Posted on 11/28/2007 6:03:29 AM PST by redwill
Editorial: The GOP accepts no presidential dissent Primary voters must sign loyalty oaths. Where's a third party when you need it?
(Excerpt) Read more at roanoke.com ...
That's the sad message of a new GOP policy for next year's presidential primary approved by the State Board of Elections this week. People who want to vote in it must sign a loyalty oath swearing their intent to vote in November for the party's nominee, whomever that winds up being.
A Republican voter might look at the primary contenders and conclude Mike Huckabee is the best choice. That voter might also decide he would never vote for Rudy Giuliani. Perhaps he would look for a Libertarian or independent alternative.
Or it could be just the opposite. Perhaps a would-be Republican voter finds Huckabee unsupportable, or Fred Thompson or Mitt Romney.
The oath precludes such careful analysis and leaves Republicans three options:
n Lie. Virginia's ballots are still secret; no one will know if you vote against the party nominee.
n Stay home from the Feb. 12 election and keep your options open.
n Commit to an unknown Republican candidate nine months before the election.
Honorable Virginians do not give their word lightly and will not lie, even under these obtuse circumstances. We hope, too, that they put candidates' ideas, character and experience ahead of party affiliation.
Honest, responsible voters therefore can only skip the primary.
That, obviously, was not the goal of the Republican loyalty oath. The oath is an outgrowth of Virginia's open primaries and a two-party system that prizes power over all else.
Democrats are susceptible to such electoral foolishness, too. In Roanoke, Democrats who want to help pick the party's city council candidates must vow to support the party's nominees.
Virginians do not register by party, so anyone, even a Democratic-leaning voter, can participate in the GOP primary and skew the results. Though there is scant evidence such crossover voting ever influences elections, political parties deserve the right to control who selects their candidates. They are private organizations, after all.
Anyone who needed more evidence that Virginia's election system is broken has it. Why bother having the election at all? Just count how many Virginians sign away their intent to cast an informed vote.
You will be assimilated into the GOP Borg. Resistance is futile.
It’s time for another choice! The two parties we have right now are virtually indistinguishable. Depending on who the GOP nominee is, I’m a hair’s width away from leaving this stupid party.
There’s a reason for this because Democrats can skew the results in what amounts to an “open primary”, but it does seem silly.
I’m not going to get angry about it.
What nonsense. This is an attempt to stop Democrats from voting in Republican primaries (as they did for McCain in 2000). I don’t know why any state continues to have open primaries. If you want a say in who a party picks for its nominee you should be in the party. Otherwise go find another party.
The democrats aren’t the only ones running a plantation these days.
Power should not be a consideration in political service. Term limits would help correct that. Serve, then get out and live under the laws you passed.
The statement merely says (and I paraphrase) that, "at the time of this primary, my intent is to support the GOP nominee."
There's nothing binding about it.
You got that right, and I’m looking for escape routes!
“Democrats are susceptible to such electoral foolishness, too. In Roanoke, Democrats who want to help pick the party’s city council candidates must vow to support the party’s nominees.”
This is just a gimmick.
So employ your own gimmick to counter it.
Here are a couple ideas:
1) Sign the oath. If the candidate that wins the primary isn’t to your liking, sign another document rescinding your signature on the first one prior to the election. You can then either send it to the party, or just throw it away after signing.
2) Bring a contribution check, unsigned, with you when you go to sign the oath. Tell them that you only have the patience to sign ONE of the documents — which one would they prefer? Bring a camera so you can record the fun.
What the hell happened to Virginia, anyway? Maryland liberals?
RATS don't seem to have any compunction about lying, and will likely vote (or be voted by fraud) in both parties anyway.
Wow, control freakish. No wonder I can’t stand politicians.
Good grief.
The PROBLEM is the “open primary”.
Dhimmocrats, prohibitionists, and flat-earthers get to chose the Republican candidate.
Just get rid of the open primary, dummies.
Not enforceable...
What a joke, VA has an open primary... Stupid is as stupid does, no wonder why the GOP is getting clobbered in VA.
What does any party expect with open primaries?
Since you’re from New Hampshire, I’ll fill you in so you quit displaying your ignorance:
Virginia’s primaries are non-partisan, meaning anyone can vote for anyone. The intent, here, is that the Republican Party doesn’t want a whole bunch of Democrats sabotaging the Republican primaries, as had been done routinely in the past.
The real insidious thing about this article is that the Virginia GOP has been doing this for several election cycles.
If this is true...this is a bad idea...
However, as mentioned in your post, the only reason a GOP official would recommend this...is if they a problem with wacko lefties trying to vote in the primaries for Ron Paul or cause general mayhem...etc...or not vote the state nominee at the convention...
Still...it’s bad idea....
Personally, I want the legislature disbanded, Pelosi and her ilk tried for treason and then deported to Cuba along with Ted Turner and Pinch, and a military government set up until we can reform the education system and mass media outlets enough to ensure an educated electorate. :-)
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