Good Morning, Michael
I think I understand your point. Before I comment on it, I'd like to
mention that the example of an assertive, strong-willed non-partisan was
probably of minor importance. The point was that, in any single primary
election, if such an individual participated in conjunction with a
party, it could only be with one party in any one election, and
association with the group would affect both the person and the group.
However, that may be, it is a digression from the line of thought you
were suggesting.
It seems to me the point you're making (and, for goodness sake, correct
me if I've bollixed it) is that, if we are to eliminate partisan control
of government, we must first understand the source of party power.
Parties are able to exercise control because only party members are
allowed to vote on the selection of candidates for public office. To
correct this state of affairs, we must use our imaginations to go beyond
what we can see and imagine that it's possible to lift that restriction.
If we can imagine that, if voting by non-partisans were allowed, the
party would lose control. The implication is that, to eliminate the
power of parties, we must find a way to remove that exclusivity.
I would like to comment on this, but want to be sure my understanding is
correct before I do so. Please let me know.
Fred
----
Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
