Posted on 01/04/2011 6:30:51 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Open primaries should be eliminated. Not only should members of political parties be allowed to select their own nominees, but open primaries provide too many opportunities for mischief by their political foes.
We saw this in 2008, when Rush Limbaugh organized “Operation Chaos,” urging his listeners to vote for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries at a time when Barack Obama had seemingly wrapped up the nomination. I led a similar campaign during the Michigan primary — which was meaningless on the Democratic side — urging my readers to vote for Mitt Romney as a way to try and extend a Republican primary that had been pretty much locked up by John McCain.
And it will happen again in 2012.
Obama clearly faces a tough reelection fight, so what better way to improve his chances than to give him the least electable Republican opponent? Assuming Sarah Palin runs, she would be a popular choice for Democrats who have nothing better to do during primary season then try to sabotage the GOP.
A trio of mid-December polls shows why Democrats everywhere are rooting for a Palin nomination. An ABC News/Washington Post poll found that just 8 percent of respondents would definitely support Palin for president, compared to 59 percent who definitely would not. A Marist poll found that Obama would easily beat Palin 52-40, but would be locked in tight battles against Romney and Mike Huckabee. And an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll pegged Palin’s ratings at 28 percent positive, 50 percent negative.
No other Republican runs this poorly against Obama, or is so clearly disliked by the broader American public. And early polls of the Republican primary show Palin’s popularity flagging even within her own party, generally trailing Romney and Huckabee. But in a fragmented field, it won’t take many extra votes to give Palin the edge. And the 2012 primary calendar provides plenty of opportunities.
Iowa will open the 2012 season, and while ostensibly closed to non-Republicans, voters are allowed to change their registration at the polls. The caucuses feature dismal turnout as a norm — just 239,000 Democrats chose their nominee in a record-breaking 2008, less than 8 percent of the state’s population. The Republicans had less than half that show up at their caucus. It wouldn’t take many votes to swing the results Palin’s way.
New Hampshire has a somewhat closed system — registered Democrats wouldn’t be able to vote in the Republican primary, but independents could. There could be some room for mischief there.
The Nevada caucuses are closed, so Republicans can make their own choice, but that’s not the case in the last early state — South Carolina — which features an open primary.
In an ideal world, Democrats would choose their nominees, and Republicans would choose theirs. If a voter wanted a say in the matter, he or she could register as a member of that party and have a voice in the decision. But about half the states have decided that it’s better to undermine a party’s ability to determine its own path forward.
Hence, we have the situation where Rush Limbaugh cynically tries to meddle in the other party’s primary, and in justified retaliation, Democrats will cynically do everything in their power to foist Sarah Palin on a GOP that will likely want nothing to do with her. And why not? The system allows it!
There’s an easy solution to these shenanigans: get rid of the open primary.
******
Moulitsas is the founder of Daily Kos and author of American Taliban: How War, Sex, Sin and Power Bind Jihadists and the Radical Right.
I’m all for closing our primaries in Michigan.
Moulitsas, the Ecuadoran (or whatever the hell he is), is an “author”?! ROTFLMAO! They’ll let anybody write a “book” these days!!! What a joke. He’s a moron!
Well SOB. The commie is right.
Primaries are an unnecessary artifact from a bygone era.
We have the means, right now, to perform secure, online voting. Just tie the vote to the filing of online tax returns.
I hate when I have to agree with Kos, but his bottom line here is absolutely correct: Get rid of the open primaries.
Pleeeeez don’t crossover to vote for Palin! Pleeeeez! I’m begging you, on all that is sacred to Democrats of honor.
ok fine but that is NOT the problem. The PROBLEM is “winner take all” . Let me explain for those in Loma Linda. We don’t want another McAmnesty. He was the globalist, open border liberal in a field with 6 other CONSERVATIVES!!! He NEVER got more that 34% and was soundly rejected as our candidate in any primary by over 62$ of our party and we ended up with this loser!! How you say? “Winner take all” state primaries!!
If Sarah gets 27% of the Kentucky vote then she should get 27%of the delegates!! Who did this crap where if pretty boy “failed government health care” Romney gets 28% of the primary vote he get ALL THE DELEGATES?? What kind of democracy is that?? STOP WINNER TAKE ALL and we get out party back!! Don’t you see —that is how the liberal wing kept winning the nomination!! The conservative split up 70% of the vote. If you buy this —get this rule changed in your state!! It doesn’t require additional runoff expense. That is what they will tell you!! Just give the candidates the delegates they earned!! Pass it on— please . We have been duped by our party and it is time to take it back!
Careful what they wish for PING!
It pains me to say it, but kos is right. Open primaries need to go.
Rush has gotten Kos to endorse closed primaries? I’ll take it.
I hear our state GOP (Virginia) wants to keep the open primary.
I agree with Markos. Primaries are closed where I live, but I lived in Georgia for a couple of years. Open primaries, to me, seem dirty and dishonest.
2DV
Rab joins trio of mid-December polls shows why Democrats everywhere are rooting for a Palin nomination & election.
.R
Never thought I would agree with Markos Moulitsas but he’s probably right. Funny how their not too concerned about it until the other side starts playing the same games though.
I’ve been involved in polling and focus groups. You can make them say whatever you want and they do, believe me. If the Dems and RINOs internal polls were showing her losing to them, they’d clam up and quit attacking her. When that happens (if it ever does) then I might start believing their meme.
LOL!
That’s exactly what he is saying. He does not want them crossing over to vote for Palin because he’s afraid she CAN win. Believe me, the left does not want Sarah Palin as the nominee. She can win and she will.
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