Synopses & Reviews
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SELECTED ARTICLES American Political Science Association, Proceedings. 1907. pp. 175-8. Influence of the Primary Election upon Party Organization. Jesse Macy. An important change to be effected by the primary election is found in the distinction which it enforces between state and federal politics. The earlier system of party conventions with its vast array of party machinery tended to obliterate the distinction between state and nation. The two governments which the constitution makes distinct were, in the hands of party committees, fused together in such a way as to render intelligent action on the part of the voter difficult or impossible. The new system enforces a separation and compels a distinction between state and federal politics. The convention system and the existing national committees still serve in the management of federal politics, while in the states a radically different system is adopted. This in itself enforces a difference and a contrast. The new method also furnishes the means for partially removing the one instance of capital maladjustment in our federal constitution. I refer to the provision for the election of United States senators, which has resulted in compelling the voter, in a single act, to attempt the impossible task of expressing an opinion on the policies of two governments which the constitution makes distinct. When he votes for men to make laws for his state, it is a mere accident if these men represent his views in national politics. Through the device of a primary election it has been found possible virtually to relieve the state legislature of the responsibility of selecting United States senators. This makes it possible to develop and maintain distinct and independent policies in the states. American Political Science Review. ...
Synopsis
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