No. 2 : The State of Politics in America: Issues in Political Reform

This issue explores the legacy of Election 2000 and its inability to ensure that all duly registered voters can vote, and that all their votes can be counted. The implications for our future as a democracy continue to drive election reform efforts with Democrats focusing on identifying and removing barriers to voting and Republicans raising concerns over voter fraud. Contributors to this issue argue that the outcome of Election 2000 should not be seen as an aberration, but as an expression of how our political system currently works and that voting reform is only one topic in the wider debate on political reform in general. The topics address include: campaign finance reform in light of the McCain-Feingold bill, as well as a number of developments at the state and local levels, ranging from Clean Money/Clean Election agreements to partial public financing systems. Other areas of the electoral process scrutinized include the role of the Electoral College, barriers to third-party candidates as personally encountered by Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, and equitable access to free airtime in media. Innovative political reform at state and local levels is also examined with models provided from New York City's campaign finance system, as well as a variety of reform measures around the country. The articles include: Citizen Democracy, Dorothy Ridings; Federal Campaign Finance Reform - The Long and Winding Road, Scott Harshbarger and Edwin Davis; Localism and Reform - The Benefits of Political Diversity, Carl Castillo and Mike McGrath; New York City's Campaign Finance System - Why Is the Best Hope for Reform Being Ignored, Mark Schmitt; Free Airtime - Another Means for Cleaning Up Campaigns, Matt Farey; So You Want to Run for President? Ha! Barriers to Third-Party Entry, Ralph Nader and Theresa Amato; Who Should Elect the President? The Case Against the Electoral College, Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins; Renewed Momentum for Voting System Reform, Rob Richie and Steven Hill; Voting Reforms After Florida, Caleb Kleppner; What Does It Mean to Be a Good Citizen?, Charles Bens; Healthy Communities At a Crossroad, Gregory Maher.