It has become almost impossible lately to watch a news program or read a newspaper without seeing a large “Election ’08” news section. It’s been there for months and has led me to wonder-isn’t it a bit early for this?
Last time I checked, the election for president will be held on Nov. 4, 2008, a solid year and three months away. Even the primaries don’t start until the Iowa caucus on Jan. 19. I find it strange that already there is a huge buzz about an election when the first vote will not be cast for four months, and the final vote is over a year away. My conclusion is that the political parties in the United States have gone mad.
For example, candidates are deemed “front-runners” and “long shots” a good six months before any sort of vote happens. One candidate, Tommy Thompson, whose political fortunes seem to mimic the unfortunate nature of his name, has already dropped out of the race. His decision was based on the only “vote” that has taken place: the Iowa Straw Poll.
The “vote” was a poll of Republican voters from a rural county in Iowa who paid $35 to pick from a list of candidates, which did not include three of the so-called front-runners, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson. The media swarmed over this vote, and winner Mitt Romney, declared that it was a great win for his campaign. I was in disbelief that this poll even took place, and that anyone might put stock in it.
The cycle of presidential elections has spun wildly out of control and as a result, we must endure two full years of posturing by numerous candidates, the vast majority of which have less of a chance of winning than I do – and I am forbidden by the Constitution from being president.
Thus, I suggest that Americans look overseas to the – you guessed it – Europeans. They have elections, too. Democracy is not a uniquely American phenomenon. I believe, in fact, that the Europeans do it even better. Most countries that have scheduled presidential elections (i.e., elections that happen every four, five, seven or more years) much like the United States, have specific time windows for campaigning. Most other countries set campaign time at approximately six weeks. Many Americans would say, “Egad! Six weeks? How could we come to know a candidate in such little time?”
Though U.S. campaigning time would have to be longer due to those oh-so-important primaries, I would say six months from start to finish is plentyof time. This would cut down on the outrageous cost of elections, which for the upcoming election is predicted to top one billion dollars and save us all the annoyance of having to hear silly facts, such as how “Hillary Clinton does like the world’s largest ball of twine,” and “Mitt Romney kisses ethnically diverse baby.”
As for those who feel that six months is far too little time to choose a candidate to support, I beg to differ. In a nation in which many pick a candidate based on the clothes they wear, 10-second sound bytes heard on Fox News, or simply blind party affiliation, I doubt the shortened time will affect the majority of voters’ decisions at all.
Patrick McShane is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
