In Reply: Ideologues and Independents Should Have A Voice.

In reply to: How closed primaries further polarize our politics - The Washington Post, as well as some of the posted comments.:

I could see letting registered independents vote in their own primaries--allowing them to vote for any of the candidates running, from whatever party they hail--but the parties who have a stated platform should be able to choose the candidates that they believe most closely align themselves with that platform (and are electable by the voting public, to whatever extent that matters to 'em) unencumbered by cross party chicanery. Those willing to drop being a registered Republican or Democrat (or Green, or Libertarian, or...) for the chance to influence the primary outcome of another party should be allowed to do so... ...but at the cost of not being able to influence their own party's primary outcome.

I believe the political process needs it's ideologues (be they "extreme" left, right, or center), but it also needs it's practical voters and elected officials who're willing to make the compromises that move the country forward. To that end, I want the parties to vote for their ideologues and the independents to vote and give voice to the most electable candidates, and have both the party and the independent primaries count toward choosing the nominees.
---

Posted 9/5/2011 6:42:48 PM EDT