I live in California not Maine, Alaska, Tennessee or Florida. I'm sure the Founding Fathers never could have imagined how their political system would have evolved. And what's worse our Supreme Court who resoundingly say they are "strict" constitutionalists, are anything but. No? Consider the Citizen's United verdict, that opened Pandora's box on political money.
This asking for money over state lines is a new addition to fund raising ... and really that's the oxygen that fuels today's elections. Why was it ever allowed? So, if I give money to candidates in Texas, Maine, South Carolina can I vote there too? Why not? I'm supporting a candidate running in their state, not mine. Just imagine the Pandora's box that would open?
I have also often wondered where is this money being spent? In my newspaper days I would handle advertising during this silly political season for local city councilmen, city clerk and mayor. While they got the most expensive rate (newspapers are greedy too) they never spent much. Ads and some flyers rarely passed $5,000.00. They say a race, one race mind you, in Michigan will cost $100,000,000 for a seat on the House of Representatives? Really? Most city budgets in this country don't spend that much. And the betting odds are at best 50-50.
One of the arguments candidates use is their district (which in many cases was wildly gerrymandered) are large and they must reach constituents on TV, digital media and possibly a bus to visit every community they represent. I think social media gives the biggest bang for the buck. Write one email and you can reach millions in a micro second and the only cost is the person creating emails, 10 to an hour I swear, a secure wi-fi line and you're off to the races. If anything costs should go down not up. TV is expensive. Everyone I know goes to pee or get a beer in the kitchen during the endless political ads (that replace prescription ads in length and the feeling that with all those side effects why would anyone take them?) Now that you think about it, why would you vote for any of these people? Has anyone truly conducted a study on how effective these ads are?
Have you ever seen these bus or plane parties? One candidate is running but he is surrounded by a cast of thousands. Why is this necessary? Just to feed this army costs a fortune. If it is, then that's an argument for increasing the size of the house by a hundred or more seats. Before you protest, have you seen this House do much in nearly 20 years? What's 100 more? At least their caseloads would be a bit smaller and they might just meet their constituents! Now each Representative serves about 77,647 citizens. How can one person do that? The honest answer is they can't.
Which leads back to my original question, most of us have already made up our minds locally so why not let us vote in your state district if we spend money there? After all California money is just as good as the money in say Texas!!! What do you think?
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