Theron G. “Terry” Noble

Dubois, Pa.

Fond memories of “the Greatest Generation” permit reflection of where we are, how we got here and more importantly, how we extricate ourselves from this downward spiral.

After turning back fascism and other authoritarian foes, the Greatest Generation came back, rebuilt Europe and reshaped America. The post-war industry provided many with middle-class incomes, sufficient to raise and educate families, even offering some frills. America blossomed. Common was the factory employing thousands for generations. With many union members, organized labor thrived, as did the Democratic Party, solidly holding the U.S. House of Representatives for 50 years.

As our nation moved further away from an agrarian economy to manufacturing, family size shrank. With no ties to the land, people can and do easily move.

Mankind’s inventive nature, broadly labeled technology, produced then widely made available the computer and internet. Communication became less costly and quicker. Knowledge and information more available and easier to access. Technology displaced workers. Those factories which remained open, employed hundreds instead of thousands while producing exponentially more. The economy rewarded technology at the expense of the employee. The divide between those who had and those in need widened and grew deeper.

Even in this upheaval. NAFTA truly was sound economics. Efficiency providing more for less. Coupled with that technology leap lent a steroidal effect to the woes.

Many communities saw their factories close, dreams shuttered along with broken windows. Only “rural blight” flourished. The best and brightest, allured by shining opportunities, moved to the happening urban areas, leaving behind an aging population in much need of youth and vitality. Help needed signs from volunteer organizations became too common.

Who protected those law-abiding, hard-working Americans, their families, their way of life?

For this, our party must once and for all fall on the sword. We failed to protect these folks. With little policy, the very infrequent effort did not combat growing resentment. Historically balanced rural counties became ruby red. The Democratic Party’s image of fighting for the little guy was destroyed. Chaos and human indecency became an easy sell by a network viewed in most public spaces with a television. Attractive anchors helping hit their target.

All is not lost. These communities largely agree it’s wrong to blow up boats, some with people clinging to carnage at sea while only suspected of drug activity; masked militia roaming the streets; or to prosecute for vengeance’s sake. There remains a strong minority voice that easily embraces progressive ideals. Governing majorities can and often coalesce around practicality mixed with that loftier vision. Energy displayed at rallies, affirmed by recent election results, can be harvested like no time in the past 20 years, the days of candidate Obama.

What possibly could be that unifying, goal driven message? What policy embraces American and Democratic values; opportunity, equality and freedom while restoring dignity to the middle class and rural America?

“AI” is here with the next boom, next opportunity. Directing some of its benefits towards treatment of lingering NAFTA ills would be most welcome.

Theron G. “Terry” Noble is a country lawyer from Clearfield County, Pa., with Democratic ties dating back to the 1976 presidential election. Noble has assisted in protecting voting rights in every election since the Clinton/Gore campaign. In 2010, he was elected to the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee for three terms, serving on its Executive Committee from 2018 to 2022. In 2015, he founded, and then chaired for two terms, the Pa. Dems Rural Caucus.