In fighting for rural america, I am afraid the GOP is going too far. (long)

So I finally got around to reading Hillbilly Elegy, which will be a historical book mainly because of the 2016 political events, but I have thoughts on the issue that many on this board may find unpopular.

A troubling aspect of modern politics is refusing to criticize and look objectively at the constituents that vote for you. The democrats lost their way on immigration over the last 15 years because in Mexican and south American immigrants they saw stalwart and reliable voters who would be very important in future elections. In the 1990s, immigration experts and political strategists didn't know of this hidden gold mine of political power yet, and it is why bill clinton sounded a lot like trump on immigration issues.

Because of the political capital this new development represented, you started hearing less and less criticism of large-scale immigration from establishment democrats, which both dispelled wrong-headed beliefs they may have held but also made them blind to some other obvious issues immigration can cause, when unchecked.

It's similar to issues in the black community. The democrats have a basic deal in place with black voters: "we will fight for you against the system that ruins your life, and in return, we would appreciate your vote". The issue with this, like immigration, is that it does not pay to look at personal and cultural problems that affect this community as well. Becuase voters, of all stripes and creeds, much rather want to be told that they are victims rather than that they are partially liable for the current mess they are in. It's why the democratic party, and most dem politicians, do not talk about out of wedlock births and crime rates when they go and talk to black groups.

I am noticing the republican party doing THE EXACT SAME THING regarding rural voters. Don't misunderstand me; like african americans and other groups the dems appeal to, there does exist some systematic reasons why rural america is seeing so much rot and decline. Unbalanced trade deals, environmental and other regulations that disproportionately affect rural citizens (gas tax, for example). But in appealing to these people, who for the first time, are basically all over the country giving GOP more and more power at all levels, the GOP is abandoning some of its principles, including personal responsibility.

The irony is that the biggest issues that affect rural america are the same issues that are wrecking urban america: out of wedlock births, rampant drug and alcohol use, government dependency, and crime.

When did Donald Trump ever mention this in his speeches in west virginia, southern ohio, and northwest wisconsin?

He didn't. He instead said they were in the place they are in because the system is rigged against them.

This is a fundamentally unconservative position. Conservatism has always been about stressing personal and familial and cultural improvement, but the GOP is not showing any sort of tough love to this newly powerful constituent group.

Just like the democrats lost their way on immigration, republicans are losing their way on personal responsibility.

Instead of going to these forgotten towns and telling people "I am fighting for you", we as conservative should be saying "I am fighting with you". It's an important difference, because rural ameriacns are not innocent. Drug, alcohol, and cultural issues are solved in the home, in the churches, and in the schools. Job displacement can be solved by adapting rather than whining.

Both parties need to start showing tough love to the groups that put them into office, and it is time to accept that many of the problems we face come not from the system, but from the culture. From chicago to the smallest county in west virginia.