PRESIDENT 2008 - TO MUCH TOO EARLY ?

It is March of 2007 and already 12 Republicans, 11 Democrats, 8 Libertarians and 8 Independents have either officially announced, formed exploratory committees or expressed serious interest in running for the Presidency in 2008. One candidate Democrat Tom Vilsak has already bowed out and we are, including this month, still TEN MONTHS from the FIRST Primary.

The first primaries, or caucuses of Iowa and New Hampshire have moved into January from late February with South Carolina also moving into January for the Democrats and early February for the GOP. Additionally 19 states have either already passed or have bills pending in their state legislatures moving their primary to February 5, 2008 with more than 125 MILLION registered voters having the possibility of casting ballots on that day. It is also expected that because of the large number of states involved on the fifth that other states will follow suit.

Is this anxiousness to throw the, "hat into the ring, " to much too early for the voter ? While this early influx of Presidential politics plays perfectly to the 24/7 news cycle it is finding little interest with the voting public and by the time the primaries actually arrive the electorate will be burnt out with the actual burn out most likely beginning this summer. Will this burn out also cause a lack of numbers at the polls in the primaries and in November when the actual election takes place ? Very possible.

The early primaries and the sheer number of primaries will also cause the candidates to dwindle early for two reasons. One is the money. With this many candidates there is simply not enough money to go around especially with the exorbitant cost of a Presidential campaign. So the front runners will find the greatest financial support with the remainder left to whither on the financial vine. Second with the number of early primaries the nominee will be decided most likely by March and the conventions are not until August and September. Both of these factors severely hamper the choice that voters have in candidates and satisfaction in addressing issues important to each individual. We may very well be faced early next year with having to settle for whom ever is in the lead whether we fully support them or not. Which too could attribute to lesser voter turn out in November.

Prior to this year most candidates did not announce their candidacy until at least the fall of the year prior to the first primaries. Those who did announce earlier found little interest in their campaign and in most cases bowed out early or had extremely poor showings in early primaries . In 1960 President Kennedy for example did not announce until January of the year of the election. For 2008 the candidates have placed their campaigns in full swing so much earlier than usual that the back lash in interest and in actual voting could mean that the next President could be elected by a decided minority of eligible voters.

Those possible candidates who are waiting to see how the field plays like Republican Newt Gingrich could find themselves, even if there is strong interest by the voters, blocked out of a viable chance because of the lack of money for their Presidential run. Which again could very well cause voters to settle for candidates rather than heartily support them simply because the finances and the early announcements favor the front runners.

Has the process to become President become to much of a media and big bucks circus ? Absolutely! The three rings that are already in full force for next years election is proving that. The ultimate losers in this circus are the American people who for the first time in our history could find ourselves with a new President who is elected by the smallest percentage of eligible voters and one in whom the American people settled because the haste for candidacy leave us with little alternative.

Ken Taylor