The excess deaths you’re talking about are real and tragic and are the inevitable consequence of rural voters’ policy preferences. The same thing would occur if they continued to win elections forever and never had to live under a Dem government again—as they would prefer.
The ability to live on acres of land where you almost never have to see your neighbors on the outskirts of a town where you never have to encounter a minority, a queer person, or even just a liberal is a luxury, not a right. It should be priced like a luxury.
And as an expensive luxury, it will be accessible to fewer people. Most of this effect will not be excess deaths, but migration. People will be economically pressured to move into communities which are denser and more diverse than they would prefer.
But those communities are also more fiscally and economically sustainable. And further, the children of those who move into the cities will grow up around more people of color, more queer people, more people with perspectives different from their parents. This will make them better citizens.
We’re really not talking about killing people. We’re talking about changing the incentives around lifestyle choices to favor a lifestyle which promotes pro-social behavior over one which promotes anti-social behavior.
bsky.app/profile/ouji...
We're not really talking about killing people bsky.app/profile/rev-...
I’m sorry, how is Republicans dying of COVID the fault of Democrats exactly?
i can't really answer that as i didn't assert that it was
Well then the post you quoted isn’t relevant to this conversation I guess. Thanks for the non-sequitur?
the quoted post is one of several asserting a premise of the thread: that it's strategically wise to allow rural residents to die from lack of healthcare, because this will make the areas in which they live in more viable for democratic victories. as it's a key thesis, imo it's relevant
Right now it's often backwards. Much easier to find a cheap place in a rural or small town than a city. If cities weren't so expensive, I'm sure more people would choose it.