Anthony Flaccavento

Anthony Flaccavento is an organic farmer and rural development consultant and the author of Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up: Harnessing Real-World Experience for Transformative Change. With Erica Etelson, he is a cofounder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative.

Loretta Jasper, left, and Jo Schwartz, wave to a passing vehicle on Buckeye Avenue in downtown Abilene, Kan., on Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a

How to Place Rural Communities at the Heart of the Anti-Trump Movement How to Place Rural Communities at the Heart of the Anti-Trump Movement

Rural activists are ready to take their place and play their part in the coalitions that are forming.

Oct 27, 2025 / Column / Anthony Flaccavento

A model of the Statue of Liberty stands on a pedestal August 29, 2022 in Matewan, West Virginia.

Rebuilding Trust Across the Divide Isn’t Just Possible—It’s Essential Rebuilding Trust Across the Divide Isn’t Just Possible—It’s Essential

And here's how it can be done.

Aug 29, 2025 / Anthony Flaccavento

Chris Deluzio, Democratic representative candidate for Pennsylvania, arrives with his family to vote at a polling location in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, on November 8, 2022.

Resistance Is Not Enough. The Left Must Address the Grievances of the Working Class. Resistance Is Not Enough. The Left Must Address the Grievances of the Working Class.

The left’s almost singular focus on defense is a grave mistake. We must offer a compelling, positive vision of what we are for.

Feb 27, 2025 / Column / Anthony Flaccavento

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks in front of a podium, with a tractor and American flag behind him

Harris-Walz Must Reclaim Progressivism for Workers, Farmers, and Rural Communities Harris-Walz Must Reclaim Progressivism for Workers, Farmers, and Rural Communities

To win in 2024, Harris and Walz must wholeheartedly commit to a populist vision that makes people’s economic self-determination every bit as important as control of our own bodies...

Oct 31, 2024 / Anthony Flaccavento

A close up shot of VP candidate JD Vance mid-speech.

Democrats Dismiss JD Vance at Their Peril Democrats Dismiss JD Vance at Their Peril

Calling the Ohio senator "weird" may feel satisfying. Pundits have dismissed him as a drag on the ticket. But the smarter play would still be to steal his thunder.

Sep 6, 2024 / Column / Erica Etelson and Anthony Flaccavento

A sign calling for volunteers hangs at the Sheffield Volunteer Fire Department on Friday, May 31, 2024, in Sheffield, Pennsylvania.

The Missing Pieces of the Democrats’ Rural Offer Could Fill a Barnyard The Missing Pieces of the Democrats’ Rural Offer Could Fill a Barnyard

Rural America looms large in the 2024 election. So why is it such a small piece of the Progressive Caucus agenda?

Aug 13, 2024 / Anthony Flaccavento

Whom Should Kamala Harris Choose as Her Running Mate?

Whom Should Kamala Harris Choose as Her Running Mate? Whom Should Kamala Harris Choose as Her Running Mate?

Nation writers make their cases for who the next Democratic vice presidential candidate should be.

Jul 31, 2024 / Jeet Heer, Alexis Grenell, Sasha Abramsky, Erica Etelson, Anthony Flaccavento, Elie Mystal, Joan Walsh, John Nichols, and Katha Pollitt

Nathaniel Blankenship, a crew member in a job program with Coalfield Development Corporation, works to remodel a 1920s-era warehouse into office space in Williamson, West Virginia.

Paul Krugman May Not Know How to Reverse the Decline of Rural America. But We Do. Paul Krugman May Not Know How to Reverse the Decline of Rural America. But We Do.

The countryside has been neglected for decades. A Rural New Deal would reverse that with capital and creative solutions writen by and for rural Americans.

Jun 12, 2024 / Erica Etelson and Anthony Flaccavento

Bruce, after arriving in the middle of the night, waits to enter a Remote Area Medical (RAM) mobile dental and medical clinic on October 7, 2023, in Grundy, Virginia.

It’s Not Too Late for Democrats to Win Back Rural Voters It’s Not Too Late for Democrats to Win Back Rural Voters

Putting together a Democratic majority in 2024 requires winning back some portion of the rural working class. The good news is that it can be done. Here’s how.

May 17, 2024 / Column / Erica Etelson and Anthony Flaccavento

A voter prepares to cast their ballot in the Democratic Primary as they walk in to the Cordesville Rural Fire Department on February 03, 2024 in Cordesville, South Carolina.

The Only Thing Worse Than Taking Rural Voters for Granted The Only Thing Worse Than Taking Rural Voters for Granted

… is dismissing them as out of reach for Democrats.

Apr 15, 2024 / Erica Etelson and Anthony Flaccavento

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