When pigs fly, then I might make this vow…no, not even if pigs flew
What in the name of blazes is this all about?
Open primaries in which voters don’t have to be a member of a party to vote for its candidates have long been a thorn in the sides of national Democrats and Republicans. Now, according to the Associated Press, Virginia’s G.O.P. is going to do something about it: “If you’re planning to vote in Virginia’s February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty. The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request to require all who apply for a G.O.P. primary ballot first vow in writing that they’ll vote for the party’s presidential nominee next fall.”
Has the Virginia GOP completely lost their marbles? This is arrogance (or fear) beyond anything I would have expected from the party of which I have long been a member.
It’s not bad enough that we have excruciating, long campaigns and candidates whose positions are increasingly difficult to understand, now we have party leaders in one of our states asking voters to sign a vow to vote for a particular person in a Presidential election.
While I agree, (as stated in the article), this could not be enforced in any manner as once you enter that booth you are alone with your conscience, I would never sign my freedom to vote as I please away to anyone and I hope many GOP loyalists in the State of Virginia feel the same.
What utter nonsense that teters on a look of desperation.
Perhaps the Virginia GOP should worry more about finding credible candidates to run for open Congressional seats and less about attempting to influence the very personal decision of each and every voter.
Update: I have a great deal of respect for AJ Strata and his work at his blog. Knowing he is a Virginia resident and feels quite the same on this issue as I have expressed gives me hope that voters in Virginia will not stand for this nonsense.
Written by Sue
~J~ Says:
November 28th, 2007 at 10:17 pmVisit ~J~
It might be Virginia is like my state and we do not register by party affiliation. In those cases a person who is really a Republican could gather a bunch of people of same mind and get them to stuff the ballot boxes with votes for the Democratic candidate they think they are most likely to defeat in the general election.
The reverse would be true of Democrats to the Republicans, giving us a nominee like Ron Paul.
However, forcing someone to swear to vote for the party candidate in the general election is stupid. After all, it might be Ron Paul and do we really want him?