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Obama Clashes With Rural Democrats
Environmental rules, car dealerships among sticking points
By Kevin Spak
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Posted Jun 17, 09 11:15 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Democrats from rural areas aren’t pleased with President Obama, and they’re threatening to show it by revolting against key parts of his domestic agenda, Politico reports. The tension boiled to the surface last week when rural and moderate Democrats decried plans to close 3,400 General Motors and Chrysler dealerships, but many are also angry about new regulations from Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency.
In the House, nearly 50 rural Democrats are threatening to vote against an Obama-backed climate and energy bill. “They don’t get rural America,” said one. “They form their views of the world in large cities.” But the chairman of the Agricultural Committee says Obama’s no worse than his predecessors. “We’re an urban country,” he says. “Folks don’t understand what we do.”