A guest blog by Lauren Smith
Over the next three days President Obama will visit Iowa, Illinois and Missouri to talk with rural farmers and visit businesses. Today President Obama is visiting Siemens Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing Plant in Fort Madison and after he is hosting a town hall meeting at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Many Iowans claim to be "spoiled" by the amount of political attention they receive, especially around the Iowa caucuses, but many are also living the day to day challenges in America today. The March 2010 unemployment rate in Iowa was 6.8 percent and in Illinois it was 11.5 percent. Rural farmers also face Middle America struggles. This week President Obama plans to meet with farmers in Missouri. He already promised to make cuts on all subsidies to farmers who have an adjusted gross income of $250,000 from nonfarm sources or $500,000 from the farm. The visit aims to shed light on the economic issues Midwesterners are currently facing.
Stay abreast by following the news in Des Moines, Illinois or Iowa.
