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.

Pro-Life Activist Targeted By Biden Walks Away with Massive Lawsuit Payout

Trump DOJ Keeps Biden-Era Gun Rule

Walz rips Trump and Vance in Europe, says ‘feeble-minded, trigger-happy president’ has no exit plan for Iran

This African Country Could Start Islamic ‘Sharia Courts’

Ilhan Omar’s office says she’s ‘not a millionaire’ after $30M filing revised down to under $100K: report

Perfect Justice: South Koreans Teach US Punk a Hard Lesson – 6 Months Hard Labor for Disgusting Public Behavior

Here Are the States Getting the Biggest Tax Refunds

Mayor Mamdani Says Exodus From New York Is Just Your Imagination

Trump signs executive order directing FDA to review psychedelics designated as breakthrough therapy drugs

Kagan screamed so loudly at liberal ally after Dobbs leak the ‘wall was shaking,’ book claims

2 US Army soldiers in Alaska injured in bear attack during training exercise

Orange Crush festival returns to Tybee Island as police brace for 50,000 partiers after teen takeover, gunfire

Crypto PACs still targeting Sherrod Brown even after he softened criticism

UK Is Lost: After Brutal Gang Rape, Cops Turn on Angry Citizens for Refusing to Be Politically Correct About Unthinkable Crime

BBQ lovers beware: Middle East conflict might disrupt your summer plans this year

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