to be a world leader they need to have a highly educated workforce and electorate. So anyone who wants to better themselves should have access to education and it should not lead to a punitive state (punishing student debt) that limits or restricts our liberties and freedoms.
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I'm curious about whether the urban/rural divide has much overlap with the educated/non-educated divide?
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Very much so. Rural people tend to get basic education and then enter the workforce. This is not a statement about limitations on their ability to learn, just a statement on the cultural state of those regions. Leveraging a fairly accurate stereotype, expectations are you (hopefully) get a high school diploma, marry your high school sweetheart, and follow in the foot steps of your father for your career. Going off to get that fancy education is almost looked down upon in some parts of the country, so this is a barrier that needs to be broken down as well. Interestingly, the kids that do end up in higher ed from these locations usually contribute to the drain from rural areas because of the lack of opportunity in their home communities and the ability to pay off that student loan debt. So a kid that goes to school to become a doctor that could service their local community can no longer afford to go home and become that doctor because of crippling student debt. Another one of those systemic catch 22s.
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Obviously I don't know nothing about nothing, or if even such an initiative would be possible to implement federally. I'm sure Republican states wouldn't take too kindly to the idea.
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The really don't like it. It is why red states lag way behind blue states in education and education outcomes. I would like to believe this could change, but I just don't see it happening. Keeping the electorate dumb is the best way to maintain your grip on power.