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The Primary System
Topic Started: Jun 26 2006, 05:58 AM (91 Views)
ngc1514
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Mentioned in the "Earmarking" thread my opinion that many things wrong with America's political system could be corrected by doing away with the primary system we now have.

Rather than letting the political parties meet in convention in order to select the candidate the party best feels represents the party, primaries have turned elections into nothing more than popularity contests. When was the last national convention when the party's pick wasn't known in advance? 1960?

No, the olden days of "smoke-filled rooms" wasn't perfect, but it is far better than the system we have now.

Posted ImageEric
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
I've argued similar, the primary systems leads to an over-democratization of the election process based around the same principles and techniques as mass marketing any product. You end up with candidates who appeal to the emotions of a closely divided nation but indistinguishable on political principles (e.g., tax and spend vs borrow and spend). A smoke-filled room would be more likely to name cadidates of at least party principle, and something distinguishable for votes.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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ngc1514
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That's two votes for doing away with the primary system! We're on a roll.

I must admit I'm going to use the primary system here in Georgia on July 18th. We don't have party registration and you ask for the Republican or Democratic ballot when you sign in.

Good old Ralph - Christian Coalition and I-didn't-know-it-was-gambling-money - Reed himself is in a race for Lt. Govenor of our fair state. He's in a primary race against another conservative named Cagle. I would normally vote in the Democratic Primary (just to vote against Cynthia McKinney), but will cast my primary vote for Reed's opponent and then see who looks good in November. Winning the Lt. Gov seat would set Reed up for a run at the Governor's Mansion in 2011 and, as much as I despise Cynthia, I'd rather her diluted House presence than Reed running the state.

I've heard many other Democrats are crossing party lines to vote against Ralph in the primary.

Should be an interesting election year.

Posted ImageEric
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
I'll offer another solution, some form of NOTA. It would do away with lesser-of-two-evils voting, and force the parties to think twice about who they nominate.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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ngc1514
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cmoehle
Jun 27 2006, 06:21 AM
I'll offer another solution, some form of NOTA. It would do away with lesser-of-two-evils voting, and force the parties to think twice about who they nominate.

I'm going to see who the Libertarians put on the November ballot and might vote for them.

My cynical nature tells me that a libertarian victory would mean just more of the same. They talk a good game while not in a position to do anything, but I don't think we'd see many changes - lasting, meaningful changes - once they got power. I suspect they'd be the same "working for re-election the day after being voted in" crowd as we now see with the other two parties.

But, I'm still gonna vote against Ralph Reed in the primaries!

Posted ImageEric
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
To be honest I suspect you're right. I think initially, Libertarians would do much to shake up the system sticking to political principals, because they'd be so few--the single Libertarian in national office, Texas Representative Ron Paul remains true to his convictions. But if they became many seeking to retain party dominance, they like everyone eventually might succumb to the greed and corruption so prevalent in DC. A Libertarian President, now, there, in a single shake up, might get the country unstuck from this local minima and back to hill climbing again (computer science metaphor, sorry).
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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