Why isn’t there more discussion of the relative merits of the Programs of the Democrats and the Republicans? It is all about Gore and Bush and what they say; but it is the party program which we will have to live with. That being the case, why don’t people vote a straight ticket? If you vote for a congressional candidate because you like him/her,but dislike their party’s program. he/she will still vote to install his/her party into leadership which will promote the Party’s program. An example is a pro-choice voter who votes for a “moderate” Republican who is personally pro-choice. This “moderate” will still vote to install anti-choice conservative Republicans into leadership rather than pro-choice Democrats. Go figure.
Presumably if a abortion issue comes up in the legislature, the pro-choice Republican will vote on the pro-choice side of the issue, pleasing that voter and fulfilling the idea of representative democracy more or less. That’s why people vote on the candidate’s position, not necessarily the party’s.
Galen, You ask “Why isn’t there more discussion of the relative merits of the Programs of the Democrats and the Republicans?”
I think there are two reasons for this. The first, sadly, is that it works. Just like selling soap with sex, The candidates are sold to the voters with emotional, personality based pitches. It works because too man people respond more quickly at the emotional level, and zone out as soon as you mention “issues”.
This is nothing new; it’s been going on at least since the time of Andy Jackson.
The second reason is that the parties’ platforms are honored only in the breach. Why waste time talking about platforms that are rarely used. Again this is nothing new, but three recent examples are:
“Read my lips; no new taxes.” – George Bush
“I have kept all the campaign promises I intend to.” – Bill Clinton
The Republican party’s Contract with America.
If you really want to make a difference at the issues level, your time would be better spent supporting specific legislation, or specific congressional candidates. At the presidential level, it’s pretty much a waste of time.
So why are there so many battles over various planks in the party platforms? Think of the internal struggles the Republicans have over the abortion issue.
If I want to influence the direction of abortion policy, the presidential election is where the action is. SUPREME COURT!!
Platforms are different from “campaign promises”. They define the party’s basic world view. They therefore define the world view of the dominant faction of the party.
Also, the Republicans did try to implement their “Contract on America”. That is not a typo.