How Relevant is Washington (Outside of Washington)?
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Congress’s approval ratings are in the gutter, local candidates routinely campaign against Washington, and voter turnout for national elections rarely tops 60 percent. Politicians can be counted on to campaign against all things Washington and claim outsider status whenever possible. Yet our national media outlets cover the ups and downs of DC on a nonstop, 24-hour cycle. How much do people in communities around the country actually care about the day-to-day dramas — or for that matter, the major developments — that come out of our nation’s capital?
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