Bogus Election Predictions

Like most other systems for predicting the winner of the presidential election using income growth to guess who will win (as Noah Kristula-Green does here ) probably isn’t all that valuable.  In fact, no far-in-advance predictor of reelection—not the 13 Keys to the Presidency (which is pretty …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Friday August 5, 2011

How Bad Is Republican Fundraising? Bad.

I should be getting e-mail and telephone calls from Republicans but I'm just not. So far, I've gotten one direct mail letter from a Republican candidate for president, no telephone calls, and only generic e-mails sent to everyone on several large lists. Although I'm hardly a high-dollar donor by …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday July 25, 2011

California's Electoral College Dodge

For the third time in five years, California's state assembly passed a measure backing a national popular vote. But bypassing the electoral college could backfire. For the third time in five years, the California State Assembly has passed a measure requiring California electoral delegates to cast …

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Written by Hank Adler on Thursday June 2, 2011

Do Politicos Need an Election Ethics Code?

It's no surprise political consultants are disparaged: increasingly, campaign tactics and rhetoric grow more coarse and more damaging to our institutions. Recently, members of the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) met in Washington, DC to meet, drink, eat and swap stories …

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Written by Les Francis on Tuesday March 22, 2011

France’s Far Right Gets a New Face

Jean Marie Le Pen’s tenure as head of the far right French National Front party is coming to an end. Can his daughter help the party break into the mainstream? Jean Marie Le Pen’s legacy as head of the far right French National Front party is slowly coming to an end. The old, flamboyant and …

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Written by Robin Tim Weis on Sunday March 6, 2011