• Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Republicans are catching up to Democrats on the “preordained candidate and meaningless primaries” front.

    • Pohl@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Oh please! The Democratic Party has gone so far out of its way in the last couple competitive cycles to engage voters in the primary process and prevent coronation. It’s a pity that the dem primary electorate isn’t more progressive but they just are not.

      The gop has been adding “winner take all” states as fast as they can to make sure that they never have a long primary process. They feel strongly that the earlier they can pivot to the general, the better their chances.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Don’t insult your readers by expecting them to buy that 2016 was a fair primary.

        The last primary that didn’t have a preordained winner was 2008. When Clinton lost, her supporters threw a tantrum and formed a PAC to get McCain elected. Ever since, they’ve been screaming “no matter who” because they’re giant hypocrites.

        • Pohl@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          That is a version of history, but it is intensely colored by your preferences and less by reality. Primaries are decided by votes and while senator sanders assembled an impressive coalition, it could not be turned into votes. Don’t confuse “narratives” with votes. Narratives are for media and twitter denizens. The party decided at the ballot box. And the rules the dems use to allocate delegates are far friendlier to outsider candidate than the GOP’s.

          It is completely fair to say that the tenor and narrative of 2016 and 2020 was sanders vs everybody. That is very accurate. But don’t be the sort of tinfoil hat simpleton who sees conspiracy and skullduggery in every event that doesn’t suit your preferences.

          Look at the dem congressional caucus if you want to know where the party and its voters sit ideologically. The progressive caucus is bigger than it used to be but it is still a small minority of the overall party. You change that from the bottom up, not with big wild swings at the presidency.