The top-two primary has its critics though it doesn't seem like the end of the world, especially given clear public mood on the issue.
At the same time, why is it that candidates for partisan races will be described as "Prefers X Party" on the ballot rather being allowed to man-up and declare themselves simply as a Democrat, a Republican, a Green, a Libertarian, etc. Kudos to Cong. Rick Larsen (D-2nd) for taking umbrage:
"I don't prefer being a Democrat. I am a Democrat," he said. "Voters will look at that ballot and say, 'What does it mean to prefer the Democratic Party?'"
Have we become so wishy-washy and PC that candidates can't be expected to state themselves clearly to the voters. Has our culture sunk to that level of pathetic lameness?
Oh, I guess it has.
Posted by Eric Earling at April 17, 2008 07:52 PM | Email ThisThe problem is that the parties have been whining (and worse, suing) about candidates being able to use a party designation without being officially nominated by that party. Hence the "preference" statement, intended to stave off such lawsuits.
Posted by: ScottM on April 17, 2008 07:55 PMFor those that don't know about history...... here is
a condensed version:
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of
nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the
mountains during the summer and would go to the coast
and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history
were:
1. The invention of beer, and
2. The invention of the wheel. The wheel was
invented to get man to the beer.
These were the foundation of modern civilization and
together were the Catalyst for the splitting of
humanity into two distinct
subgroups:
1. Liberals
2. Conservatives.
Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that
was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass
bottle nor aluminum can
were invented yet, so while our early humans were
sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they
just stayed close to the
brewery. That's how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals
to barbeque at night while they were drinking beer.
This was the beginning of what is known as the
Conservative movement.
Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting
learned to live off the conservatives by showing up
for the nightly barbeques and doing the sewing,
fetching, and hairdressing. This was the beginning of
the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into
women. The rest became known as girlie-men.
Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the
domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy,
group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to
decide how to divide the meat and beer that
conservatives provided.
Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by
the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the
elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.
Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added),
but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water.
They eat raw fish but
like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French
food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting
evolutionary side note: most of their women have
higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social
workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists,
dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are
liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter
rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also
bat.
Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat
and still provide for their women. Conservatives are
big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks,
construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police
officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and
generally anyone who works productively.
Conservatives who own companies hire other
conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to
govern the producers and decide what to do with the
production. Liberals believe Europeans are more
enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the
liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were
coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West
was tamed and created a business of trying to get more
for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history....... It
should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary
urge to angrily respond to the above before
forwarding it.
A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced
of the absolute truth of this history that it will be
forwarded immediately to other true believers and to
more liberals just to piss them off....
ER Nurse answers: Well... yes. What, did you just wake up from a 20-year nap or something? Look at the candidates we have for President of the United States, for Chrissakes. Where the hell have you been?
Feckless (FEK' lus) (n): Eric Earling.
Posted by: ERNurse on April 18, 2008 12:33 AMI don't know. Why don't you go back and read your recent posts on how Obama offends people in small town America and then you tell me?
Posted by: thehim on April 18, 2008 02:51 PM