Iowa caucuses | MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

The Regional Lottery Plan for primary elections

Jumping off from this post where I (and many of you) complained about the Iowa caucus process, I found that Larry Sabato of UVA’s Center for Politics has also been critical for some time about the process.

I have nothing against the Hawkeye State. To the contrary, my visits there have invariably been pleasant, and my dealings with colleagues and journalists based in Iowa have been delightful.

It’s just that (1) the caucuses this year are way too early; (2) the caucuses and the state are unrepresentative of the broader electorate; and (3) the rules of the caucuses raise real questions about fairness.

EXACTLY.

Here’s what he proposes (you’ll have to scroll down to get to this):

The Congress should be constitutionally required to designate four regions of contiguous states (with contiguity waved for Alaska and Hawaii, and any other stray territories that may one day become states), with the boundaries of each region determined by the present state boundaries. All of the states in each region would hold their nominating events in successive months, beginning in April and ending in July. The two major-party conventions would follow in August. This schedule, all by itself, would cut three months off the too-long process currently prevailing in presidential years.

But how would the order of the regions be determined? In many cases, there would still be a bonus in going first. The establishment of a U.S. Election Lottery, to be held on New Year’s Day of the presidential election year, would yield fairness and also add an element of drama to the beginning of a presidential year. Four color-coded balls, each representing one of the regions, would be loaded into a typical lottery machine, and in short order–the length of a ten-second lottery TV drawing–the regional primary order would be set. Since none of the candidates would know in advance where the political season would begin, part of the permanent presidential campaign would be dismantled.

There’s more at the links, obviously.

Sabato also advocates a new Constitutional Convention and does have some good ideas–like the Regional Lottery plan–but I don’t agree with all of it and I’m naturally resistant to tinkering with the original Constitution anyway. Check it out if you’re interested. That said, I do agree something ought to change in our electoral process–it’s gotten too expensive, too unrepresentative and fundamentally “unfair,” and like he said, way too long.

By the way, if you’re not reading Sabato’s Crystal Ball, you’re missing out on some of the best political analysis out there.

YEEEAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH!!

God bless Dave in Texas for this important reminder. Heeeee.

(Even funnier?)

Poll: Iowa Caucuses - What do you think?

I know what I think of the Iowa Caucuses - I think it’s an archaic, stupid, expensive, absurd process that gives undue weight to voters that do not represent America as a whole. I’m even more annoyed because Mike Huckabee won, and I don’t think there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that he can win a general election, no matter how charming he may appear in the soundbites on teevee–I fell under the spell for about five minutes myself a couple months ago, until I took a look at where he really stands on the issues. I just think people are as delusional as Paultards are if they believe he can win. But that’s just me.

So I wonder, why do we still do this? I’m a fan of tradition too, but this is ridiculous. Am I alone in thinking this is stupid?

UPDATE: Speaking of Iowa… and here, too.

UPDATE 2: Ed Rollins got OWNED. LOL. Rollins is still a jerk after all these years.