Reader Don asks how should we reform our system of presidential primaries. He is no doubt inspired by this post and this post in which I criticized primary front-loading. First, primaries are largely creatures of the states. The U.S. Congress has next to nothing to say about them and national parties only have limited power over the format and timing of primaries. So any kind of national change is unlikely to occur. It will have to happen state by state over time, not unlike how we got into this mess. But if I could wave a magic wand, I would make these changes:
1. Return to caucuses rather than primaries. Primaries have their place, but a presidential nomination is a serious party event and the most dedicated party activists should have the biggest say.
2. Regardless of whether #1 is adopted (an unlikely event, to be sure), spreading out presidential selection over 4-5 months is a wise move. This has many virtues. A dark horse candidate has time to gain notoriety and raise money from primary to primary. This keeps more options available to voters should the front runner stumble. Further, this gives candidates time to meet with actual voters and do actual campaigning, rather than simply running a media campaign. This decreases the power of the media in selecting front runners. Also, ending the primary season later means we do not have a annoyingly long general election. As Larry Sabato notes, there is a real possibility that both parties may have their 2008 nominee by the middle of February. That makes for one long general election campaign.
3. Have no primary or caucus before February.
4. Reduce polling. OK, this isn't going to happen, and to make it happen would require the elimination of press freedom, but the preoccupation with polls takes away the deliberation involved in the political choice of president. Candidates should not have to worry about immediate perceptions but instead be able to make their case over a number of weeks and months. The poll we take on election day will tell us how it has gone over. Also, reducing polling would make our reporters (especially TV reporters) actually have to think about and report on real information instead of taking the easy route of reporting on the polling horse race.
Those are some ideas on a cold February morning. It is now time to get ready for the exciting Aberdeen Area Cracker Barrel.
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