Ok, I told myself I wasn't going to blog about politics for a while, but I have something on my chest that needs to get out.
This morning I heard a story about how the democratic party was in a tizzy over whether or not to count the delegates from Michigan and Florida. Some folks (mostly supporters of Hillary Clinton) say that it is disenfranchising the voters of those states not to seat those delegates. Ok wait, I remember this battle months ago where the Democratic National Party made the decision to punish these states for moving their primaries up. At that point, the respective states made the decision to do it anyway (don't they feel stupid now--they would have had more of an effect on the race if they had waited). So that's when the discussion of voter disenfranchisement should have taken place. Seriously, I wonder if this wasn't a ploy to ensure Hillary's election. "Yeah guys, we're just going to boycott those states--nudge nudge wink wink" It's ridiculous to me. They (the states) flipped the National Party the Bird so they lost their ability to seat their delegates--period!
The same goes for the people who are registered with a non-mainstream party. (I hate the term 3rd Party because it just perpetuates the idea that a 2 party system is natural). When I registered as a Green Party member in New Mexico, the nice elderly lady that was taking my application told me that registering as "Green" meant I couldn't vote in the primaries--did I understand? Of course. It was my decision. Its not like I was forced to register as Green because I was a woman of short stature or due to ethnicity--I had the choice and I made it. I don't get to vote for the NRA president--why? Because I'm not a member. I don't vote for Governor of Pennsylvania--why? Because I chose not to live there. Make a decision and stick with it already. We aren't guaranteed the right to choose the candidate from a particular political party by the constitution--you're supposed to pick a party based on your interest in it. Instead of meddling in the mainstream parties' business why don't you spend your energy getting your own party candidate?
2 comments:
Damn straight. I couldn't agree more with all of that. Really Hillary, you want the Michigan delegates? Even though Obama's name wasn't on the ballot, you think you should get them. That seems right (sarcasm). (Is there any way to indicate sarcasm without writing it?)
I preface my statements by admitting I am a Mac-using, Obama-supporting, over-educated liberal.
The primary system is laughable at best, and corrupt at worst. The delegate system is an extension of the electoral college, which is obviously anti-democratic (remember 2000?). The DNC is (maybe was?) penalizing states for not getting in line. However, HC does need to realize that as the First Family of the party, this is the US and not China and they can't change the rules as they see fit.
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