As far as the voter base goes, I always thought it was very interesting to look at the Blue and Red on the map during a presidential election. Why are the more refined and educated parts of the country shaded in blue every four years? The states shaded in red........not so much. These states are the ones driving the stereotypes of dumb, fat Americans. This is just an observation.
Wait hold on a second, I know 5 people are dying to respond and I know what you are going to say. The social services provided by the metro areas are a magnet for the 47% who are bleeding the country dry and turning these states blue. And there it is, did you feel it? You either just tripped on the crevice between my cheeks or the line that divides us. How do we ensure that America does not slip to a third world status? In theory a small efficient government is great idea, but guess what old timers? It's not going to work anymore. Why? Take a look at a disaster like Hurricane Sandy. Could New Jersey ever foot the rebuilding bill on its own? No way, so what do we do......write off the state of New Jersey (similar to letting the automakers go belly up)? We are all in this together and even people like Chris Christie can certainly change their tune pretty fast. Who else is going to step in, insurance companies, the private sector, Donald Trump? The federal government can be quite useful in many situations. Even all those red states would be whining if we took away everything federally backed. Trust me, I wish we all could live within our small communities, shop at the local family owned market, and depend on no one except our families and neighbors. Its just not in the cards right now.
Solutions:
1) Campaign Finance Reform-Lets stop rewarding bad behavior. Fundraising full time is not why you were sent to DC.
2) Pay politicians like teachers and teachers like politicians. Being in the House or Senate should be a terrible job with terrible benefits that no one would ever choose unless they really loved their country.
3) Keep the two party system but instead of Democrats and Republicans, lets rename them Morons and Bigger Morons.
4) Increase revenues and cut spending......we have to do both
5) No more military excercises outside of our borders unless in response to a "DIRECT" threat. Iran is either going to blow us up or they are not. Who cares? The world would be better off without humans anyway.
6) Outlaw petting zoos. C'mon little kids hovering over goats that have been walking around in their own shit all day. Thats no way to spend your Sunday.
7) Send Mitt Romney to China to work in an Iphone factory. "Mr. Romney, we are confused. Do you or do you not support a women's right to choose?"
8) Lets make our own illegal narcotics for our own junkies and export the rest to Central and South America in huge numbers.
9) More doping in sports and for god's sake, please do blow the whistle on fellow Americans who have been so successful abroad. Thats just embarassing.
10) Produce a GT40 replica on VW bug chassis and sell it to the world. Wait has this been done?