Washingtontimes.com ran an article on the attempt of KINSTON, N.C. citizens to get rid of party affiliations in local elections and the Justice Department stopped them saying partisan elections are needed so black voters can elect their "candidate of choice".
*Deep breath....count to 10*
I just gave you a short summation, but the article is a good one to check out. Bottom line is that they have to get approval before any changes to their voting system. They wern't given approval because the Justice Department felt that "white voters in Kinston will vote for blacks only if they are Democrats and that therefore the city cannot get rid of party affiliations for local elections because that would violate black voters' right to elect the candidates they want.". Nevermind the fact that the area is predominatly black democrats - and they're the ones voting for this change!. (the article cites people saying they can't remember the last time a republican won anything there)
How does removing party affiliations stop black voters from electing who they want? Won't everyone vote for who they want anyways? White voters are more likely to vote for a black democrat vs. a black republican? Really? If white guy A votes for black guy B, what difference does ti make if he's democrat or republican if his opinions don't change? What about the fact that many black voters voted for Senartor Obama without knowing his policies only because he's half black? Should we say those were racially motivated votes and throw them out? Did that violate white voters rights?
My point to be made is that people should vote for whoever has the best ideas as it aligns with your views. If voters vote based on race, I think it's wrong, but it's their perspective and their choice to do so. Why should the Justice Department block a change the people (again, mostly black democrats) want, saying it's for their own good? I beleive there is a tone to this that alludes to one of two things really going on here - both of which are pretty sad: The first is that the DOJ thinks black voters are too dumb to actually look into what candidates beleive and that they need that "D" next to a candidates name like an answer key. Second, and more likely, is that if you remove the party system everyone will be stripped of any preconceived notions and will have to rely only on the facts of what they beleive. Voters will have to research the candidates and learn about politics. Strangly enough, this scares most politicians - especially democrats.
I despise the idea of parties because (almost) everyone has great ideas and also some really bad ones. The steriotypes that the democrats are all welfare-loving government increasing communists and that all republicans are crazy God/gun loving radicals are hard to stray from - and if a candidate tries to they're shunned by all voters.
Strip politics down to the people. Let each individual represent THEIR ideas and THEIR goals. DOJ, stop getting in the way.
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