Primary Backlash
Eric addresses some issues with the recall. Particularly insightful is this:
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a fluke — for the simple reason that he was able to successfully bypass the tyrannical, yes evil, primary system. He could never have survived the primaries to become the Republican candidate — precisely because he is in touch with reality, and in touch with the thinking of the majority of Californians.
October 9th, 2003 at 5:07 pm
I would say that Schwarzenegger wouldn’t survive the primaries primarily because he’s a political novice; it would have very little to do with how “in touch” or “out of touch” he is, and everything to do with him not knowing how to play the game.
As to the primary system, I don’t like everything about it, but it’s got to be better than what we got in California. A seven or nine page ballot in some districts? Ridiculous.
What’s really needed is for rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans to throw their current party leadership the hell out. The DNC doesn’t represent the interests of Joe Democrat, and the RNC doesn’t represent the interests of John Q. Republican.
In all of this, the centrists are the undisputed losers. It’s way past time for the centrists to make themselves heard.
But it will be difficult to do, because left and right alike exploit polarizing issues to the best of their ability. If you are adamantly pro-choice, it’s virtually impossible to vote Republican in good conscience. If you are adamantly pro-gun-rights, how can you vote Democrat? And what to do if you’re pro-choice and pro-gun-rights? Or pro-life and pro-environment? At that point, there isn’t ANY party, even a third party, that you can vote for.
October 9th, 2003 at 5:37 pm
So people who pay attention to politics aren’t real people? What, being involved makes you less of a person?