Left behind:The midterm view from Iowa

When rural voters read of booming urban economies, record stock market highs and low unemployment, it didn't match observations of their communities. That energized them to participate in the electoral process, which in Iowa starts up again....now.The bleak outlook in many rural communities across the Midwest has led to the consolidation of schools and churches, along with the closing of many businesses and hospitals. For nearly 40 years, I have studied these trends and have great empathy for those who feel they have been “left behind.” So when rural voters read of booming urban economies, record highs on the stock market and low unemployment rates, this does not match their observations of what’s happening in their communities, where almost 40 percent of Iowans can’t afford the basic costs of living. That energized them to participate in the election.Some common themes that played a big role in yesterday’s election in Iowa: the need for affordable health care especially among low-income residents and the elderly, the need to invest in education for the workforce of the future and restoring a sense of shared economic prosperity.