I am more convinced than ever that the political parties are becoming less and less important in shaping America's future. I think things have gotten to the point of 'every man (or woman) for them self.' You can see it in Steve Pearce taking on Heather Wilson. Pearce is sacrificing a sure win in the House for a less than even chance of winning a Senate seat. Pearce is looking at an office where he doesn't have to run every two years, (who can blame him?), no matter what the good of the party might be. Anymore, the party is nothing more than a vehicle for getting someone on a ballot. After that, there is no big sign of loyalty shown and incumbency and its money machine call the shots.
Changes in the election laws of New Mexico pretty now much guarantee that there will never be more than two or three people on the ballot in a primary. The problem is that decision will be made by just a few hundred people at party conventions and a lot of good candidates will be left bleeding at the curb. This change in the law should be eradicated by the next legislature or the hope of seeing moderate candidates elected will disappear.
2 comments:
With the Democratic and Republican parties often running neck to neck on positions, or at least the final votes on rather important matters like war, spying on us, and trade issues it, is no wonder "party" is less distinctive and less important to them.
However, to those of us in the Green Party, it's a matter of continued importance as we have very distinctive values and platform.
So it's not wonder that this week we've seen the NM Secretary of State threaten the NM Green party with disqualification and now huddles with the AG combing through legalese. The bastion of Democratic protectors have been giving Greens the run around for months, even years. Earlier this year we were qualified, but every time a person leaves an office we have to deal with the whims of a new personality it seems. Notice the SOS website won't even mention which parties are qualified. With a possible full field for both Senate and House seats you can bet the Dems will again employ Rovian tactics to make sure there are no Greens on the ballot to offer a choice (that's spoil to them), but it sure would be nice to use Libs to pinch Rep votes! So in a related issue, the Libertarians are awaiting ruling on a 10th circuit case involving NM's burdensome double signature collection requirement for minor parties.
Notice that the local blogscape has made nary a mention of either of these situations however. hmmmmm...
This may be the land of Enchantment but the land of celebrated participatory democracy it ain't!
The Green Party in NM is a joke. When you all took Republican Chair John Dendahl's money to use against Democrats you lost all credibility.
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