In Which I Agree With Newt Gingrich

by Nicholas Beaudrot of Electoral Math

(via Political Wire)

Campaigning has gotten way out of control in the last 20 years.

There are likely several root causes for the explosion of campaign sizes. The lack of political consensus on the direction of the country, ads more people to invest time and energy in the search for new leaders or defending the status quo. The elimination of almost all "Old South" Southern Democrats and Northeastern Rockefeller Republicans increases the odds that donors will give not just to a candidate, but to multiple candidates as well as the party apparatus. Washington's willingness to put itself up for auction has made influencing legislators a more profitable enterprise, leading more to people to raise money. And I'm sure Ankush has his own thoughts about how changes in journalism and infotainment have led to an increase in campaign coverage at the expense of devoting time and resources to actual governance.

Unwinding this mess will prove very hard. Even public financing of elections will not eliminate the incentives to lock in supporters as early as possible. And while I'd love to produce a new political consensus overnight, it will likely take a decade or two for the Republican party to move beyond a platform of "more tax shifts" and "more war".