An Illegitimate Election In the Perfect Democracy

Gabriel Guerra Castellanos* P F A

Seldom has it been so difficult to differentiate the two candidates for president.

f anyone had dared to predict the the Rep ubli can hopeful. The pivotal absentee ballots took forever to arrive circus that the U.S. presidential state, Flo rida, is governed by the broth - and when they finally did, they were not Ielections would become, he or she er of one of the candidates, and a badly all counted. Both candidates’ lawyers would surely have been branded naive, designed ballot has caused 19,000 votes have rushed into battle in Florida, and deluded or just plain ill willed. to be invalidated while another 3,000 the Repu blicans threaten to demand Not even a hack author of best sell - people —most of them Jewish— voted recounts in Iowa and Wisconsin if Gore ers could have thought up a plot like by mistake for a candidate known for his does not accept defeat. Meanwhile, this one: in the world’s most advanced anti-Semitic views whom they abhorred. with no prompting from anyone, New democracy, no one knows who won The official who approved the confus - Mexico has declared that its vote the presidential elections. 1 Most believe ing ballot design, which could mean counts may be wrong due to computer that the popular vote favors the Demo - Gore’s defeat, is a member of his own errors. cratic candidate. The majority of votes party. The first recount came up with The validity of the election is in in the Electoral College may well go to different numbers than the original doubt; three weeks after election day, count, but many are now alleging that no one knows who the next president * Political analyst and television commen - if there were a manual recount, that will be. The whole world is laughing at tator. ([email protected]) result would also be different. The the United States.

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Days and weeks are going by and what the presidential election, but also ex - U.S. democracy, an example for many, seemed a simple counting problem with hibits severe organizational deficien - has its peculiarities, and they are par - a quick solution is becoming more and cies before, during and after the elec - ticularly noticeable in times like these: more complicated. Incre dible, isn’t it? tions. Let’s start from the beginning. from the disproportional weight that And if the novel continued, revealing Every four years, the United States money gives candidates making it pos - that on that same election day, the wife makes preparations for its party well in sible for personalities like Ross Perot of the outgoing pre sident was elected to advance. The presidential hopefuls pre - or Steve Forbes to become contenders the Senate —as was a dead governor— pare politically, emotionally and, above to be feared, to the role the media plays, we would all think it was a work of sci - all, financially for their party primaries. not only because of the scandals they ence fiction —and a bad one at that. Months beforehand, they flutter around uncover during campaigns, but also be - And this science fiction novel would - the states of Iowa and New Hamp - cause of the negative influence of tele - n’t end there. The spectacle unfolding shire, the sites of the first primaries, vision newscasts which increasingly in the United States is truly impres - which, given such a short time for com - force candidates to encapsulate their sive, not only because of the comedy petition, can be critical. At the same messages and —at the same time— of errors —that would be funny if it time that they hold town meetings, the allows them to not have to explain them. The system for campaign financing in the United States is incredibly com - The spectacle unfolding in the United States plex, brimming with measures to limit is truly impressive, not only because of the comedy the amount of contributions and at the same time full of chances to get around of errors but also because of what it has shown us about the rules. the fragility of the U.S. institutional structure. Let’s take, for example, “soft money,” on which there is no limit. These funds —which cannot be used to support a weren’t taking place in the world’s most hopefuls do fund raising, gathering the candidate, but are allowed for support - powerful country— but also because of ammunition they need for the first ing specific topics or issues— have to what it has shown us about the fragili - battle, the battle of campaign funding, be donated to the parties, and that is ty of the U.S. institutional structure. in which they need to show not only what campaigns are made of. So, this political fiction has given public presence and popularity, but also Without soft money, the television birth to something truly worrying. In the ability to survive. The U.S. primaries battles would not last as long, nor would the world’s most technologically, eco - are really the second test that these they be as intense. The particularly nomically and —we thought— politi - aspiring presidents must pass; the first hard fought contest for the Congress, cally advanced country, nobody knows is raising enough funding to be com pe - given that the Republicans had a ma - what to do about a close election. This titive, at least during the initial stages. jority of only six seats, also required is not just a problem of the dysfunc - The most serious and recognized can - substantial funding. Curiously, most tional electoral college system, which didates begin this task well in advance congressmen or women have their has shown itself to be a total anachro - and from the start have considerable reelection guaranteed: in the last elec - nism, but something much more seri - funds at their disposal to be able to meet tion, a full one-fourth of the candi - ous. In the perfect democracy, there is the needs of the whole process as well dates had no one running against them. no mechanism for the agile, effective, as to intimidate their less fortunate rivals. In the 2000 elections, at the most 40 unquestionable resolution of disputes. The millions needed for their war districts were really hotly disputed. And, Let’s look at things one by one. First chests —which are poured in with no of course, that is where the money was of all, we have the baroque, muddled hope of recovery since they are not yet concentrated. electoral system, which not only makes considered campaign expenses— auto - In the limited space available, I do it possible for the candidate who receives matically exclude many. Money, how - not intend to go into great detail about fewer votes to come out the winner in ever, is no guarantee of success. the baroque workings of campaign

