Is it 2012 already?

I’m not exactly sure who runs 2012.republican-candidates.org, but they seem to be doing a halfway decent job. As of 30 June the website listed sixteen declared GOP candidates for President of the United States as well as those who could still toss their hat into the ring and those who have declined a declaration.

I’ll admit it straight off: I had no idea over half of the declared candidates were on the campaign trail. I always feel a little uncomfortable with how early these campaigns get started and thus ignore a lot of campaign talk this early. It’s too easy to get worn out too quickly. As a resident of Minnesota for four years while attending university, I am happy to see Tim Pawlenty decide not to run again for governor, presumably to dedicate himself to his campaign. Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul just to name a few, will have to juggle campaign time with responsibilities on Capitol Hill. As a resident of Illinois the other 18 years of my life, I was disgusted to see then Senator Barack Obama side-step his home state for the 2008 campaign after only a short time in office.

Apparently tonight at midnight is a campaign fundraiser deadline of sorts. Bret Baier’s Special Report on FoxNews reported the amounts in fundraising donations for several GOP candidates, extrapolated to a total campaign cost for the 2012 presidential election of $2-3 billion. President Obama, amidst a looming debt crisis, attended his 37th fundraiser as president. That number is seven times what President Bush attended at this point in his term.

The numbers and political atmosphere speak for themselves. Both parties could use a little perspective. Right now no one is really blowing me out of the water. Then again, is anyone paying attention?