Early thoughts on NYC's Proposition #3
There will be a referendum in NYC on November 4 calling for non-partisan elections for City offices. A primary will feature all candidates regardless of party; a second vote will pit the two top-voters against one another.
The proposal threatens to confuse voters and muddle the process of citywide elections. Only celebrities and billionaire candidates have the name recognition that can cut through a clogged primary and vault them into political power.
This proposal -- while cloaked in good-government rhetoric -- would have unfortunate effects. Currently, party primaries help sift through candidates, creating an orderly process for voters and defining key issues in a campaign. Without the powerful party process, there is little in the way of "branding" that can help a candidate compete with $75 million in the coffers of a wealthy rival.
I happen to think Bloomberg has been a good Mayor. But that's not because he's rich; nor is it because he undercut NYC's healthy campaign finance reforms. He's a happy anomoly, and I am afraid of the other billionaires who would seek to follow his footsteps.
I will write more on this soon. In the meantime, let me offer three models of the problem with non-partisan elections:
1. The Schwarzenegger Syndrome. In an unregulated sea of candidates, the man with the well-known name and body becomes the front-runner. That doesn't mean he has experience, a grasp of policy or ideas to improve the lives of voters. If he had to fight his way through a primary with McClintock, they would have had to define their stances -- both in their Republican commonalities and in their moderate-conservative differences. That would be a benefit to the electorate...a candidate who has had to confront the topics of the day.
I like Billy Crystal and I don't mind Woody Allen. That doesn't mean either of them should be New York's next Mayor.
2. Getting Trumped.
Celebrities aren't the only potential candidates. Donald Trump has always sought ways of turning his economic muscle into political power...he even toyed with a Presidential run. The New York Mayoralty is exactly the type of ego-throne that he would delight in. And if he didn't have to do the work of party primaries, why not?
Or George Steinbrenner. I'm a Yankee fan, but that would suck.
3. The French Example
France has a system in its prime minister elections that tries to honor all parties. There is a primary where all parties put forward a candidate, then a general election between the two top vote-getters.
In 2002, the Left parties (in fairly lefty France) splintered their vote -- leaving centrist-conservative Chirac and a far righter candidate as the two top choices. French liberals had to flock to Chirac for fear of the alternative.
There are plenty of leftist titles and causes in New York that could splinter a primary vote. Think of the 2002 gubernatorial race when a Green, Libertarian and Marijuana Reform candidate all vied with the Democrat. Rather than giving New Yorkers more choices, we could find ourselves with two undesirable choices on Election Day.
Check out www.VoteNoOn3.net if you want more information. And I'll send out more as my thoughts further germinate.
-j
But who's in the belly?
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Trojan Horse. If I were a political cartoonist, it'd be my pleasure to fashion his face Centaur-style onto a four-posted frame. However, I'd have to hold off finishing the picture until I was sure who was inside the City walls and who was sharpening spears inside his belly.
As a progressive, my fear has been that his moderate appearance and winning smile would convince the middle ground of California to open the gates to his pro-choice, pro-education, pro-diversity muscle. And sure enough, the gates opened. I have been waiting for the belly to crack and the Pete-Wilsonian forces to storm Sacramento. In this vision, Schwarzenegger is the extension of Bush '00: a likable leader with no experience, a compassionate claim and right-wing machine.
The McClintock Conservatives clearly had the same fear from a different angle. They risked wasting their votes (and losing the prize for their party) because they worried that if the GOP welcomed Trojan Arnold into the Capital, the Hollywoodian excess of pot-smoking, orgy-having, gay-loving Liberalism would taint their partisan hues. They still fear for their party -- are they going to lose to the forgotten wing of Republicanism or can they hold the line to the right?
A third theory (and one that gets me smiling) should really send the McClintocks and the Wilsons running: that Sarge Shriver himself is sharpening his spear. The Shrivers stood on that dais an hour waiting for the acceptance speech photo-op--and waiting to plant their flag on Sacramento soil. Shriver is more than a doddering daddy-in-law; he's an ever-aggressive political animal. And he should never be underestimated. With a whole family of voices in the Governor's mansion, the conservative advisors may be drowned out.
While the world waits to see which way this horse race goes, one more immediate version rolls into view. In this picture, W. opens the gates of the City and waves in the second most famous Republican in the nation. He welcomes the Governator and wants to make him a success to put California in play. But Arnie wants money from the Feds -- and W. may believe that is how the West will be won.
But if Bush passes the buck to California, there are a host of other Governors from beleaguered states who will be standing right behind Schwarzenegger in line: Alabama's Republican boss whose tax-increase referendum was defeated and whose state is in crisis; New York's own Albany chief who has to save Metropolis but with no funds to his name. Can W. give with one hand and shoo with the other? Or is he about to be set upon by a whole mess of Trojans who are ready to squat in the City Square?
The Search for WMD
Go to Google.com
Enter "Weapons of Mass Destruction" into the search bar
Click "I'm feeling lucky"
Read the error message...and the search continues...
