Monday, September 01, 2008

Entering a Post-Convention Era

A modest proposal: Can the Conventions!

Political conventions have been a fixture of American presidential politics since the beginning. Will changes in electoral politics and Hurricane Gustov change that? Both parties ended their primary seasons with only one candidate standing. The Democrats went so far as to do away with the traditional roll-call vote to determine their candidate. They opted for a behind the scenes, out of public eye, voting process.

Hurricane Gustov has the Republicans curtailing their convention plans.

Given the inevitability of the conventions' nominating processes, why hold the conventions at all? Couldn't the voting be handled by a secure on-line system? Granted the host cities would not reap the millions of dollars of revenue the presidential conventions bring to town. However, couldn't the human capital and monies be put to better use?

McCain's introduction of Sarah Palin as his VP candidate was far more dramatic than anything that could happen at the convention.

Solution? Can the conventions!