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Articles by Leanna First-Arai

Leanna First-Arai is an independent journalist and educator who writes about the environment, climate change, and social justice.

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A bridge in Edenville, Michigan was swept away by extreme flooding earlier this year.

This story originally appeared in Truthout and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

In a push to capture the rural vote, 62 percent of which went to President Trump in 2016, both the Trump and Biden campaigns are ramping up efforts to appeal to farmers and ranchers.

On September 22, the Biden campaign launched a new radio ad blitz in eight battleground states, in which Biden appeals to older voters whose families have lived in rural areas for generations. “No longer are we going to be faced with children or grandchildren believing that the only way they can make it is to leave home and go somewhere else to get that good job,” Biden’s voice assures. “There’s no reason why it can’t happen here.”

In a contrasting approach, at a rally in North Carolina, just a few hours ahead of the opening of the Republican National Convention in August, Trump claimed that, under his administration, “The American farmer has done very well. I never hear any complaints from the Am... Read more

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