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funding. Suffice it to explain “soft night. It was common practice, both up with U.S.$21 million, and the to - money” to see how ineffective the bar - then and now —but to be fair, it was bacco in dustry gave U.S.$7 million. riers are in stopping the river of dollars common in other administrations also— The whole question of money natural - that threatens to overflow the system. for the president or other high officials ly leads us to question the democratic The upper limit of contributions for to attend party fund-raisers. essence of the system. Just as an each donor to a candidate in a federal To get an idea of campaign costs, exam ple: a Houston law firm raised election is U.S.$1,000. The idea, both we should remember that in 1996, the U.S.$185,000 among its lawyers and clear and praiseworthy, is to make sure bill for the presidential election was partners. From one company to the next, that certain do nors cannot try to in - close to U.S.$500 million. On a single the democratization of individual dona - fluence the candidates unduly. It night in January of that year, the tions is slowly being eroded. But even sounds good, but in addition to those Republicans raised U.S.$16 million at beneath the surface, the whole pro cess U.S.$1,000, the generous donor can a Washington dinner. The money, of of the primaries presents other, much give U.S.$5,000 to a political action com - course, is not used to buy devotion or more serious and profound questions. mittee which can in turn use it for the votes, but it does smooth the way. These are questions that go to the campaign. While the candidate who spends the heart of the electoral system itself in Well, some would say, it still is not very much money. But that is just the beginning of the story. The limits on The system for campaign financing in contributions apply only to federal cam- the United States is incredibly complex, brimming paigns, so additional money can be sent with measures to limit the amount of contributions and at along to associations or groups that the same time full of chances to get around the rules. promote specific policies and that can also support certain candidates. Unions, religious groups and organizations of all kinds can raise funds and use them most does not always win, it is certain - the country that sets itself up as an in favor or against a party or a candi - ly the case that no candidate can sur - example of a democracy to the world. date. Donors can also, of course, give vive the exhausting round of the pri - And the answers lead us to conclusions money to local campaigns, not covered maries if he/she does not have strong that can only make us more skeptical. by federal limits, so in a given state a economic backing. There are many exam - Let us remember the 2000 prima - party can receive all the funds needed ples of talented, imaginative hopefuls ries. Everything pointed to close races, to indirectly support its federal candi - who have had to withdraw in the first races that could shake up the rigid dates. stages of the process for lack of funds. schema of the two main parties. Well, That is soft money, so difficult to So, where does this money go? With the pleasure only lasted two months. control that it has already caused sev - the supposed limits on individual do - What promised to be an exciting pri - eral major scandals. In 1996, the con - nations, you might think for a moment mary campaign in which the Democratic troversy around campaign donations that hundreds of thousands, if not mil - and Republican Parties would pick reached a crescendo. It became public lions, of U.S. citizens participate in the their candidates for the presidency in that Asian businessmen had made exercise of democratically financing an exemplary exercise of democracy donations in the millions to both the campaigns. But that is not the case. with the participation of all sectors of Democrats and the Republicans, Money comes mainly from large com - U.S. society ended abruptly. The by- although it was the Democrats who panies, particularly those with some - word was “the independent vote,” and were in the limelight. That same year thing to win or lose in Washington. Ac - that is just what the two candidates there was a quite a flurry in the media cording to a CNN report, in 1996, the and the two big parties set out to get. about invitations to big Democratic Party financial, insurance and real estate John McCain showed during his short donors to have coffee at the White sector kicked in with U.S.$45 million. challenge the enormous importance House and sometimes even stay over - Commu nica tions and electronics came that this almost forgotten sector of the

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If vote counts and procedures were reviewed in other states, we would undoubtedly be faced with more than one disagreeable surprise.

