John F. Di Leo has this fascinating, very lengthy analysis of the recent troubles of the Illinois Democratic Party concerning the Illinois primary for Lieutenant Governor.
John F. Di Leo has this fascinating, very lengthy analysis of the recent troubles of the Illinois Democratic Party concerning the Illinois primary for Lieutenant Governor.
Did you read this whole thing Richard? It starts out OK, but by the end, it is a G.O.P. screed. You ought to flag this as partisan, not fascinating. Its not all that long either, just indiscriminate pro-GOP/anti-Dem blather.
The sole valid point made by Mr. Di Leo is that Mr. Cohen commandingly won the primary and as the people’s choice he ought to appear in the general election. Its fair enough to say that throwing out the results of the primary is undemocratic. However, Di Leo doesn’t draw conclusions that are at all friendly to an open political process.
Instead he scores cheap point only suggesting that Cohen’s character flaws are somehow typical of Democratic politicians; that Cohen’s personality opens up a door to challenge Keynsianism. This is inane. The characterization of “ethically challenged…Bernie “I’m just a socialist†Sanders (I, CPUSA)” is particularly stupid, but this conclusion is worse:
“The Republican Party isn’t perfect either… nobody is perfect in this life… but no level of chutzpah in recorded history matches the idea that the same Democratic Party that twice elected Rod Blagojevich Governor would dare to claim the moral high ground, offended by the presence of Scott Lee Cohen on their ticket.”
Its good to see someone raising the issue of party interference in primary results. Sad to see it used in the interests of the other major party.
well, Cohen’s win was as commanding as you could get with 25% overall and a majority in 0 counties.
Primaries need IRV-esque changes a lot more than general elections. Not to say that general election IRV is a bad idea, it’s just a better idea for primaries.
I kept looking for the “fascinating” part, too, but all I could find was a typical right-wing Republican rant.
What is fascinating is his account of why the Illinois legislature moved the primary to February. I consider a primary in February for congress and state office to be very bad public policy. It forces people to file a declaration of candidacy, and a petition, in October of the odd year before the election, or less than halfway through the term of a U.S. House member.
Richard,
From what I’ve remembered reading, IL moved the primary date to Feb. in order to help Obama’s presidential campaign. I could be wrong.