Searching for Middle Ground in the Urban-Rural Divide

Jason Hancock wrote the original column for the Kansas City Star. The refrain will be familiar: "Rural areas hold political clout well beyond their numbers, winning regularly on the issues and in the division of tax dollars."

Renn himself acknowledges that he's written on the subject before, but he seems particularly lively here: "Who could argue against making things better? It seems absurd. So why is it so hard to make progress?"

Renn identifies a number of reasons for the divide, and also suggests a few paths for a wider prosperity—one that benefits more of the places that have so far been not benefitted by the rising tides of globalization. "What’s needed is a new bargain in our states and regions. Larger metros and thriving regions will be given the authority, tools and financing they need to improve themselves and meet the demands of today’s globalized, talent-based economy. In return, they will be expected not just to send back tax “remittances” to the rest of their state, but also to deploy some of their intellectual and policy resources toward the problems facing the left behind areas."