Mar

31

Fuck political parties.

Filed Under Olympia, Politics | 1 Comment

As an alternate for Obama, this evening I attended a training put on by the Obama camp for the Thurston County Democrats’ upcoming county convention. Waste of time. The useful information–like the fact that the April 5th date is inapplicable to those of us in the 3rd Congressional District and 22nd Legislative District, or that precinct-level alternates are eligible to run as statewide delegates–could have been communicated more effectively in a page or two. The bulk of the evening was useless information and the sort of the “rally the troops” condescension that makes me want to burn political parties to the ground. For over two hours, I listened to the Thurston County Sheriff endorse Obama (eloquently, if uselessly, given the audience), the “training” organizers blather about how the site they chose for the county convention has insufficient parking, several people complain that because they live in the 2nd Congressional District, most of the information presented really doesn’t apply to them, several other people complain that they’re being priced out of being state-level delegates by the suggested $50 donation and the cost of gasoline and lodging, and at least one person point out the discrepancy to the Democrats championing “GLBT” diversity, but failing to recognize transgendered individuals by forcing delegates into either the “male” or “female” box. Which is not to say these were not legitimate items for discussion. But the planners were absolutely awful at explaining themselves in a succinct and helpful manner.

And, more to the point, I was constantly on the verge of asking why a party that self-styles itself “Democratic” completely fails to choose its nominee in a democratic manner. The caucus system itself is already designed to disenfranchise more people than necessary. [While I acknowledge the limitations of a traditional primary vote, it at least has the advantage of not turning away those with disabilities (the caucus I attended was decidedly wheelchair-unfriendly), those with jobs that require their presence on Saturday mornings, and those who are not particularly interested in sitting around for several hours to cast a vote.] But then to follow it up with a severe whittling down of the number of representatives? At each stage, each “delegate” represents more and more people, and is more and more empowered to change his mind about whom he is supporting. The system is designed to encourage seedy lobbying and bribery. And if that weren’t enough, only 51 of the 97 national delegates from Washington are actually chosen at the congressional district level. The balance are chosen because they’re party leaders, because they’re “diverse” (read: black, legless, bisexual, and under twenty-five), or because they’re “super” (read: elected to “important” positions, like Governor or U.S. Senator). This sort of system is enough to make you give up on the whole damn voting system and give over the political decisionmaking to a random number generator.

But that’s the wrong impulse. The right response, after learning more about how fucked up the political system in this country, is to want to limit as much as possible the amount of sway political parties have. I want the Thurston Democrats and Republicans to have as much political power as the Thurston County Economic Development Council or the League of Women Voters. In other words, take the political parties out of politics. Let the people decide with as few or as many filters as they want. If the endorsement of Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire matters to an individual, that’s fine. But her status as a superdelegate, and her resultant influence on ballot access, is completely unacceptable. If I don’t care what Governor Gregoire thinks about which presidential candidate is viable or qualified, I should be able to reject her advice. Under the current system, I cannot. And that’s un-American.


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1 Comment so far

  1. K on September 18, 2008 1:00 pm

    In a region where zionist/neocolonial type regimes have been given the freedom to pollute the world with their condescending ideologies I believe it is due time that we appeal to deities, entities, and individuals that do not have such a delusion of granduer to how they relate to folk that they are allied with.

    Appealing to such entities and individuals who have access to land, resources, nature, spheres, etc., that is in no way tied to such creatures can ensure that our lives are free, peaceful, and dignified. Sure, in a competitive environment we will find discepancies, yet the freedom from the regimes whose delusion of superiority has been a poison to humankind, would be a refreshing peace that we should not even have to ask the maggots in charge of most of the economy and government for.

    I would rather see my son smoking a joint then coming home in a box for the bitches and maggots who I see on a daily basis on these streets. Signing your life away to such creatures is the death of existence and the death of sentience. It is something that the civil economies and civil governments that ADP seeks to be allied with should not give economic or politicool privledge.