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.

Oklahoma-based Southwest Airlines flight attendant found dead in Hawaii, police investigating

UK gives missile blueprints to Ukraine as relations with Russia collapse

Manhunt for Massachusetts woman ends with grim discovery week after police officer husband found dead at home

Trump takes children on tour of helipad and ballroom construction sites

Trump touts endorsement power ahead of vital primary competitions

Clarence Thomas scorches racial litmus tests policing thought: ‘Stay Black and die’

El-Sayed distances himself from Hasan Piker after disturbing remarks about Jewish Americans

Iranian State Media Airs Bizarre Video Threatening Barron Trump’s Life, Offers $10 Million Bounty

Caitlin Clark Has Career Game as Transgender Controversy Erupts On-Court

Jeffries’ reported meeting with Kushner about possible Trump cooperation draws left-wing backlash

Iran puts out propaganda video tracking Barron Trump’s location, offering $10 million for his assassination

Mamdani jumps into Democratic Party feud, alleging boss seeking to subvert ‘will of voters’

Iowa focus group’s warning to Republicans: Farm tariff pain could cost you the Senate

Pilot’s bravery on display in steering crippled plane clear of tragedy in dramatic water landing

Trump Admin Invokes FDR and Churchill in Declaring ‘Economic D-Day’

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