# Does America spend too long electing a president? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152 "2012-02-08T02:44:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/21 "2012-02-08T21:55:27Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > “Pandering to the extremes on both sides”? What two sides? The right and the center-right. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/22 "2012-02-08T22:02:48Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > “Pandering to the extremes on both sides”? What two sides? I was thinking Republicans and Democrats. Or left and right. Or sane and insane. Not necessarily in any particular order. It’s a two-party system. My opinion of who does it _more_ or who is _more_ extreme isn’t really the point… Both have extremists. There’s pandering to them going on. And it’s all very :dubious: inducing. Not really all that complicated a phrase, is it? ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/23 "2012-02-08T22:10:44Z")
> [@This\_Just\_In\_2](#): > > As a Canadian who moved to America, I just shake my head and laugh. It is insane how long the process takes. The president is barely in office for a few months before they begin talking about the mid term elections. It seems as soon as mid terms are over the presidential hopefuls take over the news cycle - including endless speculation over whether so and so is going to even run or not. > > Contrast that with Canada. Party leaders are decided over a weekend among a few thousand hard core party members that attend a convention. The federal election is not scheduled but can basically be called or sometimes forced, and then the whole thing is wrapped up from start to finish in 6 weeks. > I’m not saying this is ideal either - but at least it keeps the media chilled out from writing endless stories about whether the Sarah Palins are going to make a run for it. > > Come on America. Elections never really end here. Amen. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/24 "2012-02-08T22:12:29Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] I was thinking Republicans and Democrats. Or left and right. Or sane and insane. Not necessarily in any particular order. It’s a two-party system. My opinion of who does it more or who is more extreme isn’t really the point… Both have extremists. There’s pandering to them going on. And it’s all very inducing. Not really all that complicated a phrase, is it? [/QUOTE] It’s not complicated, it’s just wrong. There’s no pandering on the left like there is on the right, because there’s not enough people to pander to that would make that a smart strategy. That’s why the left panders to the center, where there’s a lot more voters to be had. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/25 "2012-02-08T22:19:49Z")
Yes. I favor a Constitutional amendment changing the presidential term to a single six year term, but former presidents could run for non-consecutive terms. They could not be re-elected, but they could run again after skipping a term by someone else. This would put an extra two years between election years, and hopefully reduce the perpetual campaign. It would also let the President focus on the issues he was elected to deal with, instead of campaigning for a year and a half at the end of his first term. He would also be freed up to make decisions independent of the effect it would have on his re-election chances. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/26 "2012-02-08T22:20:51Z")
> [@This\_Just\_In\_2](#): > > I’m not saying this is ideal either - but at least it keeps the media chilled out from writing endless stories about whether the Sarah Palins are going to make a run for it. So what do they write about? ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/27 "2012-02-08T22:35:17Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > It’s not complicated, it’s just wrong. There’s no pandering on the left like there is on the right, because there’s not enough people to pander to that would make that a smart strategy. That’s why the left panders to the center, where there’s a lot more voters to be had. If I gave a damn, I could probably find some pandering to leftist extremists, but I don’t care to look for it. I was being rather general anyways - there is pandering, but not only to extremists, and done by both sides. Happy? Sure, there’s pandering up here too, but it doesn’t go on for years and doesn’t build into the same type of circus. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So what do they write about? In Canada? Hockey. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/28 "2012-02-08T23:12:48Z")
Here in Britain we’ve just gone from “Any time” elections to a five year term (unless the entire goverment collapses in a vote of no confidence). I have a horrible feeling that it’s going to lead to longer and longer election cycles. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/29 "2012-02-09T00:10:45Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So what do they write about? Well yeah, hockey of course. But more seriously as a person who has lived in both countries I would say that the Canadian media spends a lot more time covering international current events. Edit - this \ often enough includes the American election, since Canada has such little electoral drama of its own ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/30 "2012-02-09T00:32:00Z")
