Welcome to our May edition of the Rapp Up!

This month we begin with an interview of Anthony Flaccavento, a Southwest Virginia farmer and former congressional candidate, to get his take on understanding rural voters (and why Democratic politicians often don’t).

In the Our Take section, we begin with a look at the downsides of the seemingly innocuous Educational Savings Accounts concept that some Virginia politicians (and billionaires) are advocating.

Next, there’s a guest opinion piece that asks — if Roe vs Wade is overturned — why not level the “gender” playing field — with a penis bounty!

And we offer the latest information on where to turn if you or a loved one has Covid - and what you should avoid.

In the Around the Commonwealth section, there is a great story about why some small towns in Appalachia are prospering again, and more good news about how the new federal infrastructure law is helping Virginia (finally) fix a lot of roads.

And In Other News adds a good news/bad news story about the leading cause of childhood death, and a surprising report about the impact of long-term covid on the American workforce.

So it’s a full issue! Happy reading. Is there a topic you would like to hear more about in future newsletters? Just click here to leave us a message. And, if you have not already, please  subscribe!

by Mary-Sherman Willis

Anthony Flaccavento has spent a lot of time reflecting on how Virginians can navigate the deep divide between urban liberals and rural conservatives. A long-time farmer in Southwest Virginia, he co-founded one of the state’s largest farmers’ markets. As a rural development consultant and Democratic candidate for Congress, he became an insightful observer of what urban Democrats don’t understand about rural economies. He helped found the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative (RUBI), where he shapes progressive programs to rebuild rural economies “from the bottom up.” I asked him to explain his approach:

Rural Democrats tend to be “transplants from a good-sized town or a big city,” he says. “Even those who’ve been in Washington County or Culpeper for 15-20 years are still mystified—they’re flummoxed, they’re frustrated and a little bit daunted” by the antagonism they feel lately from their Republican neighbors.

 That anger is fueled by both failing rural economies and the failure of either party to supply a remedy. Republicans, who “jumped in and captured racially motivated white people in the 1960s as Democrats became the more inclusive party, provide nearly nothing of substance to rural communities,” Flaccavento said, “but are so damn good at recognizing people’s anger, and then fanning it and channeling it.

 “And especially if you don’t worry about the facts, that sort of frees you up to do amazing messaging!”

Continue reading here

Nick Freitas and the billionaire Koch brothers love educational savings accounts. Should you?

The Washington Post op-ed by Virginia Delegate for Culpeper Nick Freitas and Jacob Fish, deputy director of Americans for Prosperity-Virginia sounded reasonable enough.  Virginia parents, it argued, deserved K-12 education choices other than our public schools.  So why not offer them “education savings accounts” (ESAs) – a way to stash money away, tax-free, that they would then be free to spend any way they chose, as long as it is (ever so loosely) connected to their children’s K-12 education.  Education, the op-ed went on, shouldn’t be “one size fits all”.  Seems reasonable enough – on the surface.

But let’s dig a little deeper.  Americans for Prosperity claims to be a grass-roots organization – but in reality it is a vehicle for channeling millions of dollars from the mega-billionaire Koch brothers to their pet causes.  The Koch brothers are famous (or infamous) for fighting against laws and services that help average Americans (like health care and labor unions) -- and for lower taxes (so that billionaires can amass even more wealth). 

It turns out that ESAs (as distinguished from the older 529 plans which can only be used for post-secondary study) are the new darling of the radical right.  Why?  Because they are the perfect tool to defund public school education and direct those monies toward private and religious schools that operate with no real oversight.  This is part of a national strategy. As shown by reporting by the non-profit online paper In These Times, radical right groups are trying to pass ESAs in more than a dozen states. 

Continue reading here

Roe v Wade: A “penis bounty” to level the playing field?

New Rural Virginia asked Patricia Underwood, a Rappahannock-based artist, several of whose works and exhibitions have focused on women’s rights and historical and cultural portrayal of women, for her response to the recently released draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court will overturn Roe vs Wade.

By Patricia Underwood

It is shocking but not surprising that those states with the most restrictive reproductive rights also have the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality, much lower access to affordable health insurance for women, and greater disparity between women’s pay and men’s.  

 I have always had a heightened sense of human rights and fairness, especially for women. I am aware that in their lifetime, 1 in 4 women in the U.S can expect to be raped, and many do not have an option to do something about it.  

Men are not forced to have vasectomies against their will, and are not subjected to a gauntlet of screaming prolife activists if they decide to get one. What I am advocating for is a level playing field.

Continue reading here

Pfizer’s Covid Pill Gets Highest Recommendation. Here’s where to find it. Ivermectin? Not Even Mentioned.

Pfizer’s anti-Covid drug Paxlovid is the treatment of choice for patients at risk of covid complications, according to multiple recent studies. The pill was shown to reduce hospitalization by a remarkable 85% when started within 5 days of the onset of symptoms. Two other drugs, from Merck and Gilead were given somewhat weaker but favorable recommendations.

And what about Ivermectin, the veterinary deworming drug widely touted by Trump supporters and still being prescribed by a few doctors in the area? It was not even mentioned. In fact, more than 30 clinical trials of over 10,000 COVID-19 patients have shown that Ivermectin not only failed to reduce mortality but could cause serious side effects. As a result, the FDA does not approve it to treat Covid.

Continue reading here to learn how to obtain Paxlovid

10 traits of mountain towns on the move - Cardinal News, Joann Vannersdall, May 2, 2022. This is a thoughtful look at what makes some Appalachian small towns succeed and grow — one that has resonance for rural communities everywhere. Three key takeaways: successful small towns entice young people who have left to return, organize the local community around a plan for the future, and know their story and tell it well.

How the Federal infrastructure law is benefitting Virginia, Center for American Progress, April 22, 2022. The infrastructure law, designed by the Biden administration but passed with bipartisan support, is bringing major transportation improvements to Virginia. Including $536 million over five years to repair and upgrade nearly 577 bridges across the state that were rated as being in “poor” condition and over $2 billion in improvements for I-81. Strangely, Bob Good voted against this important funding for the state.

The good news? Car accidents are no longer the leading cause of death for American children. The bad news? The new leader is guns. Time Magazine, April 27, 2022. According to a research letter published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, firearm-related deaths generally went up by 13% between 2019 and 2020. However, firearm deaths for people aged 1-19 increased by a massive 30%, vaulting over car accidents to become the leading killer of American children.

Is Long-term Covid Making the Labor Shortage Worse? Fortune, February 3, 2022. Everyone is wondering what happened to all workers in the post-Covid economy. This report suggests that an overlooked problem is that up to 1.5 million jobs may be going unfilled because of those suffering from long-term Covid and therefore unable to work full-time or at all.