View Full Version : Ethics of voting the other party during a primary
My state is a open primary state where, when you walk into the poll on primary day, you can take whichever ballot you want regardless of your registered party.
There was fierce competition from 3 challengers to the Republican ballot to face off Senator Claire McCaskill (Democrat.) Senator McCaskill ran ads against all of them but seems to run a soft ad against Rep. Todd Aiken. All the pundits agree that McCaskill wants to run against Aiken, that the other two candidates were stronger. Claire is having a tough time in this somewhat red state and especially since she is perceived nationally to be Obama's right hand girl. She will not be attending the Democratic national convention, hmmmm. what's that about.
Well, she got her way and Aiken was the winner of the primary. There is some thought that some democrats crossed over to vote a Republican ticket for Aiken. Me--I think it's likely that his name recognition propelled him onto the November ballot, but between Ms. Claire's ads and some Democrats voting for him, she got her way.
I won't say that it's unethical because that's the least of the bad stuff that goes on in politics, but I will say that is it personally annoying to me. I would like Claire and her followers (cough cough peggy) to stay on your own side of the sidewalk, please, on primary day.
Did you ever vote the "other side" in a primary to either eliminate a candidate you absolutely could not stand, or to get a weak candidate to go up against your favorite?
Gardenarian
8-9-12, 10:03pm
My dh temporarily registered as a Republican so he could vote for John McCain in the 2000 primary. I didn't think it was entire ethical, but I did sympathize with his reasoning.
Well Iris, i do think it's unethical, and kind of underhanded. I though so when Rush suggested his followers do it in 2008, which I'm sure many then went out and did just that. But, since when do we look to Rush for ethical or moral behaviour! After all, he is only enshrined in the Mo capitol....it's not like we are equating him with Truman...no, wait, that's exactly what our republican house leader did!
NO, I did not cross to vote republican, but I was glad to see that nut woman, what is her name...Sarah's protege? anyway, I was glad to see she lost. What I didn't like was the deceptive way they worded that amendment. I didn't hear if it passed or not, but if it did, it gave free rein to any kid to refuse essentially any school assignment claiming religious sensitivity or something. BS! You just know the kids will refuse everything, or anything they simply don't want to do, and we might as well hire Mike Huckabee to teach science cause that will be a lost cause! Gee, isn't it an exciting race to the bottom! I wonder who will get there first? Us? Mississippi? W. Virginia?
I say whatever it takes to keep the republicans out of office or getting into office is a good thing.
Kinda reminds me of the badminton drama about teams angling to lose so they can face easier competitors, to increase their chances of winning...
iris lily
8-10-12, 12:56am
...What I didn't like was the deceptive way they worded that amendment. I didn't hear if it passed or not, but if it did, it gave free rein to any kid to refuse essentially any school assignment claiming religious sensitivity or something. BS! You just know the kids will refuse everything, or anything they simply don't want to do, ...
The amendment passed, I was purposely silent on it (it's my new found position to not vote on state constitutional amendments regardless of the issue) and I know nothing about it supporting kids to get out of assignments but will say that generally any constitutional amendment put up in this state seems silly and useless, especially when the legislature just overturns it as they did with conceal carry and puppy mill legislation.
My state is open primary as well. And clearly people play all sorts of games with it, including running lots of sleeper candidates to confuse the ballot.
Well Iris, i do think it's unethical, and kind of underhanded. I though so when Rush suggested his followers do it in 2008, which I'm sure many then went out and did just that.
Goodwin's Law states that "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches." What should we call the rule of probability (certainty?) involving Rush?
Seriously, no way of knowing how many Rushies did it, but I think its a dirty trick. My state does not have an open primary. Is there a particular reason or advantage to doing it that way? From the outside looking in it seems like a closed primary takes a lot of the shenanigans off the table.
Goodwin's Law states that "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches." What should we call the rule of probability (certainty?) involving Rush?
Seriously, no way of knowing how many Rushies did it, but I think its a dirty trick. My state does not have an open primary. Is there a particular reason or advantage to doing it that way? From the outside looking in it seems like a closed primary takes a lot of the shenanigans off the table.
I prefer open primary. It allows more fluidity in voter choice. I am a person not a party, and I want to vote my way, not according to how I'm registered at the moment. From the candidates point of view it easily allows all supporters to vote for him regardless of party.
For this primary I was sorry to NOT be able to vote for one election in the city, the Treasurer's office. All of the local elected positions are filled by Democrats and often I just roll my eyes. There was a rational man running, but instead we got the daughter of a man who spent time in prison for financial corruption while City Comptroller. We are carrying on the tradition. These people are nuts.
Goodwin's Law states that "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches." What should we call the rule of probability (certainty?) involving Rush?
It's just peggy, no one really listens to that stuff any more. Her RushBeck loop runs and runs.
Goodwin's Law states that "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches." What should we call the rule of probability (certainty?) involving Rush?
Seriously, no way of knowing how many Rushies did it, but I think its a dirty trick. My state does not have an open primary. Is there a particular reason or advantage to doing it that way? From the outside looking in it seems like a closed primary takes a lot of the shenanigans off the table.
The only reason I referenced Rush was because that was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing. I guess it's been done before, but it had never occurred to me that anyone would do that and Rush was the first time I had heard of it.
Sure, I don't want some republicans getting in office (*although i have to say local politics are a different critter altogether), I think it's kind of unfair to sabotage them putting whichever candidate up they want. It's their candidate, so I just look at it from the stand point I wouldn't want them picking my candidate.
* local politics are a different situation in that I think we really more often vote for the person rather than just the party. In local elections, I usually vote a mixed bag as I don't think ideology plays that big a role in local day to day workings, and I simply want the best person for the job. Actually, I vote a mixed bag on the national level too, but confess if I'm not real sure I will vote party. To be truthful, if John McCain hadn't picked Sarah Palin for his running mate, he would have held equal weight in my opinion for my vote. We all knew him and knew him to be a fairly thoughtful, intelligent man. But his pick just tossed all that out the window. It showed an appalling lack of consideration in thought and reality of the office and it's responsibility. I seriously though that he was losing it mentally to have made such a pick.
It's just peggy, no one really listens to that stuff any more. Her RushBeck loop runs and runs.
:laff::laff::laff:
And the nasty personel attack loop goes on and on. Rush Beck would be proud!
ToomuchStuff
8-10-12, 10:08am
I personally wish we could vote for what we think should be the candidate on both/all sides, so we could choose from who we perceive the lesser of two evils when it isn't a primary.
Lets see if this takes as it said I was one character too short, which didn't make sense.
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