> [@This\_Just\_In\_2](#): > > Edit - this \ often enough includes the American election, since Canada has such little electoral drama of its own And people complain we don’t export anything anymore! ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/31 "2012-02-09T01:00:49Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I believe the campaign seasons are way way way way too long. > > A big issue for me is that the campaigning becomes the number one story, and every act of the sitting President is filtered through it. So, the President becomes less and less able to do the job he was hired to do, such as set bold agendas and push policies to fruition. The longer the campaigning, the longer the President is in 75% mode. I know every President would deny that this occurs but it really seems this way. The “lame duck” period, as it’s known. That’s not what the “lame duck” period is. The lame duck period refers to the time immediately before an elected official leaves office when he or she loses a lot of power because everyone knows that if the official gives them any trouble or pushback on anything, they can simply wait for the replacement to take office. It does not refer to the time in which an official is campaigning for his or her re-election. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/32 "2012-02-09T12:46:57Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > That’s not what the “lame duck” period is. The lame duck period refers to the time immediately before an elected official leaves office when he or she loses a lot of power because everyone knows that if the official gives them any trouble or pushback on anything, they can simply wait for the replacement to take office. It does not refer to the time in which an official is campaigning for his or her re-election. True…but we SHOULD have a word for the last year and a half or so (i.e., the last third) of a 4-year term, when many of a president’s decisions, priorities, and accomplishments (and, to a lesser extent, Congress’) are shaped – muted, hobbled, restricted, postponed – by being in “campaign mode”. Okay, not “lame duck”…how about…“enfeebled goose”? “paralyzed chicken”? hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/33 "2012-02-09T15:48:11Z")
It’s not that the election cycle seems so long, it’s that the governing cycle seems so small. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/34 "2012-02-09T16:28:13Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > True…but we SHOULD have a word for the last year and a half or so (i.e., the last third) of a 4-year term, when many of a president’s decisions, priorities, and accomplishments (and, to a lesser extent, Congress’) are shaped – muted, hobbled, restricted, postponed – by being in “campaign mode”. > > Okay, not “lame duck”…how about…“enfeebled goose”? “paralyzed chicken”? hmmm… Performing Emu. “Obama would have been a great president if he hadn’t spent two years as a performing emu and four as a lame duck.” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/35 "2012-02-10T15:20:40Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Performing Emu. > > “Obama would have been a great president if he hadn’t spent two years as a performing emu and four as a lame duck.” I like it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/36 "2012-02-10T16:16:44Z")
In light of the recent Citizens United case, I think that a long campaign season with LOTS and LOTS of debates counteracts the imfluence of money. If we didn’t have so many debates, Rick Perry might be our frontrunner for the Republican nomination. Michele Bachman may not have imploded. Herman Cain might still be parroting 9-9-9 at debates. The long election season has forced Mitt (a weak candidate) to cover his weakness by spending tons of money bashing Newt (who I bet has a new appreciation for the disent in Citizens united) and exposing him as an insubstantial candidate with a lot of money. The long campaign season has given Newt a few bites at the apple and shown that his appeal is short lived and erratic. The long campaign season has finally gotten conservative s to get over their fear of losing an election and start supporting a candidate that reflects their values (sure Santorum will lose but, who knows, Santorum might be the next Barry Goldwater, the torchbearer for the next incarnation of Ronald Reagan). Its not just this campaign season that has benefitted from a protracted contest. Obama and Clinton had a long protracted contest and it helped the nation decide between a fucking great candidate and a fucking awesome candidate (ultimately, we elected the one that didn’t vote to invade Iraq). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/37 "2012-02-12T21:54:51Z")
I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s not like you have to pay attention if you don’t want to. You only have to go look things up on primary days and on the vote days, and, otherwise, you can just ignore it. And at least those times are all regular. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/38 "2012-03-16T14:37:14Z")
How about this: A new federal law requiring both parties to hold all their state primaries on the same day. And that day in **October.** Would that help any? ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/39 "2012-03-16T15:21:22Z")
Perhaps it would be easier if the Electoral College were abolished, meaning this concern about the States is swept aside…a single national poll among party members. Also, I’ve never seen the point of primaries! Can someone explain? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152/40 "2012-03-16T15:35:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > How about this: A new federal law requiring both parties to hold all their state primaries on the same day. > > And that day in **October.** > > Would that help any? If it was on Halloween, I would support that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-spend-too-long-electing-a-president/612152.md?page=3)