Much Love for Iowa: The Real Midwest

It is important for Americans outside of Iowa to understand one very key fact: Iowa is the REAL Midwest.

This is a bit hard to swallow these days given the rampant skepticism over Iowa’s place in the larger electoral scheme of things.  It’s hard because many people are asking why does Iowa get so much props when it’s not all that diverse and doesn’t really represent how America looks.  And why is a place so small having so much sway over political decisions that impact the remaining 99% of the population?  These are real questions that are weighing heavily on quite a few people.

And I know that when most Americans think of the Midwest they think of Cleveland, St. Louis, amber waves of grain and all of those rust belt images and 1940’s propaganda posters.  But, the problem is that’s the televised Midwest.

The real Midwest can be found in places like Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. Why the difference? Unbeknownst to most people vast swaths of land in this country are still nothing but farmland, not necessarily anchored by any major city.

I just flew into Omaha, Nebraska to drive over to Des Moines, Iowa (about a two hour drive) and saw nothing. Seriously there is little or nothing out here.

I went to high school in Nebraska and I can tell you that there used to be road signs that said “Last gas for 3 hours” when you headed into the Western part of the state.

Now, this is not meant to be a nostalgic bashing of flyover country. Instead, it is a reminder that most Americans and the press we follow are very urban-centric. If it happens in a city or a surrounding suburb, the press is all over it. But, it is often overlooked that a large, if dwindling population of Americans live more than 2 hours away from a metropolitan area of a million people or more. These men and women have thoughts, dreams and hopes, as well. Consequently, whatever happens in the next 48 hours isn’t some anomaly based on some country yokels.  It is actually the feeling of some folks who are still a vital part of the American fabric.

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One Response to Much Love for Iowa: The Real Midwest

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