Happy 2008

We are now "officially" into the primary voting season.

Yes - we will still get non stop coverage of all primary candidates but those numbers will decrease over time.

Now that Iowa caucusing is over and done - well except for the spinmeisters and cable noise incessantly analyzing the fallout - we look ahead to New Hampshire and on?

Living in a late primary state - we vote in May - it is a bit discouraging to feel that some parts of the country will have little impact on the presidential primaries...unless it' s still pretty much a tie and then we late states will be seen as prime targets for all the media go-round.

After this election, we need a sane discussion on how to do presidential primaries. Not this craziness we are having with several states moving theirs up into January to be on record as first or second - because they are the ones who want to have the biggest impact.

Not that I have anything against Iowa or New Hampshire - but why these two states are the ones to give the press a reason to dub the "winners" and "losers" I don't know. I'd rather the voting population take back that choice. Why should the media be the ones who get to say who is "viable" - as that is based solely on money raised - not votes. And of course those with the most money get the most media attention and so the cycle of media control over our elections continues.

I recall when the League of Women votes ran the debates. Think of it! A non-partisan entity asking real questions of ALL candidates. How have we reached a position where the media outlet running a debate even gets to tell candidates they can't come because they are not viable and then does not ask questions of those candidates who ARE there?

The whole debate scenario needs a fix along with fixing the primary mess.