The WA GOP put it in writing that they’re not into democracy The Republican base, it turns out, is now opposed to democracy. Their words, not mine, as you’ll soon see. After the candidates left, the convention’s delegates got down to crafting a party platform. Like at most GOP gatherings in the Donald Trump era, this one called for restrictions on voting. In Washington state, the delegates called for the end of all mail-in voting. Instead, we would have a one-day-only, in-person election, with photo ID and paper ballots, with no use of tabulating machines or digital scanners to count the ballots. A resolution called for ending the ability to vote for U.S. senators. Instead, senators would get appointed by state legislatures, as it generally worked 110 years ago prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. “We are devolving into a democracy, because congressmen and senators are elected by the same pool,” was how one GOP delegate put it to the convention. “We do not want to be a democracy.” We don’t? There are debates about how complete of a democracy we wish to be; for example, the state Democratic Party platform has called for the direct election of the president (doing away with the Electoral College). But curtailing our own vote? The GOPers said they hoped states’ rights would be strengthened with such a move. Then they kicked it up a notch. They passed a resolution calling on people to please stop using the word “democracy.” “We encourage Republicans to substitute the words ‘republic’ and ‘republicanism’ where previously they have used the word ‘democracy,’ ” the resolution says. “Every time the word ‘democracy’ is used favorably it serves to promote the principles of the Democratic Party, the principles of which we ardently oppose.” https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...'democracy,nation more democratic in nature.” From a practical standpoint I guess I understand the strategery behind the WA POTer's wanting state legislatures appointing US senators. They must believe it would allow for more far right nutbags to populate the halls of the Capital. Cuz make no mistake, these folks are far right nutbags. As a general statement I think it's fair to say the activities at party conventions like this are tied directly to the rise of Trumpery. Which is to say, the radicalization of the folks who run things at a state level. Most people would, I think, agree taking away the ability to directly vote for US senators from the people is a radical idea. It all seems to stem from misplaced anger burning inside these folks. The kind of howling at the Moon Don has tapped in to. For me the confusing part is why they would express their anger by putting faith in an incompetent conman who has surrounded himself with a culture of criminality and actual criminals. Someone who, as a recent ad campaign pointed out, could not get hired to work at a shopping mall.
