The Washington Times has a story that Republicans are once again debating the merits of a primary as compared with a convention (here). The supposed contest: Tom Davis versus Jim Gilmore over the Republican nomination for the 2008 Senate election.
What such discussions prove is that we will always be plagued by war. Nothing is ever settled.
So lets once again consider the logic of the situation. Why do some people prefer a primary to select a political party’s candidate? Is the issue that we have different expectations about who will win a primary as compared with a convention? I think so.
Given that we do have different expectations about who would win a primary as compared with a convention, that suggests that the basic reason some folks prefer a primary is that they need folks from outside the Republican Party to help them get their candidate the nomination. On the other hand, if only party regulars vote, only members of the Republican Party choose the candidate. Do Republicans really need other people to help them choose their candidate?
I can only speak for myself, but I joined the Republican Party so that I could help support candidates that represent my values. If other people want candidates for office that represent their values, I think they ought to form their own political party. Is there something wrong with a multi-party system?
Supposedly, primaries encourage us to select more “moderate” candidates. If that is so important, why don’t we have a “moderate” political party? Republicans know how to choose a conservative candidate. Democrats know how to choose a liberal candidate. If “Moderates” are so disinterested they cannot form their own political party, why should anybody else care?
Primaries allow the government (really the incumbent politicians) to defeat the entire purpose of political parties. Primaries force political parties to accept the dictates of outsiders. That interferes with our first amendment right to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. How? Primaries undermine the ability of the members of political parties to choose their own leadership. In fact, what primaries do most effectively is prevent party regulars from throwing out incumbents.
People with similar political beliefs have the right to advocate those beliefs; our constitution gives us that right. Whenever we hold a primary, we let government hijack that right.
