Sure, that system was rife with corruption. But a good argument can be made that the "reforms", which were enacted in the late `60s and early `70s, have made things far, far worse.
The voter turnout in primary elections is low. In 2012, it ranged from a high of just below 32% of registered voters as low as 1.4%. It was much higher in 2008, but only one state cracked the 50% level (New Hampshire). The primaries in 2004 and 2000 didn't pull as many voters out to the polls.
So it seems that only the ideologues, the true believers, are voting in the primaries. As a result, we get candidates for both parties that reflect those views. They can't then pivot to the center, as their base will be outraged and then they will be challenged in the primary in the next election.
Either we have to go back to having the smoke-filled rooms or we have to persuade everyone else to show the fuck up for the primaries and vote for not-nutbar candidates.
I don't see either happening anytime soon. But I don't see how our government can continue to function with lunatics at the controls. This particular crisis could end today, apparently, but because Boehner the Bungler fears for his cushy job, it won't. If anyone ever publishes "Profiles in Political Cowardice", John Boeher's face will be on the cover.*
We may be truly fucked, Gentle Readers.
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* Same for "Profiles in Political Stupidity".
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2 comments:
I feel like telling the American public about voting what my dad kept telling me about buying a gun. "Do it sooner rather than later, because later on, you might not be able to."
But with voting, we won't really know when we've passed the point where it matters.
Some serious questions: in 2012, how many incumbent democrats...
a) faced a primary challenge?
b) faced a challenge from the far left?
c) Lost in the primary?
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