The Presidential Primary Frenzy. Again.
The more "reasonable" (for some definition of the word) date is 8 January 2008, with Iowa caucuses on 3 January, although this arrangement might require changes in state law. Nevada might be the 12th, followed by Michigan on the 15th.
February 5 is the current "Super Tuesday," with primaries and caucuses in 20 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado (caucuses), Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho (Dem), Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico (Dem), New York, North Dakota (caucuses), Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah.
In modern history, the Presidential race officially kicks off with Iowa caucuses, followed by the New Hampshire primary. An Iowan tells us why:
It's because Iowans know and practice pure democracy better than anyone. Where else do each of 1,800 precincts have a say in choosing a nation's leader? Where else do political celebrities answer to thousands of average voters, face-to-face, in living rooms, churches and libraries? Big-state primaries, for all their virtues, reflect the undue influence of big money politics—relentless advertising, constant polling and negative campaigning—a far cry from Iowa's "one person, one vote" representative system.
[...]
This truly grass-roots approach allows ordinary Americans—the teacher, the plumber and the beautician—the opportunity to voice their opinions and debate among each other about the best candidate for the job. The depth of the caucuses, both in their vetting of a candidate and the organizational structure that has developed over decades, is almost impossible to replicate.
According to Jim Allen, Communications Director for the Chicago Board of Elections, 1928 was the last presidential election where neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice president was seeking the party nomination. It's the most-often stated explanation for why the 2008 candidate selection process is so frenzied.
The National Association of Secretaries of State has a proposal to rationalize the primary system: a rotating primary plan. The country would be divided into four regions, and Iowa/New Hampshire would retain their traditional slots. Then ...
A lottery would be held to determine which region would begin the sequence the first year of the plan. The next presidential election year, the region that held the first position would move to the end of the sequence, and the other regions would move forward... Primaries/caucuses in each state of a given region would be scheduled on or soon after the first Tuesday in March, April, May or June of presidential election years.
It's interesting that the states are scheduling primaries earlier than both parties want them to. What, then, is the relationship between the "party" and the "state"? If the state can pick whatever date it wants for the primary (who pays for the cost of the election?), what does that say about party insistence on controlling the ballots?
And George Washington, it seems, did not look kindly upon political parties, even though they have dominated American politics for 150 years:
I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State ... [let me] warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.
[...]
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passion. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
What say you? Keep 'em or leave 'em (political parties and their primaries, that is)?
Prior Coverage:- 2008 Presidential Primary Calendar
- Primary News: It's Been 80 Years ..., 6 June 2007
- Florida Primary Jump, 22 May 2007
- Primary Madness: NH Joins The Shuffle, 7 March 2007
- State Legislatures Promote 2008 Primary Shuffle, 22 Feb 2007
Also, see Political Parties in the United States, The Two-Party System: A Catastrophic Failure, Crash The Parties and Independents May Be Crucial in New Hampshire.