For the first time in its history, Britain's general election this year will be preceded by televised debates. We have quite simply never done it before.
But in the run-up to the debates, I am struck by the way there seems to be a consensus that the debates will do wonders to revitalise interest in British democracy, which has been ailing for decades now. Everyone seems to agree that the debates are a good thing.
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March 8, 2010
March 5, 2010
‘High IQ Not Qualification for Public Service’ in the Philippines
Few will argue that you need charisma, a sound platform, and ample finances to win a Philippine election. Should a candidate have a high IQ? That, it seems, is debatable.
As the country gears up for presidential, legislative and local elections in May, the Commission of Elections (Comelec) dismissed disqualification cases against Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid (a former action star hoping for a re-election) and world boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, whose candidacies were questioned for "lack of academic credentials," reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
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As the country gears up for presidential, legislative and local elections in May, the Commission of Elections (Comelec) dismissed disqualification cases against Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid (a former action star hoping for a re-election) and world boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, whose candidacies were questioned for "lack of academic credentials," reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
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March 4, 2010
WWCD: What Would Clinton Do?
The party of Lincoln has spoken. Secession-threatening Governor Rick Perry will get another shot at leading the nation's second largest state. If Democrats play this right, Perry's primary victory could prove to be a pivot point in the 2010 midterm elections.
To turn this year's punishing electoral environment to its advantage, the Democratic party might learn some lessons from the 1998 midterms, when their prospects seemed equally dismal. The sixth year of a two-term president is typically an awful year for his party in Congress. (Democrats lost 71 seats in the House in FDR's sixth year, for example.) But in 1998, the Democrats defied history and performed better than any similarly situated party since 1822. The GOP lost seats, in a voter backlash against Kenneth Starr's sexual witch-hunt and impeachment threats. Election analysis showed that the GOP handling of impeachment and the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal inclined the many anti-impeachment Independents and Republicans to either stay home or vote against the GOP. (The numbers were crunched by political scientist Alan I. Abramowitz, one of the nation's savviest election analysts.) Although polls from the start of the scandal consistently showed roughly two-thirds of voters opposing President Bill Clinton's resignation, against impeachment, and approving of the job he was doing as president, the GOP bulldozed ahead.
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To turn this year's punishing electoral environment to its advantage, the Democratic party might learn some lessons from the 1998 midterms, when their prospects seemed equally dismal. The sixth year of a two-term president is typically an awful year for his party in Congress. (Democrats lost 71 seats in the House in FDR's sixth year, for example.) But in 1998, the Democrats defied history and performed better than any similarly situated party since 1822. The GOP lost seats, in a voter backlash against Kenneth Starr's sexual witch-hunt and impeachment threats. Election analysis showed that the GOP handling of impeachment and the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal inclined the many anti-impeachment Independents and Republicans to either stay home or vote against the GOP. (The numbers were crunched by political scientist Alan I. Abramowitz, one of the nation's savviest election analysts.) Although polls from the start of the scandal consistently showed roughly two-thirds of voters opposing President Bill Clinton's resignation, against impeachment, and approving of the job he was doing as president, the GOP bulldozed ahead.
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Medical marijuana’s not getting any better – the time for RE-legalization is NOW!
With New Jersey recently becoming the 14th medical marijuana state, activists in marijuana law reform have been celebrating. After all, over 82 million Americans now live in states where medical use of marijuana is legal - that's 27% of the US population! Last election, Massachusetts became the 13th decriminalization state, which means over 107 million Americans live in a state where possession of small personal amounts of marijuana no longer merit an arrest - that's 35% of the US population.
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March 3, 2010
I’m David Price, and I Approve This Column. . .
If you think special interest money plays too large a role in politics, be prepared for an election cycle that will confirm your worst suspicions -- unless Congress is successful in a race against time to dampen the deeply corrosive effects of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn century-old campaign finance precedents in Citizens United v. F.E.C.
