About this New Hampshire and Iowa bizness

Can someone explain to me why Iowa and NH have their asses kissed so much every 4 years? I know that is how it has always been done. But lots of things have been done for a long time for stupid reasons.

I suppose 75 years ago Iowa represented an iconic America where the family farm meant something. New Hampshire is the Live Free or Die state. 'Nuff said. But today farming accounts for 3% of employment in the US. And New Hampshire's state motto is as meaningful and Harvard's Veritas. The state voted for John Kerry, a man who would impose a 50 cent gas tax to fight global warming, right after wiping his ass with the 2nd Amendment. That ain't livin' free. Southern NH is nothing more than an extension of the Boston suburbs. This is not your father's Iowa and NH.

And yet still these two states more or less get to decide who the nominees for president will be. Combined they have 7 electoral voted. By comparison California has 55. Texas has 34, NY has 31 and Florida has 27. Yet by the time anyone in these states votes the contest is over. Sure the Little states should have some say in the nominating process. But not this much say.