Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One of the more consistent complaints read on these boards are about the power exerted by the "party elites/party establishment, which I find strange considering that is precisely the role that bodies like the RNC and the DNC were established to play; developing the party platform, and developing the parties campaign strategies. That also includes exerting influence over who their respective candidates will be.
The problem is over the last 50 years the parties have relished part of their candidate selection role to the states producing a quasi partnership and in the process has produced the self-defeating illusion that selecting party affiliation on one's voter registration form makes a voter a "member" of one of the political parties. This unlike political parties like in Canada, or the United Kingdom, being a party member actually means being in many cases dues paying party member with the right to vote for the party leadership, not someone who simply checks a box on a voter registration form.
So where does that leave us, a political parties are not governments, they are essentially private entities organized to promote a particular political agenda and as with any organization, leadership is part and parcel of the beast and as long there is a political leadership (read party elites), that leadership has a duty, if not to select its candidates, at least exert overwhelming influence over who the parties candidates will be.
I agree. In order to change the party, people have to do it in the nomination process at the state level.
I don't know if that is the solution that I'm looking for. I think that not only is the "Two Party System" problematic but the whole concept of political parties as they exist in this country is dysfunctional as well. There isn't a personal investment in the political parties outside of checking off a box on one's registration form.
One of the more consistent complaints read on these boards are about the power exerted by the "party elites/party establishment, which I find strange considering that is precisely the role that bodies like the RNC and the DNC were established to play; developing the party platform, and developing the parties campaign strategies. That also includes exerting influence over who their respective candidates will be.
The problem is over the last 50 years the parties have relished part of their candidate selection role to the states producing a quasi partnership and in the process has produced the self-defeating illusion that selecting party affiliation on one's voter registration form makes a voter a "member" of one of the political parties. This unlike political parties like in Canada, or the United Kingdom, being a party member actually means being in many cases dues paying party member with the right to vote for the party leadership, not someone who simply checks a box on a voter registration form.
So where does that leave us, a political parties are not governments, they are essentially private entities organized to promote a particular political agenda and as with any organization, leadership is part and parcel of the beast and as long there is a political leadership (read party elites), that leadership has a duty, if not to select its candidates, at least exert overwhelming influence over who the parties candidates will be.
That is simply the nature of the beast.
I think I get what you're saying, the two parties are behaving more like opposing lobbying groups, basically taking money from oligarchs who want to assert their agenda. Under the right circumstances, the oligarchs play both sides and get their legislation approved, but when those agendas clash, we get grid lock. The RNC and DNC have been thoroughly infiltrated by corruption and the result is the people of this country are left to their own devices and apathy is allowing it to continue. We, as the people, have two choices, we continue to let the party elite conduct business as usual and keep up the facade of democracy or we put a stop to it by calling on a third party that we can begin electing at a local level and we can control with our money. Either way, the solution will not be painless.
One of the more consistent complaints read on these boards are about the power exerted by the "party elites/party establishment, which I find strange considering that is precisely the role that bodies like the RNC and the DNC were established to play; developing the party platform, and developing the parties campaign strategies. That also includes exerting influence over who their respective candidates will be.
When a party elite calls a group of their own voters "The Crazies" and no one from the DNC calls him and tells him to "tone it down" or "shut up, you two-time loser," they can kiss my butt in Macy's window. They're more worried about offending everyone except their own base.
When a party elite calls a group of their own voters "The Crazies" and no one from the DNC calls him and tells him to "tone it down" or "shut up, you two-time loser," they can kiss my butt in Macy's window. They're more worried about offending everyone except their own base.
I have to assume that you are referring to McCain and the RNC not the DNC, if that is the case then you've hit on the very point that I'm trying to make in the most non-partisan way that I can.
These people you call the party elite I refer to as the legitimate party leadership (like it or not). As for telling McCain to "tone it down" you nor I know what the RNC might have told him, but McCain did backtrack from his statement.
As for kissing your butt... the RNC put together an extensive post-mortem of the 2012 election and Donald Trump and his supporters were not what they had in mind. So, I get the feeling that kissing your butt while not preferable may at some point become unavoidable for the Republican Party at some point, unless the Trump/Carson/Cruz faction obtain leadership of the Party and they become the "party elite."
One of the more consistent complaints read on these boards are about the power exerted by the "party elites/party establishment, which I find strange considering that is precisely the role that bodies like the RNC and the DNC were established to play; developing the party platform, and developing the parties campaign strategies. That also includes exerting influence over who their respective candidates will be.
The problem is over the last 50 years the parties have relished part of their candidate selection role to the states producing a quasi partnership and in the process has produced the self-defeating illusion that selecting party affiliation on one's voter registration form makes a voter a "member" of one of the political parties. This unlike political parties like in Canada, or the United Kingdom, being a party member actually means being in many cases dues paying party member with the right to vote for the party leadership, not someone who simply checks a box on a voter registration form.
So where does that leave us, a political parties are not governments, they are essentially private entities organized to promote a particular political agenda and as with any organization, leadership is part and parcel of the beast and as long there is a political leadership (read party elites), that leadership has a duty, if not to select its candidates, at least exert overwhelming influence over who the parties candidates will be.
That is simply the nature of the beast.
The party platform is developed from the grassroots upward. That is how candidates are supposed to be developed as well. Joe Blow runs for City Counsel. He appears at Legislative District meetings and meets the Precinct Committee officers, who are the ones that vote on whether a county party should endorse a certain candidate. It is the grassroots of the party (PCO's) (LD's)(County Party Officials) who are responsible for finding potential candidates and supporting those candidates for election by holding fundraisers, going door to door with the candidates, etc. As Joe Blow moves up in his political career (to mayor or statewide office), it is the grassroots who are supposed to keep Blow in line with the party principles and platform. Somewhere along the way, those grassroots folks get ingrained in the party machine and (just like in congress) the process is more about the party and not about the candidate. At that point, it is no longer who best represents the values and platform of the party, but who has name recognition and who the State Party leaders "think" can win.
That is what has poisoned the process and that is why all we ever seen running for office are political retreads and family dynasties.
That is the best thing that has come from the Tea Party! Because of their ability to use the party mechanism, they have been able to elect truly conservative candidates against the power of the party elites and have been responsible for getting some of the best public servants into office since 2010 that we have seen in decades. That is one of the reasons that this GOP slate of Candidates is so large and distinct!
That is the best thing that has come from the Tea Party! Because of their ability to use the party mechanism, they have been able to elect truly conservative candidates against the power of the party elites and have been responsible for getting some of the best public servants into office since 2010 that we have seen in decades. That is one of the reasons that this GOP slate of Candidates is so large and distinct!
Well I don't have the slightest problem with what you've written because it reenforces my point, except that you haven't carried the argument to its inevitable conclusion, if the Tea Party continues to win support, that eventually they will become the party elite and as the party elite they will pursue actions to insure that the party remains true to their perspective and will do as much as possible to discourage the election of candidates inimical to their political objectives.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
