2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumClosed primaries in NY: they exist to protect smaller parties from being bullied and taken over
by the big parties.
Right now all of the focus is on how awful this is for Independents. But it's precisely the smaller parties that those independents belong to that are being protected.
There are 48,000 or so members of the Working Families Party in New York.
It would be rather easy for the Democratic machine here to have, oh, 49,000 people switch their registration to WFP as part of a hostile take over, and install party leaders who would be lapdogs for the Democratic party.
Same dynamic goes for Green Party, Conservative Party, etc--to protect them from interference and gamesmanship from the big established parties.
New York has several smaller parties that have endured for a long time precisely because it protects them and makes sure that only their members participate in the governance of those parties.
Lucinda
(31,170 posts)Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)There is no viable third or independent party for the Presidential election. You and Hillary don't want there to be either.
So on one hand you tell independents..."no, you don't get a say in who we nominate" but then you instantly turn around and say "but you better fucking vote for Hillary Clinton in the General election because if you don't Trump will win and you will be morally and personally responsible".
So, to be fair, either you let independents help choose the two candidates we will have to choose from in the GE or you don't bitch if independent voters actually vote independently, even if it means you lose.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)I'm not really crazy about the two-party system, but I think party members ought to be able to select their candidate. If you want a say in the party nominees, join the party!
Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)They should vote for the Democratic nominee. If they want a say in that nominee, join the party.
Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)SFnomad
(3,473 posts)Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)SFnomad
(3,473 posts)And there is no comparison.
Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)sadoldgirl
(3,431 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)yellowcanine
(35,702 posts)It is a little late to try to change any of the rules. Just sayin.'
FourScore
(9,704 posts)for one of the major parties.
Also, NY is particularly harsh because you must change party affiliation about 7 months before the primary. Most people haven't decided by then. Other states allow the change within a couple of weeks of the primary, some even up to election day.