Florida does the same. Shortly after moving out of the state, we heard from a friend still there that a builder was approved to build 500 new homes in the wetlands around Northport and port Charlotte. For those that don't know, the current homes already have major flood issues just from normal rain and are underwater every hurricane. This is just making it worse.
I really don't like the "it's a distraction" argument. If everything today is a distraction for yesterday and tomorrow will have more distractions for today, then they are no longer distractions. It's a figurative shotgun blast of bullshit on a daily basis and hoping most of it sticks.
Like the gish gallop of authoritarian power. Pretty sure the Nazis did the same.
I've seen videos where people have replaced the sticks on the base sony controllers with hall effect sticks. They also have hall effect on the more expensive ones, of course.
Others are bringing up good points, but one of the biggest reasons is many people are idiot savants. Smart in one or two areas and complete fucking morons in everything else.
Even senate and house seats are a big step. The best way would be your local state senate, house, and mayoral positions. This is the best way to build a grassroots movement and get more people on your side.
I might like what I do, but take away the money and I'd not be here. So yes, money is the core reason.