Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Top two primary

The state of Washington after many years of 'vote for your favorite candidate' primaries went to a strict party line primary. The voters didn't like this and changed it by a petition vote last year. After a supreme court decision the state now has a top two primary. Simply put the top two vote getters in a primary go to the general election whether they be both democrat or republican. This has had a very interesting effect on the electoral process. In at least six races the choice will be a democrat against a democrat and in one race an independent made it to the final round.
Needless to say the republicans are furious about all this and are threatening to sue the state to change this. The last time I checked the government is supposed to be run by and for the people of the state. It should be interesting to see what grounds they will use for this suit. The people of the state came up with the system. They voted and passed the system and it passed the judgment of the supreme court. So the republicans are against the will of the people and that is why they have been locked out of the process. I believe they can thank Mr. Bush for poisoning their party.
I am hopeful that in this political shift that more independents can get a voice in the process. I have not seen many independents on the general election ballots and have never seen one actually win office. Now if we can just do something about the lobbying and PACs this country just might get back on track.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008126012_elexlegislature20m.html

6 comments:

MRMacrum said...

Now this is one way to get the system we have back on track to becoming the representative type system it was meant to be.

The Republicans may not like it, but I hazard a guess the party elders in the Democratic party do not either. This kind of activity loosens the grip both have on the system.

But good for Washington. Exercising their states rights. Excellent.

Gary ("Old Dude") said...

As a long time republican---this is not good news, but---its exactly what our forefathers endeavored to put in place, if the democrate candidate or the independent candidate, or the Green party candidate or whoever sell his progarm then if thats what the people want thats what they should have.

BBC said...

I don't pay much attention to the politics in my state of Washington, it's just a bunch of rich political monkeys fucking around.

Just like in any other state. In general it is pretty liberal, but the rest of us have to pay for it.

Unless you are like me and work that system.

Phil said...

Fucking crybabies.
Get used to being in the minority for a long time.

Demeur said...

I've just got to ask this Gary. How the hell can you be a gay republican? Isn't that like military intellegence? Two concepts that just do not go together.

BBC said...

Gay Republican, ha, ha, ha. Yeah, go for it, those christians are bat shit crazy anyway.