Politics & Policy

A GOP Rural Hospital ‘Slush Fund’ Raises Questions

Republicans passed their tax bill in part by funding $50 billion for rural health. But health experts say the “devil’s in the details.”

Sarah Jane Tribble, KFF Health News

For This Rural Town, a Fluoride Debate Is About More Than the Water

Citizens of Woodlawn, Tennessee, grapple with how public health decisions are made

Maggie Gigandet

The Long-Time Organizer Leading a New Wave of Rural Organizing

“When people work together across differences it’s good for the community”

Joel Bleifuss & Justin Perkins

The Unseen Workers Behind Maryland’s Iconic Blue Crabs

The labor of immigrant women sustains a cherished cultural tradition

Thurka Sangaramoorthy

Iowa Republicans Are Erasing the State’s History

Sixty percent of the historical society archives are being trashed with no transparency

Suzan Erem

Will Cuts in Rural Programs Leave the Same Lasting Wounds as the 2008 Financial Crisis?

Rural families like mine are still grappling with the long-term mental health consequences of housing loss

Michelle Polizzi

Does the House GOP Have Something Against Farmers?

Communities impacted by PFAS deserve protection, not a political gag order

Laura Orlando

Opinion

Voters—Not Big Money—Should Choose Democratic Party Nominees

Support for campaign finance reform among DNC leadership could have considerable influence in state and national primaries

Larry Cohen

Opinion

What You Can Do to Protect Public Radio and TV

Our public media was designed to be free from political interference. Let’s keep it that way.

Patricia Aufderheide

From Inside the Farm Bill

Inside the Farm Bill

Can Democrats Stop the GOP From Taking a Chainsaw to the Farm Bill?

Republicans are gearing up to cut SNAP programs and increase payments to the largest farmers

Bryce Oates & Jake Davis

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Politics

July 14, 2025

America’s Public Lands Could Still Be Up for Sale

Utah Sen. Mike Lee wants to solve the West’s housing crisis by selling public land. Behind him is a coterie of developers and conservative think tanks.

Abe Streep, ProPublica

Health Care

July 7, 2025

Beyond Legal Status: Rethinking Immigration and Health in Rural America

For immigrants on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, documentation does not guarantee access to health care