Thursday, February 16, IS34
Pago 4
Daily Nebrasksn
ICS
(
) ;v' v:ov;ir::;EVO'J
71 o n o "fj
i ,( M M 11 (T )) i Mr' ! H :
..... .:. i v. . L VU - ,-!r,L----
"II.
The lead editorial in Monday's Daily
Nebraskan ("How do voters spell re
lief?") addressed the issue of the seem
ingly endless primary season. The piece
insisted the lengthy time preceding
party conventions had "made us the
laughing stock of the free world."
Given this newspaper's use of the
editorial we, I'm not sure whether the
"us" referred to in that quote is this
country or this paper. Assuming for
the moment it refers to the United
States, I challenge the assertion that
-J We are being jeered. The current prim
ary system indeed represents the fine
tuning of the American electoral sys
tem, not its disintegration.
Recall that much of the current sys
tem was devised during a period of
massive party reform. Formerly, the
pre-convention period was typified by
closed-door conventions and political
bargaining. Only a few primaries exist
ed, and their impact was insignificant.
Party reform facilitated in part by
closer scrutiny by the news media
changed all that. By the late 70s,
primaries had developed into the most
important factor in selecting the par
ties' nominees.
It is generally agreed that this change
benefited both the party and the elec
torate. For the voters, it provided the
opportunity to view the candidates at
a more immediate leveL Candidates
from both parties spend more time in,
say, Nebraska during the primaries
than the general elections.
The new system also gave the even
tual nominee the chance to experience
first hand the rigors of conducting a
f long-term campaign. Indeed, after
sustaining himself over a period of
four months, the 2 14 month general
election season becomes easily tolera
ble. Now, there is growing dissent with
the current system. The Monday edi
torial citedtwo main complaints: The
season is too long, and states like Iowa
and New Hampshire are given dispro
portionate importance.
Addressing the latter problem first,
the editorial conceded the futility of its
own argument: No matter which alter
native i3 put into place, some state is
going to get to be first
The editorial further claimed the
large California primary is trivial be
cause it comes so late in the season. I
disagree. Edward Kennedy's Califor
nia victory in 1 C30 was a serious blow
indeed to Jimmy Carter's campaign, as
was Ronald Reagan's 1976 victory
against Gerald Ford. While both incum
bents eventually did secure their par
tics' nominations, the votes cast for
their opponents in the California pri
mary were far from trivial.
Additionally, the editorial asserted
"Nebraska's small number of delegates
are not important by the time mid-May
primaries roll around." Nebraska can
be judged to be of greater importance
during the primary than the general
election, if the time spent here by can
didates is any indication.
As for the time spent on holding
primaries, the editorial exaggerated
the situation somewhat. The actual
primaries don't start until late Febru
ary. What we are reading about now
are caucuses and pre-convention straw
votes. It's the caucuses and conven
tions, then, that make the process
seem so long and pre-determined, not
the primaries at all.
The editorial offered the regional
primary plan as a solution to this so
called problem. This scheme would
divide the country into several regions,
and primaries in each region would be
the same week.
Rather than solve the malady ad-
dressed in the editorial, this alterna
, tive would worsen the situation. Take
Nebraska as an example. If the state
was put in a region comprised of North
and South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas and
Missouri (not an unreasonable assump
tion), attention would shift almost
exclusively to the latter two (compar
atively) large states. Small states, such
as Nebraska, might then be forced to
switch back to a party caucus or con
vention system.
In the so-called "good old days" this
may have resulted in the hastier selec
tion of a candidate. However, with
development of the electronic news
media, the result would most likely be
an additional emphasis placed on pre
caucuscs, conventions and non-binding
straw votes. Instead ofshortening and
simplifying the process, this aiterna
. tive could easily lengthen and trivialize
it
In short, the regional primary plan is
not "reform" at all. Rather it is a
throwback to the old system of behind-the-scenes
politicking. I maintain this
is not progress at alL
IIlheFrcsi
n
r; 1 fEiiTr:iinT
WILT ITS I
I3T rrr; I t::e
r:;s5L'::3.JTs fhcm
TaT p"' HTP T Q f
1, A
'Mi '
j
Captain Cap's radio program
sells political white elephant
SCZSCZSCZSCZ
". . . and that's the wea . . ."
SCZSCZSCZ
"My baby does the hankie ..."
SCZSCZoCZ
This is Captain Cap at station KKYP,
your capital city radio connection.
Under cloudy skies weVe got 45 de-
j ' . Kema
6 Soderberg
. -
grees. And hey, we're gonna get your
day rdUkCl Got some old junk ya' wanna'
sell? Got some oldjunkya'wanna'buy?
Jus' give us a calL
"Good morning, Capital Call In . . ."
"Ya, IVe got some Paul Douglas for
President sweatshirts. It's a limited
edition line. Profits go to the "PD for
president" campaign. You can just stop
by our campaign headquarters on 126
N. 11th the old Commonwealth
building. Well suit ya' up. Thanks."
Thank you. This is Cap Call In,
You're on the air."
"Ya, Captain, I've got some space to
sell."
"Everybody's got space, fella, what's
the id..."
"Not up here at the Nebraska Union.
Everybody's shuffling for space here.
But I tell ya, as a janitor, IVe found
some great room! Clear out some junk
and it could even make a women's
lounge or something." v
"Sounds interesting, where is this
space?"
"Southwest corner, first floor of the
union ASUN ofT;ce. Oughta' make the
coming elections easier, too. At least
one of the six parties will drop out of
the race if they Icaa a place to keep
their books during the school day."
Thanks, ah, where can people con
tact you?"
"Under the clock in the South Crib,
1 1 a.m. every Wednesday. I don't have
an office yet."
"OK, thank you and thanks for cal
ling Capital Call In. . . . This is Cap Call
In, you're on the air."
"Hi, I'm jus' passin' through from
Kimball, Nebraska.'n'hcard your show."
"Great sir, how can we help you?"
"Yeah, well, we've get some Minute
man missile silos we've been trying to
get rid of. They'd make great backyard
conversation pieces. V.zlis 'em look
pretty by planting mums around 'em.
Why, IVe heard Kansas City's gonna
use one to dell up a city park. You'd be
the talk of the neighborhood! The talk
of the town!"
Ccr.tlr.-cd ca P&ge 5
f l :
: W&at do you thiols of Nebraska's unicameral leaislaSive moz-iml
1 i
'A
h rrf d $ ira .
"I tl.in2 'it's pod far'
llzbizzlzs. : tscnse it's
nsn-psrtisan. Even
ects ere 'diverse, it's net
liverzs er.osg!i to I:r,ve a
t'Tj-psrty,eyEtesuw . - '
C'axri3 Teten :
OECh on Iolrjyi
- 4-
'It eeems ta varl;
pretty TrelL It prcViily
v.cil.3 better tlizn i-.ro
ti"zz3 ... it's r,r?c!;cr
fiir g t!;TCr.'::'i cr,2 1.:::-:,?..
It's easier a! :o,'
Delbcrt Cam
Technician
tr.tre'sall'
I mzli soineb'
settled up
bell
CO
iv wcr.! 1
lsitnr.tSea
Pktts-
in
Herri
eltaisccrticain
when GccC3. .
urs thr.t ncr-y
vci ty cris.-J
' 3fc " ffi,
e.ir.!:. in
m Co ..' n't
