Dec 27 2007
Race To Be First Is A Disaster
I noted a couple of times recently (most recently here) that this year political activists probably made a huge mistake by pushing the nation’s first primaries right on top of Christmas – a time to forget the blood sport of DC and focus on families, friends and hope. It seems I am not the only one waking up to this pending disaster:
The political calendar says it’s now just eight days before the caucuses, a time for final arguments and intensive campaigning. The public calendar says it’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s, a time when family and friends take precedence over the worldly pursuits of politics. Which calendar will ordinary voters be operating on? The answer is not inconsequential.
We have had two inept and impotent congressional sessions now – one led by the GOP and one led by the Dems. We have had years of nasty infighting, dangerous leaks and rhetoric so heated it probably is the true source of global warming. And the folks who make their livings in this mess (that would be the pols and the news media) have the audacity to put their muckraking into our sacred family time???
the deal – Iowa caucuses don’t mean squat. They are run and attended by political stalwarts in each party. Which means their result can only be said to NOT reflect the American people in general because most Americans are turned off by the two parties. As the parties have polarized they have shrunk down to the angriest and most shrill. The independents are the fastest growing political force right now and they determine elections (just ask Senator Ned Lamont). This is the year the nation ignores Iowa and New Hampshire.
They are both long overdue to be discarded any how.
One modest size fairly balanced state and one smaller left leaning state have the roll of playing king maker.
They have turned into a semi-pro focus group.
Towns of small size get visited multiple times with almost one on one interaction with the candidates and top ten population states will have whistle stop 10 cities in 8 hour tours that will be blink and you missed them opportunities.
Time to move to top ten states with near political parity or top 20 to give a broader base to make the decision and present wider based issues.
The two we have now are almost to the level of trying to work and editorial endorsement out of a single influential newspaper instead of gaining the support of an entire electorate.
This situation is not a good one and needs to be redone.
I saw figures the other day for some that had like 28 visits to Iowa or NH and 3 to Florida.
That is exactly backwards from what would make sense.
Considering the size of the candidates on each side here is what I would like to see.
Neutral website just for one purpose.
Each candidate goes one on three with them questioning the single candidate for 1 hour. The three who question chosen by drawing from a blind bowl of name slips by whoever is on the hot seat. Reveal unused slip names to show the thing wasn’t rigged for name choice. If any candidate not picked in a drawing to do questioning put them on the last panel to give them a chance, nobody on two panels in a row. Store and make 1 hour videos available like an extended YouTube video.
No staff coaching , no ducking questions or do overs .
Live recording blemishes and all. Slam anyone yourself for just asking gotcha questions rather than issue discussion.