Thirteen of the Fourteen Republicans Who Voted Against a Juneteenth Holiday Are From States in which Independents Can Vote in Primaries

On June 16, the U.S. House passed SB 475, which makes Juneteenth a federal holiday. Only fourteen members voted “no”. Of those fourteen, thirteen are from states in which independents are allowed to vote in partisan primaries. This blog post is not taking any position on the merits of the new holiday. But it is worth noting that the groups who do not believe in the right of political parties to make their own decisions about whom to nominate constantly reiterate that when independents can vote in primaries, more “moderate” politicians are elected. The evidence constantly rebuts that idea, but many people cling to it.

“No” votes were cast by nine members of congress from open primary states, two from a state with semi-closed primaries, two from a state with a top-two system, and only one from a closed primary state.

The members from open primary states are: two from Alabama (Mo Brooks and Mike Rogers), two from Texas (Chip Roy and Ronny Jackson), one from Georgia (Andrew Clyde), one from Montana (Matt Rosendale), one from South Carolina (Ralph Norman), one from Tennessee (Scott DesJarlais), and one from Wisconsin (Tom Tiffany).

The members from a top-two state are these two Californians: Doug LaMalfa and Tom McClintock.

The members from a semi-closed primary state are these two from Arizona: Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs.

The member from a closed primary state is Kentucky member Thomas Massie.


Comments

Thirteen of the Fourteen Republicans Who Voted Against a Juneteenth Holiday Are From States in which Independents Can Vote in Primaries — 18 Comments

  1. I don’t think we should have any Federal holidays, unless they plan on dismantling the government.

  2. Alabama and Texas have non-partisan voter registration. I am pretty sure South Carolina and Tennessee also have non-partisan voter registration.

    I am note sure on the other states on this list, but I know Wisconsin has election day voter registration.

  3. The open primary states have voter registration forms that do not ask the applicant to choose a party. The open primary states are Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Also North Dakota doesn’t have voter registration at all. Washington state has a top-two system and the voter registration form does not ask about party membership.

  4. SLAVERY ENDED VIA 13 AMDT, SEC. 1 – DECLARED RATIFIED 6 DEC 1865 — N-O-T JUNE TEENTH 1865.

    TOOK A WHILE FOR CONGRESS MORON HACKS TO ENACT A 13-2 AMDT ENFORCEMENT LAW.

    MANY EX-SLAVES STARVED TO DEATH IN 1865-1866 DUE TO MAJOR PROPERTY DESTRUCTION IN CONFED STATES – ESP. RAILROADS, FOOD WAREHOUSES, ETC.

    NOOO ***CIVIL RIGHTS*** FOR EX-SLAVES IN MANY STATES — STUCK ON PLANTATIONS >>> USA 1866 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT [ESP CONTRACTS], 14 AMDT 1866-1868.

    FAILURE TO ENFORCE 14-2 AMDT.

    NOOO ***POLITICAL*** RIGHTS FOR EX-SLAVES IN MANY STATES >>> 15 AMDT 1869-1870 — DUE ESP TO CLOSE WIN FOR US GRANT IN 1868 ELECTION IN SOME NORTHERN STATES HAVING MANY BLACK EX-UNION ARMY/NAVY FOLKS.

    REAL COST – ABOUT 750,000 DEAD IN 1861-1866.

  5. Demo Rep is right.

    I think having a federal holiday to make the end of s;very is fine. Unfortunately, June 19th was NOT that date. There were still slaves slaving away in Kentucky and Delaware until December. IN fact, there were still slaves in the Indian tribes of Oklahoma well into 1866, when it was decided that the 13th Amendment applied to them, too.

  6. 1863-1865 Congress MORONS did NOT have Congress meet early in 1865 – ie Mar 4, 1865.

    Prez Johnson machinations Apr-Dec 1865 to re-create *loyal* State regimes from CSA wreckage after Lincoln was killed.

  7. I have no idea why an event on Galveston Island should be a holiday. Here in Alaska we had Indian on Indian slavery until 1886.

  8. DemoRep posted:

    “1861-1865 Border slave States – MO-KY-MD-DE”

    MO and MD repealed slavery on their own before 13th Amendment took effect.

  9. Mark Seidenberg, did you move to Alaska? I thought you were the State Chairman of the American Independent Party of California? Did you give up this position?

  10. @RW,

    Montana in 1914, Open or closed or semi-open?

    Why do you believe that the state should maintain records of the political activities of its citizens?

  11. @MS,

    Juneteenth was celebrated on the Mainland as well. Supposedly Black Texans brought the event to California.

    March 2 and April 21 should be made national holidays as well.

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