Come senators, Congressmen please heed the call

A week on Tuesday is Primary Day in New Hampshire, a uniquely American piece of democracy. I'm not entirely convinced by it. I can see in theory why its a good idea - each party has a number of candidates who they put forward and then the people go out and decide who the candidate for the general election later in the year is going to be. It is a good way to avoid having the party candidate just foist upon you like we do in the UK. And I like the idea of being able to vote and decide on the other sides candidate (as I understand it everyone gets to vote for all parties and no parties candidates but I understand that this differs from state to state, like most other things). I think that though that there are definite drawbacks.

I read the other day for a successful candidate to get through the primaries and onto the ballot paper for the election in November cost between two and ten MILLION dollars. My understanding is that there are two Congressional districts in New Hampshire - which means that the successful candidates in NH will have spent upwards of $40,000,000 to get on the ballot paper. I am not au fait with how many seats are up for grabs in November (I don't think its all of them) but if you multiply that over the country thats hundreds of millions of dollars spent on just trying to get the chance to be elected.

Most of this money seems to be spent on adverts slagging off your opponent. Now the interesting thing here is that your opponent at this stage is member of the same party as you. I find this very strange - surely these people are on the same side? I understand that even in the same political party there are varying shades of opinion but still, some of the adverts are just plain nasty. I can't wait to see the ones for the election in November when they will be having a go at the other side.

The other thing is that its not just just get on the ballot paper for Congress but everything - school board governor, sheriff, alderman, Governor , the lot. Not in all places at the same time but I think that its lots of things that get voted for at the same time. Can democracy go to far? One of the TV stations have candidates debates every night this week. I shall watch them, not that I can do anything with the information as we are not allowed a vote. We are only non-immigrants residents so don't get a vote (but have to pay tax) - now what was it that one of the early thinkers behind the Revolution said? Oh yeah, "Taxation without representation is tyranny".