By now many of you are familiar with the Citizens United case, in which five Supreme Court justices gutted campaign finance law as we know it by empowering corporations, unions and associations to spend unlimited funds to directly influence the outcome of elections by advocating for or against a candidate. Today, I joined with Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) in a bipartisan effort to fight back against the Court's regressive decision.
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By now many of you are familiar with the Citizens United case, in which five Supreme Court justices gutted campaign finance law as we know it by empowering corporations, unions and associations to spend unlimited funds to directly influence the outcome of elections by advocating for or against a candidate. Today, I joined with Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) in a bipartisan effort to fight back against the Court's regressive decision.
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March 2, 2010
Ideallergy
As Obama's first year in office wraps we have to wonder how he squandered such a great opportunity to produce real "change," the theme that inspired his campaign. Those who expected it are disillusioned; those who didn't gloat on the marooned administration. The election rhetoric made many believe something was coming. In the final stretches of the campaign he indicted a failed generation of neoliberals that began with Reagan for taking us on the wrong course. But now Democrats frantically read focus groups and polls, perhaps even tea leaves, to keep their jobs. Obama's "army" has been left out of the picture, yet to find its war. Progressives, still hopeful the speeches and policies will coincide, appear stymied at the administration's steering of mostly the same course.
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Primary Season Begins
The 2010 midterm election season has been officially underway for almost a month now (Illinois' primary was February 2). But for many on the Left, primary season officially got going today, with the announcement that Senator Blanche Lincoln will face a very credible Democratic opponent in the Arkansas primary. The Republican side of the aisle is already facing open revolt against national-party-selected candidates, from their Tea Party faction. And the news that Lincoln will be challenged means that Democrats may also be fighting some tough battles within their own party, before we even get to the general election season. What it means for each party is not clear year, and won't be until after November's results are in, no matter what happens in the primaries.
But it will be fascinating to watch. Because on both sides of the aisle, the base is angry at the perceived flaws of the parties themselves -- which, more and more, is being directed not only at the national party apparatus, but at individual candidates deemed not sufficiently pure enough by either side's base. This could lead to a lot more gridlock in Washington, due to more fervent (left or right) politicians being elected. And then again, it could backfire. For one side, the other, or both.
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March 1, 2010
Making Our Voice Heard on Climate Change
Nearly a year and a half ago, a record number of young voters turned out for the presidential election. Since then, civic engagement organizations like HeadCount have been fighting a sometimes difficult battle to keep young people excited about political participation.
It isn't easy. The paralysis in Washington has soured even the wonkiest of the wonks and the most active of the activists. Yet, it is times like these when groups like ours are needed the most. When mass disenchantment with government sets in, there needs to be champions of the timeless principals of democracy. To be effective though, we need to increase our creativity, focus more on issues and less on politics, and bring new voices into debates. We need to somehow make this fun again.
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It isn't easy. The paralysis in Washington has soured even the wonkiest of the wonks and the most active of the activists. Yet, it is times like these when groups like ours are needed the most. When mass disenchantment with government sets in, there needs to be champions of the timeless principals of democracy. To be effective though, we need to increase our creativity, focus more on issues and less on politics, and bring new voices into debates. We need to somehow make this fun again.
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Iraqi Elections: Politicians Vs Statesmen
The political elite in Iraq have to be willing to sacrifice short-term, sectarian gain for the long-term interests of their country
Iraqis will go to the polls again on 7 March to elect 325 members of the country's council of representatives. The election represents another key milestone in the post-2003 development of the country. Although Iraqis have voted several times since the invasion (constitutional referendum, national elections and local elections) with US troops out of the cities and with their numbers below 100,000 for the first time since 2003, the country now has a far larger claim to its own sovereignty.
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Iraqis will go to the polls again on 7 March to elect 325 members of the country's council of representatives. The election represents another key milestone in the post-2003 development of the country. Although Iraqis have voted several times since the invasion (constitutional referendum, national elections and local elections) with US troops out of the cities and with their numbers below 100,000 for the first time since 2003, the country now has a far larger claim to its own sovereignty.
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