The Seattle Times nails it: Bring elections back to the people

In this matter, I can't speak for the dems... but I can for the Republicans.

Chris Vance has been, and continues to be, an unmitigated disaster as party chair. The reasons are obvious and legion, many of which have been discussed elsewhere on this blog.

But not the least of which has been his rabid shortsightedness in going around and alienating the mainstream voters on both sides of the aisle from our cherished, blanket primary, tradition.

And now, to compound the errors of his ways, the blindered leadership of the Party, including the executive board, will be suing the voters of this state so they can finally, and irrevocably, achieve their goal.

And, ladies and gentlemen, make no mistake: ALL of this is about “The List.” All of this has been a smoke screen for getting “The List,” and anything else has only to do with the Party agenda.

The LAST thing these hacks want is to concern themselves with the will of the people. In the end, it’s about control and power… but it usually is. Here, they fail to understand that their arguments are legally invalid (there is a reason they call it the “Louisiana Primary,” and that is mainly because it’s legal and in place in another state, tending to lend that system’s imprimatur to the legality of OUR system) and all their idiotic actions will do is further alienate the voters, drive up voter empathy and provide ammunition for the Libertarians… who most people don’t understand support these moves as well.

Congratulations to the Times, who have masterfully stated the case, not only that the leadership of BOTH major parties are acting like idiots, but in reality, that both leaders should be replaced.



Monday, May 9, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.



Editorial
Bring elections back to the people

There they go again. Chris Vance and Paul Berendt, chairmen respectively of the state Republican and Democratic parties, can't stop trying to wrest control of the state's primary election from the people. Now they're trying to tinker with Washington's new primary, approved overwhelmingly by voters in November.

They should just leave the elections to the people.

The whole mess started when the parties sued the state because they wanted Washington's blanket primary declared unconstitutional. Voters used to choose among all candidates and all parties, and the top Republican and top Democratic vote-getter advanced.

The party bosses didn't like Democrats picking Republicans, and vice versa. They won their lawsuit, and last September, for the first time in 70 years, Washington primary voters were confined to candidates from only their chosen party.

People hated it so much that, two months later, voters adopted by initiative a primary that is all but blind to party. Next September, voters will go back to choosing among all candidates for a political office. The top two highest vote-getters advance, regardless of their party.

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