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.

Pam Bondi already fired as attorney general, Cabinet official teed up as replacement: sources

Schumer, Jeffries sue Trump, accuse him of trying to ‘rig’ mail-in voting

Priceless Video: Hospice Fraudsters in CA Rip Down Sign, Flee in $200k Mercedes When Nick Shirley Pays ‘Friendly’ Visit

Nazi Tattoo-Wearing Democrat Sen. Candidate Previously Talked About Jesus Being a ‘Zombie’ and Mary a ‘Skank’

Expert flags ‘disappointing’ questions from justices in Trump birthright citizenship case

Passengers screamed ‘turn around’ as flames shot from Delta jet engine moments after takeoff

ICE nabs alleged machete-wielding MS-13 gangster wanted for murder: ‘the witch’

Religion of Peace: Man Who Tried to Take Out Synagogue Using Explosive-Packed Truck Was Dearborn-Area Muslim Acting for Hezbollah

Ex-counterterrorism chief says Trump must restrain Israel before he can declare victory in Iran

Former Rep. MTG vents that she’s ‘so beyond done,’ characterizing Trump’s address as ‘WAR WAR WAR’

Earthquake rattles northern California major cities

FLASHBACK: Dem senate candidate was critical vote in confirming judge who tied voter ID to ‘White supremacy’

Once a Kamala Harris donor, this Arkansas Democrat is steering clear of the former vice president

Major teachers union funds group planning to stage anti-ICE protests at public schools

Fort Hood soldiers shift to underground training to prepare for battlefield medical care

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