Washington Post Op-ed: ‘Give the Elites a Bigger Say in Choosing the President’

The Washington Post is taking criticism for an op-ed published Tuesday by Marquette University political science professor Julia Azari, titled: “It’s time to give the elites a bigger say in choosing the president.”

Citing the “rocky start” to the Democratic Party’s presidential primary, Azari suggests that the process of choosing the nominee be taken from the people and returned to the politicians:

The current process is clearly flawed, but what would be better? … A better primary system would empower elites to bargain and make decisions, instructed by voters.

One lesson from the 2020 and 2016 election cycles is that a lot of candidates, many of whom are highly qualified and attract substantial followings, will inevitably enter the race. The system as it works now — with a long informal primary, lots of attention to early contests and sequential primary season that unfolds over several months — is great at testing candidates to see whether they have the skills to run for president. What it’s not great at is choosing among the many candidates who clear that bar, or bringing their different ideological factions together, or reconciling competing priorities. A process in which intermediate representatives — elected delegates who understand the priorities of their constituents — can bargain without being bound to specific candidates might actually produce nominees that better reflect what voters want.

Why the NFL doesn’t care about Bad Bunny MAGA backlash

Hagerty urges FCC to punish Verizon over release of Senate phone data

Turning Point issues major endorsement in critical Senate race as Trump hints at weighing in

Breaking: GOP Rep. Alleges Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show Was ‘Illegal,’ Moves for ‘Dramatic’ FCC Action Against NFL and NBC

Maryland high school locked down after shooting leaves one person injured

Docs Reveal Vile Things Leftists Said to Children During Cities Church Riot

California jewelry store burglar breaks in from roof, owner threatens to leave Los Angeles

Republicans Introduce OMAR Act to Deal With Corruption in Congress

The cost of this grocery staple is nearing record highs — and Americans can’t get enough

Judge says Abrego Garcia Supreme Court ruling may shape Venezuelan deportation case

Florida Poaches Yet Another Juggernaut California Business as Economic Red Shift Continues

Jasmine Crockett’s vulgar 6-word message for Trump in Epstein probe

Senate Republicans find their secret weapon as they try to navigate midterm ‘headwinds’ with Palm Beach getaway

Watch: Patriots Player Helps Take Down Field Invader in Moment Not Seen During Broadcast

Ghislaine Maxwell pleads Fifth Amendment, dodges questions in House Oversight Epstein probe

Azari suggests that the parties should use what she calls “preference primaries,” which would “allow voters to rank their choices among candidates, as well as to register opinions about their issue priorities.”

After a perfunctory voting process, wlites would be able to choose a nominee based on information about what the voters want.

She acknowledges that the idea is “labor-intensive and a little risky.”

The Post is owned by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, who is the world’s richest man. The paper’s slogan, adopted as an intended rebuke to President Donald Trump, is “Democracy dies in darkness.”

That phrase was trending on Twitter on Wednesday morning as readers reacted ironically to the op-ed.

The headline right below “democracy dies in darkness” is some A+ work

— Greg (@gwiss) February 19, 2020

>"Democracy dies in darkness"

>"Do people actually want more Democracy in their lives" pic.twitter.com/p7fPf5dFVX

— ｓａｌ🌹🏴🏴‍☠️ (@ProjektVayo) February 19, 2020