July 24, 2000 - Publications Unit - The University of Western Australia
July 24, 2000 - Publications Unit - The University of Western Australia
July 24, 2000 - Publications Unit - The University of Western Australia
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
10 UWA newsInstitute <strong>of</strong> Advanced StudiesUgly ingredients increating a President“If you can come through this horrible processalive, you are probably in fairly good shape totake on the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> President . . .”n ugly horrendous process in‘A an almost manic, inhumancampaign.’<strong>The</strong> words <strong>of</strong> visiting Americanpolitical scientist Alan J. Ward, describingnot civil war or ethnic cleansing,but the US Presidential election.Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Government at theCollege <strong>of</strong> William and Mary in Virginia,and Visiting Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> AmericanStudies at Flinders <strong>University</strong>, Pr<strong>of</strong>essorWard says he is glad to be out <strong>of</strong>America (at Flinders) during theelection campaign.He relayed his special interest inhow and why Americans electPresidents as they do and whether theprocess, in the end, puts the best manin the White House, at a recent lectureat UWA.He said the long and expensivecampaigns were not what the foundingfathers intended.“<strong>The</strong>y didn’t like popular passionsand the position <strong>of</strong> President was notdesigned to be a popularly elected<strong>of</strong>fice,” Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ward said.But money — hundreds <strong>of</strong> millions<strong>of</strong> US dollars — has changed all that.“Entrepreneurial campaigns haveopened up the race for the Presidencyto anybody. <strong>The</strong>re are 11 people standingfor President this year and nine <strong>of</strong>them believe they have a chance <strong>of</strong>winning.“Jimmy Carter proved in 1976 thatjust about anybody could win!”Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Alan J. Ward speaking at theDolphin <strong>The</strong>atre.Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ward explained thesystem <strong>of</strong> primary campaigns in eachstate which chooses the eventualcontenders. <strong>The</strong> winner <strong>of</strong> eachprimary takes all the votes from thatarea to the national vote.Over the past 20 years, only 50 percent <strong>of</strong> registered voters have actuallyvoted in a Presidential election.Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ward says it is impossible totell what proportion <strong>of</strong> eligible votersthat represents.“So it is possible to eventuallybecome President with something like30 per cent <strong>of</strong> the eligible votes, asRonald Reagan did, or even the high20s, like Bill Clinton.”He said political parties in the USwere weak, compared to the system in<strong>Australia</strong> and, during the Presidentialelection, become little more than fundraisingauxiliaries.<strong>The</strong> 50 states all have separatepowers and the President doesn’tdepend on the support <strong>of</strong> Congress, asthe <strong>Australia</strong>n Prime Minister needsthe support <strong>of</strong> the House <strong>of</strong>Representatives, to survive.“Every candidate faces the task <strong>of</strong>running a primary in at least 40states, each <strong>of</strong> them with differentrules and regulations. <strong>The</strong> congestionand complexity makes campaigningalmost manic, inhuman,”Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ward said.<strong>The</strong> campaigns are dominated byTV and the much-cited Fifth Amendmentto the Constitution (which upholdsfreedom <strong>of</strong> speech) will not allowlimits on spending.Some Presidential hopefuls can raise$5 million and find it’s not enough anddrop out <strong>of</strong> the race. Up until Marchthis year, candidates had already spent$280 million — and that’s declaredexpenditure only — with severalmonths still to go.As for whether the process puts thebest man in the White House: “If youcan come through this horrible processalive, you are probably in fairly goodshape to take on the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong>President,” Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ward said.And his predictions for the currentcampaign?“It’s really too close to call at thisstage. But I feel Gore may win becauseGeorge Bush is reasonably shallow and Ithink this will show through in a closeelection. My feeling is that Al Gore isbetter informed and will outperformBush in the debates.”THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • JULY <strong>24</strong> <strong>2000</strong>