Those who do not have their heads buried too deeply in partisan
sands will know that there is something awry with the American form
of electoral democracy. Florida's continuing ability to misplace
votes recently and in the 2000 Presidential election is only part
of the iceberg we have been made privy to-and Steven Schier takes a
good, hard, evaluative look not only at what is there in plain
sight, but that which lurks below the surface (and not only in
Florida and not only with the electoral college). He further
proposes practical improvements that will make our surprisingly
peculiar democratic processes healthy, whole, and responsive
again.
Identifying four essential evaluative criteria for a democracy
that genuinely works, Schier asks us to examine the degree to which
our system promotes political stability, the degree to which our
elected officials are held accountable, what the problems are with
voter turnout and how to improve it, and asks for a meaningful
scrutiny of governmental policy.
No look at our peculiar democracy would be complete without an
examination of other established democracies, nor a look at how
special interests warp political parties and the concept of
majority rule. The solution to many of our electoral problems,
Schier argues, lies in enhancing the roles and influence of
political parties. Schier proposes reforms that include broadening
voter registration; giving parties large blocks of free TV time;
adopting one-punch partisan ballots, making it easier for voters to
cast a straight-party vote; abandoning initiatives which clutter up
the ballot; and utilizing party-based financing to boost voter
turnout. With these proposals, he encourages the creative
consideration of election reform, and shows how the Florida 2000
race may have played out had these suggestions been in place.
Schier's book appeals to any and every citizen interested in our
electoral system and its role in governmental politics. It is
invaluable for professionals in political science and ideal for
students in American government, political parties, elections, and
political behavior courses, as well for political scientists. Any
citizens concerned about the conduct of American elections will
discover here a fresh and focused analysis of our problems at the
ballot box.
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