In the “trump ll; First 100 days” thread I misstated being forced to register as a Democrat. I’m confined to a single party in primaries in my state.
Why would you want to vote in the other party’s primaries? That seems dishonest.
As I implied earlier, I have no party. I’ll vote for a scandal-free, pro-labor candidate of any affiliation.
Didn’t read the other thread, but I do know one party is pro labor and the other is pro pure free-market.
“pure free-market”? I don’t see either party supporting a pure free market. A pure free market would mean no tariffs, no farm subsidies, and legal prostitution and narcotics trades.
FYI the Jones Act is very much NOT pure free-market.
My beef is that I’m forced to identify with one party or the other in order to vote in primaries.
I see little evidence of a free market, given the amount of “corporate welfare” allocated to businesses.
Rock_Hill, I was typing this when your response appeared!
Yes that’s why the libertarians, and people like the Cato institute, and others that are economically right-leaning are against the jones act. Whereas those that support government intervention in the economy, and protectionist policies support it. However many republicans do see the national security benefit of the JA, which is why it broadly has bi-partisan support. It also has bi-partisan opposition when you add in the Puerto Rican and Hawaiian opponents who are otherwise left leaning.
No one’s forcing you. Primaries are an internal affair. You can join in whatever party you want, or not at all. But if you’re voting in a primary, you’re choosing who you want to represent your party in the election.
That depends on the party rules in your state.
I’m not registered with any party, which in my state means I can vote in one party’s primary in each election (just not more than one party’s primary per election); but it doesn’t matter which party I choose.
Given this response I’m confused when you say one party is “pro pure free-market”, cause I still don’t see one? Farm subsidies in particular are a complete manipulation of the free market to the “benefit” of farmers. From ethanol gas to the price of milk this is all rigging the market because of the power of the farm lobby. I don’t think either party is looking to eliminate farm subsidies. Although they might each have a different ideal way to execute them, in general the “farm bill” is pretty bi-partisan. It’s usually the SNAP portion and the food for poor children that is the hardest to agree upon, because supporting farmers is supported by both parties but feeding poor kids isn’t.
I am forced to choose in my state. Primaries for Dems and Repubs occur on the same day, and a choice must be declared to receive the correct ballot. It puts my choice into the public domain. That irritates me; not only that, it causes me to receive an endless stream of political junk mail.