"The solution to fixing dysfunction in Congress"

[applegrove]

The solution to fixing dysfunction in Congress

By John K. Delaney at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-solution-to-fixing-dysfunction-in-congress/2014/09/02/0f0d0a9a-31e6-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html?tid=rssfeed

"SNIP......................



To address these problems, I filed the Open Our Democracy Act in July. If passed, the legislation would mandate open primaries for House elections, begin the process of national redistricting reform and make Election Day the equivalent of a federal holiday.


Step one is giving independents and moderates a voice. Maryland, where independents are the fastest-growing voter bloc, is an example of a changing electorate that isn’t being served by the current system. In January 2001, according to data from the state Board of Elections, 13?percent of Maryland voters were not registered as Democrats or Republicans; by July 2014, that number was 19 percent. This group now includes more than 700,000 people — more than the population of Baltimore — but it plays little role in Maryland politics, because in most of the state, primary elections are the only contests that matter.

Around the country, we select candidates using a partisan primary filter, then act surprised when the huge portion of the electorate that isn’t ideological is unhappy with its general-election options. My legislation would open House primaries to allow all voters to participate in one race, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.

Such a system is much more likely to send pragmatic bridge-builders to Washington. Because of low turnout, candidates in traditional, closed primaries have an incentive to appeal only to the most committed — and ideological — voters. In an open primary, the electoral math changes, and reaching out to swing voters becomes more important. Open primaries can have a moderating effect even in districts that are so red or blue that the top two candidates are likely to come from the same party; in both primary and general elections, an ability to win votes beyond a narrow base could be decisive.




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[applegrove]

1. Democrats should run on this in the next two months. I'm sure

it would wake up many apathetic people who might then vote. Cause you gotta have hope.

[Laelth]

2. I do not favor open primaries.

I don't want Republicans and independents choosing the Democratic nominee.

I do favor making election day a national holiday.

I do not favor national redistricting reform. I think Republican gerrymandering will backfire on them, and I want to reserve the right to do some Democratic gerrymandering at our earliest opportunity.

In sum, I do not support this bill.

-Laelth

[applegrove]

3. Can there be primaries that don't allow for cross party voting?

But are open otherwise? Would that work?

[Laelth]

4. Not sure.

If there's no cross-party voting, the primary isn't open. I am not following you. What did you have in mind?



-Laelth

[applegrove]

5. I guess. Not.

[Lurks Often]

6. Never going to happen

Congress as a whole, including both parties, will never vote for anything that diminishes their power or reduces their chance of getting re-elected.