Comments on: Quote Of The Day http://donklephant.com/2008/02/26/quote-of-the-day-26/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:19:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Rich Horton http://donklephant.com/2008/02/26/quote-of-the-day-26/#comment-392041 Rich Horton Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:51:22 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2008/02/26/quote-of-the-day-26/#comment-392041 I'm not sure "unfair" is the right word. They certainly are less democratic, but I'm not sure that is necessarily a bad thing. I'm the sort of person that is uneasy with open primaries becuase I feel it gives an unfair advantage to the two main parties. The Democratic and Republican parties are private organization and how they decide upon a candidate shouldn't seem so quasi-governmental, as it sure does now. That being said, the open caucus system we run in many states also has its problems. If the point of a caucus is to allow the "card carrying" members of a party decide who best represents their values, beliefs, etc., then how do you justify allowing anyone to come in and have an equal voice in the process? Were I to go to a Democratic caucus (or a Republican one for that matter), there is a sense in which it is illegitimate IF the idea is to let real party members decide the matter. It certainly opens the process up to being influenced by money in a way that a primary system isnt. Like it or not, "organization" is something that can be bought. I’m not sure “unfair” is the right word. They certainly are less democratic, but I’m not sure that is necessarily a bad thing. I’m the sort of person that is uneasy with open primaries becuase I feel it gives an unfair advantage to the two main parties. The Democratic and Republican parties are private organization and how they decide upon a candidate shouldn’t seem so quasi-governmental, as it sure does now.

That being said, the open caucus system we run in many states also has its problems. If the point of a caucus is to allow the “card carrying” members of a party decide who best represents their values, beliefs, etc., then how do you justify allowing anyone to come in and have an equal voice in the process? Were I to go to a Democratic caucus (or a Republican one for that matter), there is a sense in which it is illegitimate IF the idea is to let real party members decide the matter. It certainly opens the process up to being influenced by money in a way that a primary system isnt. Like it or not, “organization” is something that can be bought.

]]> By: TerenceC http://donklephant.com/2008/02/26/quote-of-the-day-26/#comment-392024 TerenceC Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:55:36 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2008/02/26/quote-of-the-day-26/#comment-392024 Hillary found her voice in New Hampshire and it said "shut up Bill" - I agree. Hillary found her voice in New Hampshire and it said “shut up Bill” - I agree.

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