Banana Stand Republic

There's plenty of campaign money. And the rest of this week's links.

I’ll start with Adam Bonica’s plea to Democrats to reform fundraising pitchers. I don’t know enough to know how much money the party and its candidates would stand to lose if they tone it down a little. Nor do I have any idea how much damage the current party style causes. I can say I’m still deeply skeptical that the last few dollars raised, especially for the presidential campaigns, are very effective. The evidence is mixed, I guess, but I’ll be surprise if it turns out that diminishing marginal returns don’t apply.

Also, I agree that both parties seem to care a lot about fundraising abilities when it comes to leadership roles by politicians, and I’m even more deeply skeptical that fundraising ability is about the person and not the office. Every time a House or Senate leader steps down we hear how the party risks falling behind in chasing money…but I can’t remember a sitting party leader (or key committee chair, or general election presidential candidate) who was known for failing to bring in plenty of cash.

We’re in an age of campaign finance abundance. The parties aren’t likely to accept and act on that, but it’s true nevertheless.

The rest of the good stuff:

1. Matt Grossmann talks to David Lewis and Heath Brown about the Trump transition.

2. Seth Masket on partisanship and election reform.

3. Crystal Robertson and Michael Tesler at Good Authority on Black men voting.

4. Miranda Yaver on immigrants and health care.

5. Natalie Jackson on Texas’s political future.

6. Don Moynihan on South Korea and Trump’s plan to fire generals.

7. And Jenn M. Jackson on intersectional feminists.