or are there just too many idiotic straight ticket voters?
We know that both the local Democratic and Republican parties have perennially lacked the gumption to take positions on local issues. We know that as a result, running under their respective banners has no real meaning outside of pandering to the least among us. At the local level, there's simply no way for anyone to self-identify as a Democrat or Republican. There are no stated platforms or even fairly consistent rhetoric or performance records to compare.
Some will suggest that their allegiances are born of support for the national or state parties, but to do so is turn our republic on its decidedly non-pointy head with excrement spiraling down rather than cream being upwardly mobile.
So, the question: Are there enough reasonably intelligent people sufficiently engaged to overcome the pandering and insert some honesty into the process or should potential candidates just resign themselves to tucking their integrity down between the seams of their underpants in order to "win", thus proving that they may not be worth voting for in the first place?
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8 comments:
In my opinion there are too many straight-ticket votes, idiotic or not, for an independent candidate to win in certain races.
but to do so is turn our republic on its decidedly non-pointy head with excrement spiraling down rather than cream being upwardly mobile.
I respectfully disagree. I consider myself a Democrat in the vein of President Obama, not Council President Coffey. I will not let Coffey own the party.
Should I wish to run for office, which I don't, why should I have to wait for the local party to change for me instead of me changing the local party by running? That sounds like perfection paralysis.
I mostly agree with your characterization of the local Democrat party, but I don't agree with the guilt-by-association argument. I think if a local, outsider progressive Democrat ran for office and won in Floyd County it would put that person in a position to change the direction of the local party. Otherwise it's garbage in garbage out.
Now, if someone cannot honestly call themselves a Republican or Democrat and just ran under that label to get elected, then I agree it might prove they are not worthy voting for in the first place.
I think locals are supposed to be the testing ground for ideas and actions, the best of which are advanced to the next level. We're failing miserably at that. In fact, I'd argue that both parties, purposely or not, actively discourage it from happening.
The "run to change the local party" idea is really only intellectually honest if the candidate makes their change intentions clear while running. Personally, I've never seen it.
And if one doesn't see it, there are two potential reasons: A candidate agrees with or is at least willing to pander to the status quo or they're engaging in the subterfuge you mention.
I suppose a third option could be that they've never even thought about it, but that might be even worse.
The "run to change the local party" idea is really only intellectually honest if the candidate makes their change intentions clear while running. Personally, I've never seen it.
Absolutely agree. Locally, it wouldn't be all that difficult , really. All you have to do is, you know, stand for something.
Another question:
Why is it OK to openly support certain principles, strategies, and actions at the national level but not the local level?
Personally, I volunteered for the Obama campaign during the last presidential election. Others may have done differently and that's OK. What's not OK is that so many of those same people who worked so hard to impress the importance of their respective stances upon others then are unwilling to do so now where it matters most-- in their own backyards.
Are we just waiting to be led or are we unleadable? Did that election have the significance it seemed to or was it just an empty exercise? Was Howard Dean here because he has things to say worth adopting and repeating or just because he's a celebrity?
And I maintain that at least most straight ticket voters are idiots. For a lot of people, being a straight ticket voter in New Albany means that they've supported Coffey, Price, Kochert, Gahan, etc., based on supposedly Democratic principles. If that's not idiocy, what is?
Well, it's like you said, who are we supposed to get behind locally like we did President Obama? I got the checkbook out for him and I'll get it out for a local progressive, or knock on doors, or whatever I can do, should he or she choose to run, as I'm sure many others would do.
As for Dean, he spoke about healthcare reform and everything he said needed to be heard, in my opinion.
Brandon's right...I don't see anyone locally that is actively looking to run that I can truly get behind. That could easily change (and I hope it does), but...well,it's like 2004. I wasn't a big fan of Kerry and thought he was the worst candidate the Dems could put up. The reason I voted for him was that he was exponentially better than Dubya. I wasn't excited about him, but I voted for him.
Different story this time around. I was excited about Obama and willing to get out and work for him. As soon as a candidate like this in the 3rd district steps to the plate, I'm there.
By running as a Democrat set on changing the party locally rather than as an indepdent, would a candidate engender additional, honest support or would he/she incur the potentially substantial wrath of obvious intraparty hostility?
And which sets a better precedent for the future?
Only one way to find out...
And as far as changing the party locally, I don't think one would need to run on a platform of "changing the party" as much as behave in a way and take positions consistent with how you want the party to act.
No rule says one has to kiss local party ass, and I don't see how they offer much to local council candidates anyway. What could they possibly do to penalize you...not put your name in the one ad they run in the general election? Not give you the zero dollars they were going to raise for you?
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