As the 2016 presidential primary election season unfolds, it’s amazing how many American voters don’t understand the primary election process of either major political party.
Senator Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire presidential primary election for the Democrat Party, but Hillary Clinton grabbed the majority of delegates. She will continue to build her lead, whether in elections or caucuses, because of the loyalty of her pledged “super-delegates.”
Republican Party presidential primary candidate Senator Ted Cruz captured delegates in Wyoming and Colorado by convincing fence-sitters at state conventions to pledge to his candidacy. These legal actions, performed by candidates throughout Republican Party primary history, were met with shouts of “Foul play!” and “Unfair!” by candidate Donald Trump. His supporters, when interviewed by the state-run news media, were certain the “system is rigged.”
Of course it’s “rigged.” The leadership “establishment” in both major political parties has long manipulated delegates in a system designed to deny outsiders who challenge the party hierarchy’s hold on power and prestige. The 2012 RNC National Convention rule changes to favor Romney are an example. Candidates such as Trump, Cruz and Sanders are not supposed to be the presidential nominees of their parties.
Pamela Adams, writing on April 19 at Constitution.com asked, “We complain about the system but what have we really done to stop it? We moan and whine about the establishment running everything but what have we really done to change it?”
If you haven’t been paying attention or understand the process, you think it’s rigged. If you feel that way but don’t change the primary election process of your party, don’t bother complaining.
In his Farewell Address of 1796, President George Washington warned Americans of “the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party”… groups seeking power at the expense of the common good and the rights of others. Once more, we have not heeded the warnings of our Founders.
Originally Published on April 25, 2016
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