Where do most American's live?
According to the 2006 census, there are 299M people in the USA. 32% of the population live in 4 states (California, Texas, New York, and Florida). 54% of the population live in the top 10 states.
If most people live in 10 states, why are the none of the critical election primaries in these states? Iowa, New Hampshire and S. Carolina collectively represent 2.8% of Americans. Who really cares what those people want?
California and Texas (1/5th of the country) deal with border issues. California, and New York (almost 1/5th) have major cities that deal with trade and immigration not to mention terrorism. Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan (15%) represent our (vanishing) manufacturing heartland. Why arent the key primaries in these states?
Our primary system is annoying. I am tired of hearing about states moving their primaries earlier so they get more attention/election dollars. Im tired of hearing about the opinions of these tiny states which have little bearing on the issues that affect most Americans. Most of all, I am tired of hearing useless sound-bites masquerading as "debates".
We have serious issues to face in our country and we keep dicking around with ol' time politics. You may think Obama is fresh but he plays the same "light on specifics" game as all the other candidates. (And naive is not the same thing as fresh.)
I have listened to both Democratic and Republican debates. Not a single one has asked how we are going to pay for the Iraq war. Not a single one.
Even though Rush Limbaugh calls global warming a hoax, climate change is the biggest issue imaginable. Are any of the candidates talking about comprehensive changes to the way we live in order to protect life itself? No.
And when it comes to defense, we continue to elect politicians with no substantive military experience, reject candidates with experience, and wonder why the results are such a mess.
One can argue that you have to play the "game" to get elected and then you can do some "good". Except that very little good ever gets done.
If you are unhappy with the way our country is being run, the blame starts with the way we elect our leaders to begin with. The primary system has more to do with media coverage and making money than it does with electing the best leaders.
