An interesting article but I think the author missed on the point I think he was trying to make. Fundamentalism is fundamentalism whether it comes from the right or the left, and the voters that analysts are saying the democrats don't understand aren't the fundamentalists who will never vote for a democrat anyway. I do agree it's true they don't understand, nor do they care to understand why their situation is the way it is, but I don't agree that the problem is theirs alone.

It is my belief that we would be better off trying to talk their language, listen to their concerns, and seeing things from their positions rather than saying they're too ridged to see things our way.

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/rural-america-understanding-isnt-problem#.WSZ6CYpyACN.facebook 

The modern political structure all but requires a  political boogeyman to elicit strong emotional response and energize their respective bases.  Obama chose the wrongs of America's past and her perceived evils on the international stage. A risky but obviously successful ploy to stage a new and fundamentally different America. In the next generation of this (past election cycle) the Dems took aim at the American people in flyover country itself. We (yes I include myself in that "we") recognize that we have been tagged as the enemy. How do we know this? Because you tell us.  You hate our values, you marginalize our perspective, you ridicule our beliefs. The real discussion is why those who claim to be so tolerant are actually not. The answer is really simple. Our perspective is not allowed to be tolerated since that would provide legitimacy of a view that is juxtaposed to  a secular progressive dogma.  Simply stated, we more traditional folks, and by extension, America's past conduct and accomplishments are based on an illegitimate culture and people. We reject that. We  also reject that we are the enemy. But make no mistake, we see what you are doing. We see the enemy, and he is us.