California Democratic Party Regional Director David Atkins took to twitter last week to let rural white Americans know precisely what coastal liberal elites think of them.

His condescending twitter screed demonstrates how out of touch this man actually is with this demographic. Unfortunately, Atkins’ misguided understanding of “flyover” people is shared by many of his fellow Democrats.

Not only were Atkins’ comments insulting, they were unwise. First, he is quite literally biting the hand that feeds him. White rural Americans provide the food that this arschloch and every other American eats.

Secondly, white rural Americans are important electorally. Remarks like this risk alienating the entire group and that’s how elections are lost. Let’s hope he and others share their feelings this openly as we get closer to Election Day.

Atkins writes, “You know who is not grateful enough? Rural white Americans…They are heavily subsidized, drowning in federal largesse, blessed with political affirmative action & overrepresentation, have all their bills paid by cities and blue states, but they whine and yell constantly.”

Although most farms are located in rural areas, according to the USDA, only a small percentage (2%) of Americans are employed in the farming/agricultural industry. There are currently around two million farming businesses in the U.S. (as of 2018). Of those businesses, some are subsidized, but the majority (over 60%) are not.

Throughout his ill-advised tweetfest, Atkins also disparages Fox News. “People who watch the constant grating whinefest that is Fox News have a lot of gall telling anyone to love it or leave it. The Fox News cult hates the values of the vast majority of Americans who aren’t rural white evangelicals and want nothing to do with them.”

Atkins must be aware that Fox News draws the largest audiences of the Big Three cable networks. MSNBC lags behind Fox, and CNN trails both by wide margins.

He continues, “Don’t get me wrong: I’m all about reaching out & showing rural white America that it’s the plutocrats that are hurting them, not people of color. Rural white America really is hurting. But I’ll be damned if the bigoted entitled stupidity doesn’t constantly try one’s patience.”

Atkins is willing to reach out and show us, because we just don’t quite get it. He’ll do this for us even though we do try his patience.

Atkins’ statements are largely without merit. His arguments can be easily dismantled with facts and statistics. However, he does provide us with a candid look at the progressive mindset. Throughout the entire thread, Atkins shows his contempt for working class Americans. And because most liberals share the same ‘groupthink,’ his comments are representative of the views that most liberals hold. And therein lies their value.

For those interested in reading Atkins’ entire thread, it can be read below.

People who watch the constant grating whinefest that is Fox News have a lot of gall telling anyone to love it or leave it. The Fox News cult hates the values of the vast majority of Americans who aren't rural white evangelicals and want nothing to do with them. — David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) July 19, 2019

A Rose Twitter contingent is Very Mad about this apparent elitist erasure of class concerns. Guys, I get it. I was a Bernie supporter. I write about the need for more class-conscious econ populism all the time. You're preaching to the choir. But patience is wearing a bit thin. — David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) July 19, 2019

And at a certain point, continuing to treat them like they're just too ignorant to see what the plutocrats are doing, or continuing to blame the Dem Party for failing to engage with *just* the right message to unlock them? That's also a form of paternalistic condescension. — David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) July 19, 2019

Oh look, now conservative twitter has its pants in a twist. Yes, rural white America is heavily subsidized by cities and the federal govt. Yes, rural white America is struggling under the thumb of the corporate fat cats getting all the tax cuts. But too many vote for racists. — David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) July 19, 2019

On this topic, my latest for the @monthly: it's time to stop making excuses for Trump supporters.https://t.co/1XaXuCbzJV — David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) July 20, 2019