Deconstructing electoral politics for 2004.

• Author: Martinot, Steve
• Position: Thinking Politically

The structural character of the US electoral system is one of winner-take-all, with single-delegate districts. Three things follow from this at the state and federal levels: issue-oriented representation is impossible, a third party effort is an exercise in futility, and the anti-democratic paradox in which this places electoral politics is irresolvable. Therefore, a local electoral strategy is necessary.

Why is representation impossible in single-delegate districts? Every district is composed of many different and often contradictory interests. There are class conflicts, community contradictions (e.g. between landlords and tenants), different cultural identities, ethnicities, racial groups and gender issues, ideologically oriented groups and religious institutions.

A single representative cannot represent them all. Indeed, a representative cannot represent any of them without arousing anxiety and controversy in others, and dissension in the district. The representative survives by separating him/herself from the district, adopting legislative projects that are fairly neutral with respect to the political needs of constituent groups or classes, and adopting strategies for re-election which depend on non-dissension in the district. These projects and strategies thus invert the structure of representation; they represent the representative's relation to the district, rather than represent the district itself. Under the surface, they generally represent the influence of the "highest bidder" for the representative's attention.

As a result, legislatures have developed a culture of horse-trading support and influence on these projects, rather than one of dealing with issues that constituencies need to have addressed. This culture of horse-trading concretizes the structure of separation between the representatives as a group and the districts that elected them. This holds true for all state and federal legislatures. It is not an anomaly; it is the structural result of the single-delegate district system.

What representatives do offer is an ear to major constituents, and thus a conduit into certain governmental workings. This is the reason unions, for instance, will support a major party candidate even though s/he has an anti-labor record. The unions are not looking for representation of their interests, but an ear in government or party circles, through that support, in case they need special favors. It not only marks the undemocratic nature of...