Phil C. and Hunter Golden (Part 2)

Part 2 of my conversation and question/answer session with former Mitt Romney aide, Hunter Golden.

Phil Chroniger - "Abortion and gay marriage are best left up to the states. In fact, out of all that surrounds those 2 topics, the only place where I do agree strongly with the social conservatives is on the topic of partial-birth abortion (the procedure is outright infanticide, in my opinion), and should be banned (as it currently is). Otherwise, I don't care...let the states decide whether or not it is legal.

In fact, most side/wedge issues are best left up to the states, so we can get better representation of the populous in each state. It would definitely help shrink the size of government to do this. The GOP would be wise to start delegating social issues to the individual states, instead of trying to widen power of government over these issues...which is what Bush has tried to do, and has shown that Bush, and many of those who have rode his coattails, have pretty much been a bunch of barely-conservatives who have legislated like Democrats."

Hunter Golden - "Yeah I've really been upset at the fact that the foundation of what got the Republicans into power to begin with, federalism, has totally been left behind.

The simple fact of the matter is that whatever the federal government does, outside of killing people, it usually does poorly. If you look at the most simplistic of numbers, it's nearly impossible to have solid representation at the federal level. When you've got a congressman representing half a million people, it's difficult to represent your constituents. When you've got a state legislator on the other hand that represents 10,000, you've got far more efficient representation.

State and local governments are SO much more responsive to the needs of it's constituents. You've also got the opportunity to 'run' from an area you don't like into one that's more indicative of the way you think. It leaves open the idea of choice which I think is important. When the federal government does something though, you can't run from it.

The one reason I LIKE the current electoral system is that it really requires Presidential candidates to appeal to MOST constituencies. Al Gore lost in 2000 you could say, because he alienated the West Virginia coal miners, who for 60 years had supported Democratic candidates. W. Virginia went Republican in 2000 and had that not happened, Gore would have been president.

Take that system away and now you've got candidates just spending a lot of time in heavily populated, urban areas appealing to a very limited set of needs. The farmer in Wyoming can go screw."

Part 3 Coming Soon...