Primaries ought to be curtailed. We are bombarded with the same old emotive, repetitious prolixity without factual and practical substratum—not to mention outrageous $millions wasted in crisscrossing the country, TV ads, pointless debates for the exclusive pundits and YouTube to revel in.

Candidates should have greater credentials, along with an elaborate multi-point position paper exposed to scrutiny, analysis. Each contestant should be required to hold press conferences defending his/her position. Many economic points should be backed up with how to pay for them; foreign policy should in the main show a plan for peace more so than war.

Only then should debates be scheduled in the framework of a consortium representing both parties on each candidate’s major points. These rotating consortia should be held to three candidates from each party in a round-robin of positions and defense.

Here we are approaching a $half billion expenditure—how far the amount would go toward other needs!—for primaries that do little, taking on issues without any real substance and leaving us with pigs in a poke.

Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: January 23,  2008.

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