When it comes to politics, does it matter that we live in a nation that has 321 million people.....

[AZ Progressive]

That is almost 3,000 miles wide, that has 50 states located in massive subregions, that has multiple layers of government (federal, state, county, city), and that we have a federal government that has been structurally designed by the founding fathers to make dramatic change hard to do?

IMO, both Democrats and Republicans that want sweeping change in short periods of time act like this is a nation of five million people, in a country about 300 miles wide.


You may not like John Boehner, but he knows how the government works and said this recently:

"In our system of government, it's not about Hail Mary passes. It's the Woody Hayes school of football -- three yards and a cloud of dust. Three yards and a cloud of dust. It's a slow, methodical process."

-http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/27/politics/john-boehner-ted-cruz-conservative-groups/

Yes, sometimes dramatic change happens over short periods of time, but that's usually after huge events (like the great depression, WWII, 1960's, new generations taking over, etc...)

[PatrickforO]

1. Nice post, and true.

That's why we need to be active locally and try to put things in place at that level that are sustainable.

As to your last line, we do have a new generation taking over. The Millennials. They are 80 million strong, very diverse and don't think 'socialism' is a dirty word. Maybe there is hope for one of those hail Mary's.

[treestar]

2. This is true

There are people who really think it is just a matter of what the POTUS wants and his speaking enough about it. If one person couldn't do it, we'll look for one who can. But no human being is that powerful with the opposition, which does get elected. We are governing with the rest of the people in the country, and a good many of them don't agree. We can call them idiots all we want, but they still get to vote. We aren't convincing them much, either.

[MineralMan]

3. An excellent point, and the President is elected by voters

in all 50 states, each with its own political makeup. It's no wonder that most Presidents are middle-of-the-roaders, I think.

[bemildred]

4. We live in a time of rapid change.

Failure to adapt leads to extinction.

[appalachiablue]

5. +10 million. This is the crux of the existential crisis we face now. If you don't mind

I might borrow your words.

[bemildred]

6. I tried to keep it simple, so they could understand. nt

[appalachiablue]

8. You succeeded! Well done. It's going on my sig line now.

[sufrommich]

7. I sometimes think there are a lot of Americans who

simply don't comprehend the size of this country nor the regional cultures.

[appalachiablue]

10. You got that right. Very large country separated from other major continents

by two big oceans. And hardly any news of SA or Canada really unless you're close to the borders maybe. Very strange.
Our 320 million population I didn't realize until a few years ago. The internet and some traditional media and TV bring ideas, people and regions closer but not in the same way as having friends, family and visiting other places.

I re-watched a 2011 CBS interview by Morley Safer of author and history lover David McCullough about his new book on 19th c. Americans in Paris, "The Greater Journey". McC. remarked that in lecturing to college students around the US which he enjoys, on several occasions kids thanked him afterwards and said they never realized where the original 13 colonies were. He emphasized our historical illiteracy and that it's not students fault.

US mobility was very high in the 20th century I think particularly people moving to other regions and cities for jobs. And more finances for any recreational vacation travel then. All this has and will slow down more for average Americans as costs continue to rise, the middle class declines and employment opportunities and cultural experiences diminish dramatically.

In the late 70s, and 1980s for $50 we flew from DC to NYC on Apple Air, a new budget airline like other commuters. For a weekend it was a big deal. Flights then to NY, Denver, Florida, even the west coast were not that expensive if you planned well ahead and could get off work. Different times, for us anyway.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. Psst, we just went through the Bush Depression.

So by your own post, we're due for some dramatic changes over a short period.