U.S. electorate can have. Since Ross anything else, and in no way as a sign posals for changing the system of cam - Perot launched his campaign to shake that a sufficiently important sector of paign funding. With no more of an up the system with his millions and the electorate was sufficien tly disen - innovative proposal than that, and with ended up being a presidential candidate chanted to vote for someone like him an even more conservative agenda than twice, and with the creation of the to put him in the state house. Bush on everything else, McCain was Reform Party, Demo crats and Repu bli- John McCain’s strategy of ignoring able to kindle enthusiasm the likes of cans alike had alternated between dis - the party organization and leaders which had not been seen for a long crete flirtation and disinterest in this seemed to destine him for political time among voters in more politically group that is so diverse and unconven - demise long before he actually disap - unsophisticated areas. tional that it seemed impossible to court. peared from the game. Declared a non- For many, McCain represented a Once they got over their shock at competitor from the start by George W. return to the basics, a nostalgic look at Perot’s first campaign in 1992, when Bush and the Republican leadership, a past —in reality, non-existent, or at he received a respectable number of the senator from Arizona was able to least idealized— in which politics was votes and probably cost George Bush, spark surprising interest and sympa - a more noble endeavor and money had Sr. his reelection, both the Demo crats thies among a part of the public who less influence. and the Republicans apparently thought would not normally have bothered to The current system of primaries that those votes were irretrievably lost, vote in the primaries, much less in the failed all these prodigal sons who were rebel ballots that would be impossible Republican primaries. suddenly interested in politics again. to recapture. At times, it seemed that McCain’s Not only because less than half the That reasoning persisted until Jesse insurgent campaign was going to re - convention delegates had been elected Ventura, an ex-wrestler and now gover - vive interest in politics among people when the convention’s outcome was nor of Minnesota, appeared on the who had been alienated from it. De m - already a foregone conclusion, or be- scene. Ventura shook up the esta blish - ocrats and independents voted for cause almost half the electorate had ment of his state with his victory at the him, but so did young and old disen - still not decided whom it was going to polls, but even then he was seen as chanted with the predominance of big vote for in November, but because the more of a colorful phenomenon than money and the lack of concrete pro - very peculiar system and tight schedule

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of candidate selection practically ensure The social mobility that so charac - self, but not too much. In the end, the victory of whoever raised the most terizes the United States does not seem nobody in the United States is fighting money earliest and got the support of to apply in politics. The two presiden - against the economic growth and pros - the party patriarchs (and matriarchs) in tial hopefuls are proof: Gore, in addi - perity that have accompanied this the key states, who are, naturally, the tion to being vice president, is the son administration, and these are perhaps first to choose their delegates. of a very famous Tennessee senator, a Gore’s main strong points. So, he was The defeats of Bill Bradley and legend in Washington. George W. Bush left only with the possibility of pointing McCain were preordained from the makes great use of his middle initial to to the enormous moral difference be- start, even though McCain managed try to differentiate himself from his tween himself and Clin ton, without to strike a few blows before succumb- father, former President Bush. So, the actually criticizing him: Gore’s admin - ing to the organization, capital and two contenders for office are not pre - istration would be “for the family,” with Bush’s contacts. The rules for the pri - cisely revolutionaries. Not just because no big breaks with the past. maries, which vary from state to state, of their family history —after all, they George W. Bush was also his party’s also made his life difficult; in New cannot be blamed for that— but more clear favorite, having only recently York, he even had to fight to get his because they are two men who have come onto the political scene when he name on the ballot. Born to lose? Perhaps. But the challenge from the insurgents simply underlined just how baroque and unequal this selection Seldom has it been so difficult to differentiate process is. the two candidates for president because, in addition to trying It’s not that any of this is by any to get the independent vote, both men decided to seek out the means strange or special. In the last votes of the political center, that undefined, political Nirvana. analysis, everywhere in the world, the system or party old guards try to hold on to their influence and privileges. What makes the U.S. process differ - gotten as far away as possible from any was elected governor of Texas. When ent is that, amidst growing disinterest political extreme; both are the “most he won, at the Repu blicans’ darkest and apathy, this time there seemed to centrist” men of their own parties. hour, he sought to distinguish himself be a light at the end of the tunnel for In contrast with his boss, Clinton, from his party’s radical wing, pro - people who wanted to hook up to their Al Gore is much less passionate about claiming himself a “compassionate con - country’s political process. In the end, social policy, although he does share servative.” He never denied his party’s though, the light was the head lamp on Clinton’s pro-business leaning. A con - main positions, but he tried to “soften the train of big money and special in - servative in family matters, the only them” to make himself more inclu - terests that ran over more than one passion Gore is known to have is for sive. Some people remember how his naive spectator. science and technology. father tried to distance himself from So those were the primaries. Then Addicted to the most complex, con - the excesses of Reaganism by des- came the formal campaign, and we saw voluted details, Gore can get totally im - cribing himself as kinder and gentler. both candidates try to turn themselves mersed in technical discussions with His son tried to find the political cen - into apostles of the center. Seldom has technicians and win. His interest in the ter without distancing himself from it been so difficult to differentiate the environment, his calling card for years, his electoral base. He was betting on two candidates for president, and the is less visible today. Gore faced the dif - reclaiming moderate voters who dis - reason is that, in addition to trying to ficult dilemma of wanting to follow an liked the Clin ton scandals but did not get the independent vote, both men enormously successful, popular presi - share the crude discourse of many decided to seek out the votes of the dent who at the same time had lots of other Republicans. political center, that undefined, politi - vulnerable spots. So, as a candidate, he Why was the race so close? If poli - cal Nirvana. tried to differentiate and distance him - tics were logical, in a country at peace,

