Primary Hijinks: or why Politicians should Start Learning to Worry about Bombs

[jgiffin]

The republican party recently selected about half of my state's 50-ish delegates. Party hacks, all, and ashamed we are of all of them. Once the delegates' names got out, they started receiving emails from the electorate not-so-subtly reminding them of their duties in a representational democracy. (We've not yet had our primary so, while these delegates have been picked, it's not been decided who they'll be bound to support on the first round at the convention - and after the first round, they can do whatever the fuck they want).

The delegates, perhaps due to their abnormally large labial folds, got all afeard, turned over the emails to the state police, and asked them to investigate them as threats. The state police said, "Sorry, dude, no crime here. Move along." But, of course, the party leaders and the campaigns all said these emails have no place in the political process and the delegates' families are off limits. (Some of the emails wished the delegates and their families well and said they'd be watching - yeah, it was a bit ominous).

This all seems quite telling and, perhaps, perspicacious. I, for one, would not want to be a party hack delegate in this, the year of the disenfranchised voter. Perhaps the citizenry is finally fed up with a two-party system that puts its own interests above the nation's. The notion that politicians are accountable, in any meaningful way, to the populace has been shown a lie. They don't care about elections. In the rare event an incumbent is voted out of office, s/he is simply replaced by another (R) or (D) who continues the mission. And the incumbent, of course, finds a comfortable job in the private sector s/he used to oversee or with a vaguely brimstone scented lobbying firm.

So, how can the population hold politicians accountable? Well, these recent emails hint at one mechanism. And the politicians are scared, pissed, and uncomfortable with the prospect. I particularly like the argument that delegates and their families are somehow off limits to extra-judicial justice. These are the same politicians who pass laws which apply to the public, but not them, and who are insulated (by wealth, privilege, or status) from the foreseeable impact of their nefarious actions. But, man, they don't like it when they and their families are threatened. Well, they threaten the voters and the voters' families every time congress is convened, the supreme court sits in judgment, or the president picks up a pen and/or telephone. So fucking take it. You can't be a badass and a pussy at the same time.

Law Enforcement Disclaimer: This post is pure political speech and not a direct threat to the well-being of any delegate, politician, or other person. The author does not necessarily encourage or condone the attack or assassination of any private and/or public figure. Also, please see the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. By preempting the efficacy of elections, the two-party system is asking for a comeuppance. It is pure conjecture whether this will take a violent or non-violent form.

[BikerDude]

The whole primary thing stands in the way of an accurate representation of the electorate. It empowers the most extreme elements while disenfranchising all moderates. Polls show that Bernie would beat every other candidate in a face off. But if you only allow registered Dems to vote he doesn't make it past the primary. Instead we get Billary. Basically the primary process guarantees that the will of the left and right are the only thing that matters and the sensible middle will never have a voice. Can there be any doubt that this fuels the devisiveness that so effectively prevents the average citizens from getting together on the issues that effect us. It's amazing how they keep us chasing our own tails.
The electoral collage is just another safeguard against the potential that the electorate might actually wake up slightly.
It's the "nuclear option". Used only as a last resort.

[The Guro]

I feel pretty helpless in the first half of the process since I have never selected a party affiliation. I just get stuck with whoever makes it to the finals.

Maybe I should pick a party... it just doesn't seem like I can fall in line with them.

I hate that politics is a profession and not a service people do and then return to something else.

[RandoRock]

The whole system is designed to give the general population a false sense that we actually contribute to the process in any way. Democracy should be a simple process of people voting, most votes win. Instead we end up with this crazy system in which only one of the two parties can win and only if the party leaders agree with the voters. The whole system is a farce and until people actually decide that they've had enough nothing will ever change. 

[Reverend Al]

The whole system is designed to give the general population a false sense that we actually contribute to the process in any way. Democracy should be a simple process of people voting, most votes win. Instead we end up with this crazy system in which only one of the two parties can win and only if the party leaders agree with the voters. The whole system is a farce and until people actually decide that they've had enough nothing will ever change.

Mark it eight, Dudes.  A political election in the U.S. is like deciding which clown gets to drive the car into the big top--in the end the results are going to be the same, so it really doesn't matter which clown gets chosen.

[LotsaBadKarma]

The whole system is designed to give the general population a false sense that we actually contribute to the process in any way. Democracy should be a simple process of people voting, most votes win. Instead we end up with this crazy system in which only one of the two parties can win and only if the party leaders agree with the voters. The whole system is a farce and until people actually decide that they've had enough nothing will ever change.

Mark it eight, Dudes.  A political election in the U.S. is like deciding which clown gets to drive the car into the big top--in the end the results are going to be the same, so it really doesn't matter which clown gets chosen.

I started likening the political process here of going to prison and deciding which of the "Bubbas" is going to be my "dance partner" for however long I am destined to be there. I actually did some research on this whole electoral thing and came to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter whether I vote or stay home and watch the soaps on Tuesday. The interesting wrinkle is that Trump is feeling threatened that the rethiglicans are going to steal the nomination away from him and give it to Cruz or Kasich or whoever else they decide would be the better person for us. Even though all the candidates apparently signed agreements to stay with the republican party no matter who wins I think he might have an out in the event that they do this. So if he runs with a third party and gets enough electoral votes to keep anyone else from getting the required 270 the house selects the prez and the senate selects the vp. That way their bosses get exactly the person they want.

Could this all have been scripted? Hmmm.

Our free elections, as it turns out, are maybe not so free after all. We're doomed.

[SagebrushSage]

*deleting old posts*