chapter8discussionquestions

1. Should the United States have a national presidential primary in which each party chooses its presidential nominee? If this type of primary were instituted, what would the consequences be for the two major political parties?
This is a very controversial issue. If this were to happen it would almost have to include doing away with the electoral college. I think that it would be a good idea to have a national presidential primary. I think it would be the most accurate way to allow Americans to really express who they want in government. If this were to happen it would change the way politicians’ campaign. The priorities would be different. It would not be just about campaigning in the high electoral states of California, Texas, Florida and New York. It would mean that the people in the states of Montana, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii would be just as important.
2. How much weight should Americans give to the “character issue” in deciding whether to vote for a presidential candidate? Do the mass media give too much or too little attention to the character issue?
It is an important part to consider about a candidate of course. Yet it is also in my opinion, the most distorted. Photo opportunities run rapid in presidential campaigns. They are staged and rarely genuine. Mass media is used to attack each other in campaigns and also to highlight specific skills or talents and events in lives. I think one should look at the political track record of the candidate as a whole and not just what is being shown in the present time frame. I think that mass media does give too much attention to this area.
3. Considering that more Americans identify with the Democratic party than with the Republican party, why have Republicans been so successful in winning the presidency?
I think that they have been so successful due to the amount of financing they have been able to generate from big business they are involved in. A large majority of Republicans in the upper