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prosperous as never before, victory Secondly, third party candidates in Florida has put it all in even greater seemed served up for the vice presi - can aspire to nothing more than aiding relief. Neither the Electoral College dent. But it didn’t work out like that. in the defeat of one of the two main nor the courts seem to be up to deal - Gore decided to break with the past hopefuls. Except in the recent case of ing with such a disputed, contentious and distance himself from Clinton, Ross Perot, who spectacularly financed and contested election. The results demand ing that the latter stay away his own campaign, there is no decent are not very transparent and the pos - from the floodlights for the whole space available for other political alter - sibilities for manipulation countless. cam paign. A risky strategy: if there is natives. Nader’s vote count is pathetic This doesn’t involve only Florida, anything Clin ton knows how to do, if we compare it to the attention he got although some would like to think it it’s campaign. in the media or what his candidacy cost does. If vote-counts and procedures Bush bet on his personal charm, Gore. And Buchanan and his Reform were reviewed in other states, we would above and beyond national issues. And Party are better off not even being undoubtedly be faced with more than his bet seems to have paid off. The mentioned. one disagreeable surprise. U.S. demo - “compassionate conservative” was con - The McCain phenomenon was cracy and its until recently exemplary vincing. tem porary and ephemeral. His con - electoral system have shown their vul - nerability. An Achilles heel the size of an entire state. This election’s lesson should be that But it’s not clear whether Amer icans the U.S. electoral system is out of date, ineffective actually realize this. In its December 3 editorial, The New York Times , traditio n - and perhaps even not very democratic. The results were not very ally acerbic and skeptical, said, “...dis - transparent and the possibilities for manipulation countless. gruntlements will take place against a backdrop of full public confidence in the resilience of the political process....Any Even with the uncertainty about the tinued presence in the Senate is no wise observer —domestic, foreign, or final outcome, we can point to certain guarantee that his favorite issue, cam - interplanetary [sic]— has to conclude decisive elements: Ralph Nader, the paign fi nance reform will be exam - that Americans’ final verdict...will be Green candidate, who took votes away ined, much less after the post-electo r - that theirs is a country in need of new from Gore; the power of special inter - al bloodletting. voting machines, not a new electoral est groups, like unions or the Na tional No matter who wins, he will sit in system.” Rifle Association; and, of course, the par - the Oval Office in such a weakened With this degree of self-criticism on ties’ ability to mobilize their sym pathiz - state and with such a shaky mandate the part of a media institution, it will ers. Despite the decline of politics and that he will not be able to initiate be difficult to expect that anyone — ideology, parties still seem to be good great reforms or even try to be a pro- even a cynical New Yorker— will have for something in the United States. active president. The balance of learned anything from this incredible Regardless of the parties’ effective - forces in Congress would make it dif - election that just went on and on. ness —or lack thereof— the fact is ficult in any case, but the lack of le - that this election has revealed a politi - gitimacy or the smidgen of it that the cal system which, first of all, is inca - winner will have will make his victory NOTES pable of getting more than half the vot - a pyrrhic one. ers out on election day. No topic on This election’s lesson should be that 1 the U.S. electoral agenda is important the U.S. electoral system is out of date, When this issue went to press, the U.S. Supreme Court had voted 5 to 4 to stop the enough to interest the other half of the ineffective and perhaps even not very recount of votes in Florida and return the voters: not tax issues and not abortion, democratic. Money plays too big a case to the state Supreme Court. The next day Albert Gore accepted defeat and congrat - much less a reform to the electoral sys - part, as does handling the media. We ulated George W. Bush as president-elect of tem or campaign funding. already knew that. But the quagmire the United States.

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