State before Country?
The other day, I was driving through small-town upstate New York (with other half, on our way to our holiday hotel in Atlantic City) and, as it's the first time I've been in the US during a Presidential election, was noticing all the roadside/garden election signs. It started out as a simple competition of 'who can spot the first Obama/Biden sign' in a rural area full of McCain/Palin signs - with the occasional sign which was just 'McCain' and no Palin... interesting - but then I started noticing how many houses had signs for state elections, or state and Congressional elections, but no Presidential election signs.
I first wondered whether this was just a lack of enthusiasm for the McCain ticket, but then started thinking about the state/federal divide. This form of government is still newish to me, even though I now live in Canada, with both provincial and federal governments. I asked myself: which affects my everyday life more: the federal or the provincial government? Answer: provincial. I can probably name about as many provincial as federal politicians, but then in my job I tend to end up at some events where elected representatives also attend.
So here's my question for Americans. To which do you feel closer affiliation: state or country? Which government has most impact on you: state or federal? And, if federal, Congress/Senate or Presidential? Are you more likely to vote for local officials (eg DA, mayor, sheriff) than other levels of government? More likely to vote for state government than federal/presidential? Or vice versa? Can you name your state senator or governor more easily than your congressperson or (federal) senator? Are there questions I'm not asking about all this because I might not have thought about them?
Talk to me :)
I first wondered whether this was just a lack of enthusiasm for the McCain ticket, but then started thinking about the state/federal divide. This form of government is still newish to me, even though I now live in Canada, with both provincial and federal governments. I asked myself: which affects my everyday life more: the federal or the provincial government? Answer: provincial. I can probably name about as many provincial as federal politicians, but then in my job I tend to end up at some events where elected representatives also attend.
So here's my question for Americans. To which do you feel closer affiliation: state or country? Which government has most impact on you: state or federal? And, if federal, Congress/Senate or Presidential? Are you more likely to vote for local officials (eg DA, mayor, sheriff) than other levels of government? More likely to vote for state government than federal/presidential? Or vice versa? Can you name your state senator or governor more easily than your congressperson or (federal) senator? Are there questions I'm not asking about all this because I might not have thought about them?
Talk to me :)