It's Not That Complicated Folks!

True, technology has done more to complicate the system than help it.

thanks.

Why would the party leaders in every state feel the need to hold their primary the same day as all the others? Since there is no national election organization, who would set that date?

No, you are not apathetic, and I thank you for it. That's why I wonder why you want to relinquish your say to the people in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and a handful of other major cities. I don't understand why you would actively argue to lose your voice to them?

First, the people of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles don't all share the same beliefs on any number of issues because there are different pressing issues for different cities and geographical areas. And every voter in each individual city is not a carbon copy of the next one. I'm from a small town in Pennsylvania and I'm surrounded by rural areas but that doesn't mean I don't understand any of the problems faced by people who live in the cities. I guess when you really think about it it's those of us from "Small Town USA" that make up the largest collective group of people but are the most ignored. You hear about the big city "Urban" people and the "Rural" folks but nothing about those of us who are neither. I just don't get the reasoning that people from the cities are totally different from those from rural areas when it comes to the issues that are the most important to all Americans. I agree with John Edwards when he talks about there being "two Americas" and it's not "rural America" and "urban America", large states and small states, northeastern and midwestern, red states and blue states or black and white. When it comes to economic issues, which are the most pressing facing us right now at this moment in time, it's the haves and the have-nots and the latter group is growing at an alarming rate. Now, with the stock market on a roller-coaster ride, the wealthy are facing a bit of a crisis of their own but they will never face the reality of not being able to feed their families or pay for their health care, just to name two of the problems facing what once was the middle class. As for the Presidential candidates not bothering to visit all areas of the country if it were not for the way the elections are held, well guess what? There are many more of us who they don't visit than they do and I don't see that changing either way. They to show up in Iowa and New Hampshire for months and months before the first vote is cast and then go to the other earlier states but if we were to go to a "National Primary" election day they'd go to the areas where they thought they could get the most votes, whether it be to the cities or the "heartland". Candidates such as Mike Huckabee would still spend a great deal of time in the south where there are a large number of Evangelical Christians and most of the Democratic candidates would still go to areas where there are many union members. Candidates from both parties would continue to pander to those they believe to be their most likely supporters and contributers. My quiet, untalked about region of northeastern and central Pennsylvania will most likely continue to be ignored except for maybe a few last minute - and I do mean "MINUTE" - stops in the last days and weeks before the general election. That won't change but I still want my one vote to count the same - no more and no less - than the farmer in Iowa or the cab driver in NYC. Or the NRA member from West Virginia and the teacher/NEA member from Massachusetts. We don't all agree on all issues, sometimes we don't agree on any issues but we all have a right to vote and for our vote to count. That's not all that complicated at all! Annie

Look at the maps that break the 2000 election down by county. The vast majority of the counties voted for Bush, but Gore got more votes. If we left it up to "popular vote" the cities would decide everything, those in "fly over country" would be left out in the cold. Look at your own state and how it breaks down by county. Do you think the people in the cities would even give the needs of those in the country a second thought? The founding fathers set up a system that keeps mob rule from becoming he law of the land. One lesson we learn from mob rule... only those in the mob get what they want.

Exactly! People make it more complicated so they can excuse their own apathy. Great way to put it!