Lest one think that the great plains is hopelessly "red state" country, just remember that the populist movement of the late nineteenth century had its home in the breadbasket. In fact, the region of the country in which the Socialist party took root the most consisted of states like Kansas, Oklahoma, the Dakotas, etc.

If only these middle americans (literally and figuratively) would realize they are getting screwed by the monied interests just as they were in the days of William Jennings Bryan.