The Crooked, Low-Down, No Good, Very Bad Primary System

“They weren’t given a vote...It’s a crooked deal. The system is rigged, crooked. That’s not the way democracy is supposed to work.” ~Donald Trump

Someone needs to ask Donald Trump when exactly America became a Democracy. Because last time I checked, we were designed and chartered as a Republic. But more on that later.

Americans need to understand three things -

1. Party primaries have nothing to do with your rights as an American.

2. America is a Republic, not a Democracy.

3. If you did not participate, you cannot complain.

Party Primaries

Sadly, it seems to be lost on many Americans that the Republicans and the Democrats are not government entities. They are private groups that make their own rules, platforms and procedures. Therefore, if you are not involved in the party, you cannot influence it.

Think of it like a basketball team. If you are not on the Lakers team, you will have no say on how they operate, what plays they makes, etc. If you are on the team and yet are paying more attention to the popcorn salesperson, they you will not have any influence on the team.

As in any organization, the most active and dedicated members are the ones who see the most positive results. However, if you are involved and engaged, making your voice heard by showing up and participating, then you will see the game played more to your liking.

Someone who is just a fan, sitting in the bleachers can yell and scream, but it will not influence the outcome of the game or the way in which the team plays.

Party primary elections and caucuses are not in the Constitution. They were developed by parties in order to choose the person they would put forward as a candidate in the actual election, a.k.a. their nominee.

Republic vs. Democracy

It has been said so often that many just relented and accepted it as fact. But nothing could be further from the truth. America is not a Democracy. America is a Republic.

Alexander Hamilton

"We are now forming a Republican form of government. Real liberty is not found in the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. If we incline too much to democracy we shall soon shoot into a monarchy, or some other form of a dictatorship." ~Alexander Hamilton

Question to Dr. Benjamin Franklin after the Constitutional Convention: “Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”

Franklin:  “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” ~United States Constitution, Article IV, Section 4

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Am I getting technical? Maybe the Founding Fathers were cool with democracy. Let’s ask them -

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” ~John Adams

“A simple democracy . . . is one of the greatest of evils.” ~Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Rush

“In democracy . . . there are commonly tumults and disorders. . . . Therefore a pure democracy is generally a very bad government. It is often the most tyrannical government on earth.” ~Noah Webster

Oh…

So what’s the difference and why does it matter?

The difference is the basis of authority. The authority of a Constitutional Republic is based on laws. The authority of a Democracy is based on majority opinion at the time.

In a Constitutional Republic, the public elects representatives who then pass laws that are to be in line with the Constitution. These laws govern our society and are to protect our rights.

In a Democracy, whatever the majority says goes. A majority can pass good laws. But a majority may also decide that a certain minority has too much money (think, top ½ of 1%), and the majority can pass a law to take that money and redistribute it. That’s mob rule.

It’s a pretty striking difference, and the fact that people running for president don’t realize that difference is pretty disturbing.

It Begins With You, Again

(An article a few weeks ago addressed this subject and I recommend checking it out here.)

This whole issue of citizen participation was brought into stark relief last week in Colorado.

So let’s talk about Colorado. They have a different system than many other states, and it does not include a statewide primary election vote like other states. Donald Trump and many others who do not understand the system are livid, calling it crooked and a fraud.

But was it?

Let's look at the process in Colorado. First you had precinct caucuses in 2,995 different locations around the state which chose delegates to go to county conventions. At the county convention, another caucus was held for the selection of a group of delegates who went to the 7 congressional districts for another convention where the state delegates were decided. These state delegates went to the state convention and were voted on to see which would advance to the national convention.

Think of it like a basketball tournament - you start out competing locally, then move on to regional, then to state and, if you’re good enough, you move on to the national competition.

In Colorado there were 4 different elections. People could be involved in all 4 levels. It is true that the entire electorate was not able to vote at the state convention. However, if they felt their voice was not heard, it was because they did not understand the process and did not get involved at their local, county and district levels.

If you don’t like the system, then you have to get involved in order to see it changed to your liking. Maybe the primary system in Colorado is the worst ever in history. Complaining about it doesn’t change the fact that it is what it is. Participating, educating yourself and mobilizing others results in change.

So, bottom line -

(1) Political parties are private organizations that are made up of individual members,

(2) America is a Republic meaning that we don’t hold one giant referendum on every issue and every candidate. We choose representatives to uphold our values, and

(3) every citizen has a responsibility to know and participate in the system.

Like it or not, the political party system is something that we all, as voters, have to deal with. If it is corrupt and backwards, we must change it.

Do people think that the “establishment”, the party bosses, the powers that be, are some super-human group of individuals who sprout capes when they take off their glasses?

The GOP party, the Democrat party, they are nothing more than groups of individuals with an agenda (a.k.a. platform) that they are attempting to advance through political means. These individuals are you and me. These parties don’t exist without you and me.

The vast majority of those who are in authority in the parties are there because they put in the time and resources to get there. Obviously this is not always the case and political back-scratching does occur.

However, have we so lost all faith in our fellow Americans? Do we truly believe that there is no way for the “average American” to gain influence and move a political party in the right direction?

I, for one, do not believe that. I, for one, still have faith in my fellow countrymen. I believe that you should never underestimate the power of a few committed, principled, people to change the world.

When will we realize that “We the People” still hold in our very hands the reigns of power over government?

That glorious moment will only come when we realize that with that power comes the immense responsibility of civic duty, personal education and tenacity of principle.

Let us pray that moment comes soon.

Jonathan Paine

@painefultruth76

painefultruth1776@gmail.com