Seems like an interesting read but I think the crash is a lot closer than what the novel discusses, but it is a wake up call to those that would care to listen.

Jack, you’re brillant! The suggested vision of how to spread the duties for running a national election is really something that I too have pondered and I am so glad you and Ted were able to at least “put it out there” I know the media big wigs in Iowa will cry in their champagne, if such a change came about.

Jack, here is some more info on why Social Security is broke. If you google Lary Holland Title IV-D, you will see that the money collected is not being held for retired people. They only pay what is needed the the excess money goes to fund States Dept of Health and Human Service employees under the guise of needing to collect for child support. The state are draining social security by the billions per year. No matter how much we pay this money is used for other things and not what it was intended.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld9MPAHCrgM

Jack, you need to get Thomas Sherry on. He’s the author of the “Deep Winter” novel trilogy, following a similar theme, with earthquake, pandemic, and war thrown in. I really enjoyed the series.

Great interview. Loved hearing from Ted. I am putting the book on “the list” for sure.

I believe the vehicle of (shtf) fiction reaches more people and brings then into the fold then any amount preaching or lecturing.

Regarding primaries in small states…

I attended college in Iowa and worked there for a number of years. If it wasn’t for early primaries, presidential candidates would completely ignore small states.

Iowa currently has around 3 million population. New Hampshire is a bit over 1.3 million. Compare that to California at around 37 million, and around 307 million in the US as a whole.

Iowa and New Hampshire get their attention very early in the race. I highly doubt most candidates will even bother to stop in Iowa again before the general election. Iowa is known as a ‘fly over’ state for a reason.

Reflecting back on my years in Iowa, I recall how difficult it was to be bullied around by large voting blocks on the coasts. Politicians simply ignore large chunks of the Midwest when making policy decisions.

Let me premise something…. Do the Iowa farmers not know what they are doing to their soil by growing repeated crops of genetically modified pest resistant corn? Is it possible they know exactly what they are doing and have told their politicians such? However, the coast voting blocks are enamored by the illusion of clean air with the fallacy of ethanol. Thus the market demands, government incentives, and government requirements force the production of more and more corn out of the Midwest despite the long term farming consequences.

Anyway, I am not sure I articulated my thinking good enough to get my point across. Thanks for letting me ramble on your blog.

The bottom line, for me, is allowing smaller states their time ‘in the sun’ gives them a measure of election influence they would not otherwise have.

Ronnie in Iowa!
My non-fiction mini-novel:
We have boots on the ground in Israel. If even ONE U.S. military person is killed (Wag the Dog style most likely), O-Bomb-A does NOT have to go thru congress to declare war (not that he would anyway), next comes martial law, the striping of our citizenship, massive gun grab and the cancellation of November elections.
The end.
Of America.

I don’t know, Jack…Seems like your plan for elections would run up against a little problem with the Constitution’s First Ammendment.

Your plan seems like it would prohibit me from taking out an ad in the paper saying “I’m George, and I think you should join me in voting for John Jackson, not that snake Jack Johnson.”

I just got my book in, am looking foward to the read this weekend.