When we Americans think of scandalous activities associated with politicians, we consider such offenses as tax evasion, sexual harassment, and abuse of political power. It seems absurd that our leaders do anything undemocratic and unfair with the full backing of the law and the full knowledge of the voting population. Unfortunately, we are wrong.
The New York State Republican primary looks more like it belongs in the Soviet Union than in 20th-century America. In order for a Republican to run in New York, he or she must garner up to 1,650 signatures in each of the 32 electoral districts for a whopping total of over 38,000 signatures throughout the state. Such an effort requires ample manpower as well as extensive financial resources. Each candidate must also adhere to a huge array of minor technicalities that make the signature collection nearly impossible. For example, if a volunteer who collects signatures doesn't live in the district, his signatures are deemed invalid.
These requirements have made it impossible for candidates without the backing of New York's Republican political machine to get on the ballot. In 1992, the state Republican leaders backed then-Vice President Bush, DC '48, over Senator Dole and delivered Bush the New York delegates. By using state resources to collect more than the necessary signatures for Bush and others and to scrutinize closely the signatures of any opponents, Republican state leaders have been able to totally bypass the democratic process. If only one candidate manages to get on the ballot, he or she will win.
It seems that the 1996 New York primary will be no different from previous years. New York's Republican leaders, namely Senator Alfonse D'Amato and Governor George Pataki, seem intent on delivering the state to Senator Bob Dole. Dole has made no direct comment about the primary, but he seems more than ready to reap the benefits of favoritism just as his many predecessors have.
Though many have complained about the primary, Steve Forbes has spent upwards of $10 million gathering the necessary signatures in each of New York's electoral districts. However Forbes will probably suffer the same fate as others who have tried to gather the signatures: enough of his signatures will be challenged that he will be forced off the ballot in many of the districts. The Supreme Court will likely rule that the state party must change its rules before the election of 2000. But that does not change what is going on right now.
As a presidential candidate, Bob Dole has a moral responsibility to resist the temptation simply to take the 32 delegates and run. Unlike his predecessors, he must not fall into the trap of allowing the state party to hand him the election. In short, he must not challenge Forbes' signatures. Considering that Forbes is currently Dole's primary contender, this is a hard pill to swallow. But if Dole is truly the moral leader he claims to be, failing to do so would be inexcusable.
Copyright 1995, The Yale Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
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