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Reformers are on the march.
If the New York Times is to be believed, once again America's reformers have targeted the presidential election campaign. They have decided that the campaign takes too long, costs too much, and is far too superficial. Americans should beware crusaders bearing good intentions and unrealistic schemes. Ironically, three of the most controversial aspects of the current system have not only been fixed over the years, they are themselves products of reforms. The Populists and Progressives first advocated primaries in the 1880s and 1890s as a way of circumventing boss rule.