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.

‘The View’ Under FCC Investigation Over Interview with Texas Dem

‘We Will Pay’: Savannah Guthrie Responds to Kidnapper Demands Via Video

Super Bowl Sunday: Here are some of the political, social commercials you can expect during the big game

LA city councilwoman previously backed by DSA running for mayor in primary challenge to former ally Bass

Tom Homan Reveals How Many Anti-ICE Agitators Have Been Arrested: Many Are Paying the Price

Newsom Devastated By Mom’s Suicide, Still Wants To Let Your Mother Kill Herself

Shannon Bream’s new book on Biblical ‘overcomers’ explores ‘purpose’ within trials

West Virginia worked with ICE — 650 arrests later, officials say Minnesota-style ‘chaos’ is a choice

Reform defector explains party succeeds because it’s not embarrassed of ‘Rule Britannia’ nostalgia and culture

Agitators Sabotage Winter Olympics Opening, Throw Fireworks as Police Fight Back with Water Cannon, Tear Gas

Federal appeals court upholds Trump mass detention policy for illegal immigrants

Sheriff leading Guthrie investigation spotted at basketball game as family pleads again with alleged ransomers

Anti-ICE agitators arrested at federal building in Minneapolis after lewd objects hurled at law enforcement

Tulsi Gabbard denies wrongdoing over delayed whistleblower complaint referral to Congress members: ‘Baseless’

Nicki Minaj fans say they’re leaving Democrat Party as rapper’s politics spark backlash and praise

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