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.

RNC chair predicts first-ever midterm convention will turn Dallas into ‘Trumpapalooza’ for 2026 fight

WATCH: Obama, Harris advisor warns ‘betrayed’ Black voters could be Texas Senate candidate’s kryptonite

PHOTOS: Trump debuts new Air Force One plane from Qatar

Taylor Swift’s wedding secrecy went so far some guests still didn’t know location days before ceremony: source

Smarter Systems, Safer Missions: AI, Autonomy and the Warfighter

Prominent Attorneys Form Team Aimed at Overturning Karmelo Anthony’s Murder Conviction

Alert: Names Will Be Named – House Adopts Massive Resolution on Sexual Misconduct Slush Fund Recipients

One of America’s oldest manufacturers says AI is creating jobs — not replacing them

EXCLUSIVE: Millions of newborns to receive special Social Security cards celebrating America’s 250th birthday

‘I Am a Ruined Man’ – Japanese World Cup Tourist Gets Trapped in Hilarious Cycle – Won’t Say No to a Gift, So Free ‘Gift’ Chips Won’t Stop Coming at Mexican Restaurant

Trump honors Village People and ‘Y.M.C.A.’ singer Victor Willis after death announcement

‘Experts’ Stumped About How Trump Proved Them Wrong on Oil Prices: ‘It’s the Weirdest Thing’

Trump faces ‘worst-case scenario’ on birthright citizenship after Supreme Court shuts door on executive, legislative fixes

Harris-backed Democrat scrubs BLM-era posts as House campaign heats up

America’s favorite beers — and the jobs tied to them — are at the center of a brewing trade fight

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