A popular argument on the left holds that political parties are essentially illegal in the US because they are so regulated that they can’t manage their own affairs. This is not true.
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.
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.