Have Our Elections Improved?

George Will in the November 17, 2008 issue of Newsweek traces historically how we have elected our president. Many commentators have suggested that the Obama campaign – extensive grass roots community organization, unprecedented fund raising, focused attention to segments of voters, expansive use of email and websites – may have changed the face of campaigning forever.

Our first presidents did not directly campaign themselves. Electors, equal to the number of senators and representatives allocated to their states, voted for two people for president. The votes were opened in the House of Representatives. The man with a majority because president. The other became vice president. The plan anticipated that notables from state assemblies would be the representatives that voted.

At the time, the Founders didn’t want the selection to be based on oratory or the expenditure of money. Today, candidates spend an inordinate amount of money, deliver thousands of speeches, travel a huge number of miles making personal appearances and use exhaustive television and radio ads. This time the process took two years.

Between 1796-1820 candidates were chosen by party caucuses and later by national party conventions. Today the conventions are primarily media events that ratify the choice.

A candidate’s resume, record of service to the country or even to a political party may no longer be needed if the candidates can market personal qualities, a promise to do better than the other guy and convince those who will vote that he believes in popular ideas: low taxes, an end to war, an improved economy.

I spent months this year in London during the early days of the campaign. The Brits were fascinated, confused, and a bit amused by our political process. It was not easy to explain.

So, the question remains. Are wee better off in our selection of a president than we were in 1789 when we elected Washington (Washington received 69 votes, John Adams 34), or in 1800 when we elected Jefferson (this one took 36 ballots in the House of Representatives before Jefferson was chosen over Burr), or in 2000 when we elected George W. Bush?

Your opinion.