From the New York Times:
In order to invest effectively in rural areas, the most important step is to listen. I am a public opinion scholar, and since 2007 I have been studying political attitudes by inviting myself into conversations among groups of regulars in gas stations, diners, etc. in communities across Wisconsin. In rural areas, many people tell me that the decision makers who affect their lives ignore small towns and have no understanding of the challenges facing residents of such places. These rural residents tell me that no one is listening. A look at the conditions of many of their towns, and at the evidence that poverty and unemployment are higher and household incomes are lower in rural Wisconsin, suggests they may be right.
Read more here.