OK, I’ve been away forever and don’t even recognize the place, but must chime in on Proposition 14, which is sort of the abolition of political parties in California. I am voting “YES.”
The number of third party candidates who have been elected in the past four decades under the present system is approximately zero. The third parties are fighting for the right to be irrelevant, and are failing to recognize victory when it stares them in the face. The big debate about third-party votes is the concern over “wasting” your vote. Yet with a nonpartisan primary there are no wasted votes and you always get to make your first choice. If you can’t come in second in June in a free-for-all primary, you have no chance in November in a winnowed multi-candidate selection.
So Quixote tilts at the windmill in June but not in November. How is this a loss? When was the last time anybody had a choice about anything in an election for a legislative representative? Really. Partycrats pick candidates and gerrymandering preserves safe districts.
I really don’t see how we have anything to lose by changing that system.
Ron,
iam voting NO on Prop. 14 because it would take away the rights of parties to choose ther own candidates. Maybe you don’t value the voice of the minority, but bit the founders of this country did. They warned of the tyranny of the majority. How does if feel to side with tyrants?
The spoiler factor can be done away with any time by adopting Instant Runoff Voting or another ranked ballot system. It’s perfectly legal, and is used in some cities already.
Go with democracy Ron, not totalitarianism. Vote NO on Prop. 14.
As a progressive Democrat I oppose 14.
Nearly 2/3 of districts are “blue” – and it’s not just from gerrymandering, it’s because we humans tend to self-segregate and hang with people who think like us. In these districts – the majority of California – if 14 passes, the final race will often end up being between two Democrats; and the one who wins will be the one who can attract Republican votes and get the most corporate money.
So they will end up being Lou Correa-type “business” Democrats, who will frequently vote against progressive values and working people, against the environment, possibly against gays or immigrants or women’s rights to choose if a vote looks to be controversial. And 2/3 of California’s districts turning that way? Not a direction I want to see California go.
“Conservative” Republicans feel the same way, and don’t want their red districts to end up being represented by RINOs like Maldonado or Schwarzenegger, who were the main drivers of this plan.
In this case, progressives, conservatives, and third parties agree – let’s continue to give voters real choice, and duke it out in November! No mealy-mouth corporate centrists.
Prop 14 will result in less participation in our electoral process and even allows candidates to hide their party affiliation. General elections will be restricted to the top two primary vote getters…period. No third parties need apply, and in some races the general could have two candidates from the same party.
Terrible idea and it must be defeated.
As a Conservative Republican – I cocnur with Progressive Democrat Vernon.
It is Un-American to take away people’s right to vote of choose amongst all the parties. A lot of the corruption and low voter turnouts in Louisiana can be traced to this insane system of elections.
Remember convicted Felon Edwin Edwards running against KKK Grand Wizard David Duke? Made possible by the electoral system laid out in Prop 14 – which copies that of Louisiana.