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Rich G's avatar

It seems to me the notion that primaries ought to dictate nominees vs "the party" however that it is set up is much of the issue. The example of Super-Delegates stopping the Sanders candidacy was the Democratic Party acting like a Party (perhaps to their detriment but that isn't the point). Also, the Dems essentially not holding competitve primaries then convincing Biden to step down and handing it to Harris--also the Dems acting like a Party--again perhaps to their detriment but still not the point. I am not up on all the ballot access laws but it seems to me that if a third party was forced legally to participate in the primary system (are they? and if so how is that decided?) that this would be the point where they would have to determine what weight, if any, they would want the primary outcome to carry.

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John Krumm's avatar

In Minnesota we don’t register for parties, and I assume that’s true in some other states. So you can’t be unregistered. The main party control is “endorsement,” and it’s very loose. Unendorsed Democrats win all the time, even for governor, like Tim Walz. Once third parties reach “major” status, they are vulnerable to takeover. The Legalize Marijuana Party became a major party in Minnesota and Republicans encouraged conservatives to use its ballot line across the state to create spoiler tickets. Minor parties have more control.

Of course what he means by “parties are illegal” is the “left’s conception of tightly controlled, member run parties, fully in control of membership and its ballot line like parties in Europe” is substantially illegal.

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