NOTICE:  Posting will resume on Friday, Nov. 21.

Lines on the Blog, on the Listserve

     Over the last couple of days, a question debated on the Hasen blog and on the lisetserv has been the prevalence and—if widespread—the significance of lines of voters waiting too long to vote.  Heather Gerken and Ned Foley believe on the strength of election day reports that these lines were a problem; another view, expressed on the listserve, is that the press reports may be overstated, and that voters will gladly stand for lines, within reason, just as they do on other occasions, for other reasons. 

"Ambiguity" in Jim Bopp's Case for the RNC

     Yesterday's posting noted the alliance of Jim Bopp and the institutional Republican Party in bringing down McCain-Feingold.  The lawyer who has made a name and a cause of challenging this law finds a new client with a fresh interest in his work.  The RNC wants access to lucrative sources of money that the law as now written prohibits it from reaching, and Bopp has had the success for independent groups, in suing for new and unrestricted funding alternatives, that the party now demands for itself.  The papers Bopp has filed for the RNC shows how the lawyer intends to build on prior victories for the groups to win this one for his new client, the party.  They show, too, that this may not be one of Jim's easier days in the courtroom.

The RNC Attack on McCain-Feingold—in Association with Mr. Bopp

     Jim Bopp has made his name outside the of the Republican Party inner circle , concentrating his representations on third party "independent" groups bidding to pull free of McCain-Feingold.  Now he is on the attack for the Republican National Committee, at the same time that he continues the fight for the "groups."  The RNC is now, too, a "group" in revolt:  it wants out of the law sponsored by its just defeated nominee and signed into law by its incumbent President and party leader.  It has reached out to Bopp and Bopp has delivered the ambitious, frontal challenge that has characterized all of his wars on McCain-Feingold.

Directions for Presidential Public Financing Reform

     Fred Werthheimer's piece on the reform of the public financing system goes directly to the key requirements of modernization.  There is acceptance that the current system is not "viable," and the problem is traced to the dated, unrealistic spending limits and inadequate public resources.  Wertheimer proposes new, larger limits, a 4:1 match, and a recognition of the power of small donor Internet fundraising, this last component to be expressed in a spending limit exemption for contributions raised in amounts of $200 or less.

Also...

A Further Note on "Appearances" in Election Administration Reform  11/13/08

Hybrid Ads and Public Financing Reform  11/11/08

Approaches to Reform: Chris Elmendorf on the Problems with the “Federal Fix” Model  11/10/08

After this Election Day, Looking to the Next….  11/6/08

Reform—in the Interest of Voters  10/31/08

McCain v. The Next Generation of Reform  10/30/08

The Rokita Standard of Public Service  10/29/08

Understanding the Voters—and Respect for Them  10/28/08

Getting It Wrong on Reform and Its Objectives  10/27/08

Chairman McGahn and the Old College Try  10/23/08