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.

‘Have You Called 911?’ Tommy Tubberville Shares Details on Lindsey Graham’s Tragic Final Moments

Watch: Today They’d Call This White Supremacist, Christian Nationalist Propaganda – In the 1980s It Was a Typical Razor Ad

These states are ‘ahead of the game’ in bringing down home prices, Trump’s housing chief says

Trump to shrink 2 Utah national monuments by 90%

Deputy US Marshal fatally shot while serving arrest warrant in Louisiana

Dog accidentally turns on toaster, sparking Maryland house fire that killed 3 family pets

Hegseth announces joint task force with DOJ to prosecute leaks to journalists ‘with the full force of the law’

Mamdani offers few answers as massive homeless encampment sprouts in west Manhattan

Historic Video: US Deployed First-Ever Sea-Based Drones to Blow Apart Submarine and Ship Facility in Iran

What to know about Darline Graham Nordone, South Carolina’s newest senator

Democrats running to replace Platner in key Senate race call for ICE to be ‘abolished’

Breaking: Trump to Address the Nation This Week in Prime-Time Comments

Trump-backed Daylight Saving Time bill clears key House hurdle

Maine ICE shooting victim was not target of arrest warrant, Sen. King’s office says after earlier DHS account

Top economists and AI leaders warn of ‘unprecedented transformation’

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