Pre-Primary Blues

Up until this morning, I had my guy all picked out. I hadn’t done the in depth research on all the candidates – who has that kind of time? And I hadn’t picked one of the big three. No Hillary, Obama or Edwards for me. I was contrary. I was going for the underdog. I had some criteria and this candidate met them on initial inspection. On further examination, I was sold. This was him. This was my guy.

I was very proud of myself. This is an important election. The fate of our nation, even the world, rides on this decision. So, I did my duty as a citizen. As a Democrat. I found my guy, the one I thought would be the best president. And I worked for him.

I told my friends about him. Bugged my husband to look at his web page. Sent e-mails and annoyed all the contacts on my list. No, I didn’t cold call. Or raise money. But I had committed. Joined the e-mail list. Forwarded cheesy campaign messages.

Then, this morning it happened. Word came across on my NPR station. I’d been dumped. My guy, along with most of those other presidential wannabes left of center had ditched me. My entire state in fact. Like things aren’t bad enough in Michigan right now.

Now, we here in Michigan are no longer allowed to help pick him – or almost anyone else – because our state couldn’t follow the rules. So we’re being punished.

Which basically isn’t fair. When it comes right down to it, we were never really going to have any say anyways. After 2004, it’s about who we think can win. Not who we like. Or who’s policies we agree with. In 2008, the horse race will be over before February 5th.

I understand about primaries. I understand that it’s bad for the country for every state to try to make itself more politically important by pushing the primary earlier each presidential season. I know that makes it more about the money a hopeful can raise rather than what he or she stands for. I know we should be vetting the candidates based on their actual positions and not on how likely they are to win. Or the name recognition factor.

But I don’t see why my state has to suffer for it. All these other states get to have their say first. New Hampshire is not facing the highest unemployment rate in the nation. Iowa isn’t looking for its next big industry because it based the state’s entire economy on one industry.

But life isn’t fair. And politics especially aren’t. So here I sit. Relegated to the sidelines. Watching this snowball roll into hell. And wondering where it will end? Is the primary system completely broken? And how can it be fixed? How does a regular citizen like me, who doesn’t live in Iowa or New Hampshire, even begin to pick a guy?