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.

Combat vet senator chokes up over fallen friend in fiery floor speech about Iran war: ‘We will finish it’

EXCLUSIVE: ICE removes former NFL player Daniel Ogama Adongo after visa overstay, criminal record

Leftists Seethe as Ella Langley’s Chart-Topping Country Song Makes History

Republican Lawmakers Demand Action After Somali Gangs Open Fire in Minnesota Park

LeBron James Announces He’s Headed to a New Team – One Peculiar Line from His Explanation Stands Out

Georgia high school shooting suspect Colt Gray changes plea to guilty, now faces life in prison

Ilhan Omar’s office housed inside Somali community center that received redirected Feeding Our Future donations

Man accused of raping three underage girls faces new charge from prison

Injuries reported in crash involving police vessel near Westminster Bridge in London

‘Allahu Akbar!’ Jewish and Asian Victims Stabbed by Man Shouting Islamic Battle Cry in Mamdani’s NYC

Bombshell memo shows Biden planned to leave Trump with even more massive immigration crisis

‘McCarthy trials’: Hasan Piker, far-left figures erupt over subpoenas in $39M Singham probe

Democrats weigh backing Trump’s push to pair Iran with Russia sanctions

Watch: Boy, 9, Has Slick Message for Bank Robber He Rescued His Nana From

Watch: Legendary ‘Journey’ Band Member, Songwriter Tells Trump-Hating Bruce Springsteen to ‘Shut Up’

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