Posted on 04/28/2008 3:05:36 PM PDT by The_Republican
Competition and democracy go hand in hand. After races that came down to the narrowest of margins in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, Americans are getting used to hard-fought, close presidential elections -- and the 2008 campaign is the most electrifying in years. Both Democratic candidates have won more primary votes than any previous nominee. Both have ushered new voters into the process, as has the sheer closeness of the campaign.
But real competition is still a rare commodity in the House of Representatives, which the Framers designed to be hard-fought. For all the talk of thin majorities in both chambers of Congress, artfully designed districts protect most House members from the sword of Damocles. During the 2002 election, when Republicans maintained control of the House, a full 91 percent of members defeated their opponents by 10 percentage points or more. Four years later -- in an election in which Democrats took control of both chambers -- all but 60 of the 435 voting members of the House won by more than 10 points.
The relative comfort that most members of Congress enjoy -- so stark in comparison to the half-percent and 2 1/2 -percent margins in the past two presidential elections -- diminishes the power voters can exert over the agenda in Washington. When members can't lose, voters do -- because it takes the pressure off Congress to get the job done.
Besides letting members off the hook for failing to do the people's business, noncompetitive districts also suppress voter participation. Elections where the outcome is assumed from the start receive less media attention. Candidates do not feel as compelled to make their cases to the public. And voters aren't stupid: When the outcome is essentially predetermined, there's less reason to cast a ballot.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The Soviet Union’s Supreme Soviet had a higher turnover rate than the USA’s congress.
Ponder that.
today, it just about takes a real miracle to defeat an incumbent anything. that’s a real problem.
Here's the real story:
"...the 2008 campaign is the most electrifying stupifying in years.
I imagine that a few election cycles after the gerrymandering ends some of the ‘safe districts’ are a little less safe.
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