[Election-Methods] Partisan Politics + a method proposal

[Fred Gohlke]

Good Morning, Juho

I haven't been idle.  As a result of my discussion with you and others, 
it occurred to me we should distinguish between the process of selecting 
candidates and the process of electing those candidates to office.  That 
idea gradually took shape over the past couple of weeks, particularly 
when I tried to encourage building an electoral process from scratch. 
The comments on that effort illustrated the need for atomization; 
reducing the elements to their most basic form.  Part of that would be 
to address the selection and election processes separately.

When, this week, I read Professor Jane Mansbridge's treatise, A 
"Selection Model" of Political Representation, it jolted me.  I was 
amazed to find there was academic interest in the selection process; a 
topic that has occupied my mind for many years.  The method I have 
outlined on this site is primarily concerned with selecting the best of 
our people to serve in our government.  It is exciting to know scholarly 
work is being done in this area.

Jane Mansbridge is the Adams Professor of Political Leadership and 
Democratic Values; Radcliffe Fellow, Kennedy School of Government.  If 
you'd like to read her paper, it can be downloaded without charge from:

http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/Research/wpaper.nsf/rwp/RWP08-010

You may find it interesting.

Fred