Differing Views on Democracy

For John, BLUF:  What Dems see as Democracy may not be what I see.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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In today's edition of The Boston Globe is an OpEd by Ms Joanna Weiss that appears to me to be another justification for the way the Massachusetts Democrat Party does business—"15 percent rule?  It's democratic".  I think she means "It's democratic" in the sense of being open to all the voters in a fair way.

What occasions this OpEd is tomorrow's Republican State Convention, where Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Baker hopes to crush his opponent, Mr Mark Fisher.  By crush I mean leave him with less than 15% of the vote, which would mean that there would be no Primary Contest.

Frankly, I think this would be bad for the party for two reasons.  First off, a Primary Contest would give those of us voting in the Primary on Tuesday, 9 September, a competition that would bring out the views of the candidates, allowing us to better vet the Candidates.  Second, a Primary Contest would stir up some news and thus get our message out and about.

However, my big objection is that there are all these extra delegates out there.  It isn't just the Republican Committees in the various Cities and Towns.  There are all those delegates attached to this or that party official.  What is democratic about that?

Ms Weiss may speak for the Progressives of Massachusetts, but she doesn't speak for me, and I am a member of the Lowell Republican City Committee and the Ward 1 Committee.

Regards  —  Cliff