Senator Klobuchar, who was in Houston and southeast Minnesota on Monday, noted that the rural areas haven’t been as hard hit by the on-coming recession as have the larger more metro regions of the country. She however, didn’t say that rural America will be immune to the slump.

She was in Houston to get a first-hand account of the flood recovery efforts by local officials. County commissioners, city council members, the mayor and emergency officials gave the bubbly Senator their own account of the events and the recovery.

It was refreshing to hear how well citizens and the community pulled together in the immediate days and months following last August’s flood. I think she too was pleased to hear this report. I was surprised/amazed to hear that FEMA had done a wonderful job as well. I wouldn’t say that has been the case across the entire country as those affected by Katrina are still dealing with the aftermath and were frustrated by FEMA’s slow response and apparent lack of concern. Perhaps the flack they got during that flood gave the agency a renewed sense of purpose and they will start to get things right.

Whatever the case may be, I believe that America needs more leaders like Klobuchar who are concerned with this country and aren’t so focused on building others. I have always used my own house as an example. If my roof leaks, by driveway has pot-holes in it and I owe billions in credit-card debt, the last thing I am going to do is lend my neighbor money so he can buy a new boat (so to speak). Or even to fix his roof, driveway or pay off debt. I think we should also look at our own situation in the same way.

My own children were at the event in Houston with me and I believe the Senator understood that it is their future that we are so wastefully squandering right now.

What makes a town great?

Had a chance to visit with Cheryl and Al of Al’s Small Engine in Brownsville this week, for a story you’ll see in the coming edition of The Argus. They were wonderful to visit with and I am so impressed with the business they have built up in the tiny town of Brownsville. They are everything that is right about rural America in my mind and their business model is partially why I believe rural America is so much stronger of a place then the larger cities. The community that my family still calls home, Montevideo has a big box store which late last year became a “Super Center.” I believe when a corporation, that in my opinion seldom has what is best for the public, an employee or a person in mind (I know there are exceptions but in my opinion those exceptions are few and far between) comes to a community the desire for profits eventually damages the sense of community. Small business owners like Al and Cheryl Whitesitt, and so many of the small business owners who make rural America such a great place to live and raise a family are, in my opinion, what makes this country great and are what America was founded on. The McDonald’s and Wal Mart’s of the world, who have only served to exploit a city and town for its profits, are not the America I want to leave behind for my children. I want what Al and Cheryl have; a nice little business who are fair to their neighbors and who aren’t just in it for the money. You can see they really care.

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