‘Operation Chaos 2020’ voting scheme for Democratic primary a horrible idea | Letters
In response to the letter, “Republicans, vote Feb. 29,” are you out of your mind?
For years we have worked tirelessly with Democrats to craft legislation to get political-party registration passed. Primaries are labeled Democratic and Republican for a reason. The idea is that members of each party should be able to vote for candidates that are the best to uphold their ideals. “Operation Chaos 2020” destroys those principles and any bipartisan efforts to keep the elections honest.
Each party has the right to choose its candidate without undue influence. How else could we exercise our right to vote knowing the best candidate is put forward to represent us?
Why a bad idea?
Dishonesty doesn’t work and doesn’t create an atmosphere where work of the people is accomplished. No one gets their way!
It hurts fundraising. Until there is major campaign finance reform, money will drive candidates’ ability to spread their message and garner support.
It robs us of good officeholders and corrupts party politics by allowing traitors into each party.
It hurts both parties by affecting each for decades to come. It sells out the principles of each party.
It disenfranchises voters. Why vote, when the primary is corrupted and good candidates never have a chance of success?
Now is the time for both parties to unite for a bipartisan state constitutional amendment to close party primaries. Operation Chaos 2020 is a perfect reason we must join together and get the job done.
Ann Ubelis
Chair, Beaufort TEA Party SC
Lady’s Island
GOP attacks our democracy
In a tit-for-tat argument in a recent letter that encouraged Republicans to vote in South Carolina’s Democratic primary, the writer is obviously trying to undermine the intention of the primary. The intention is to allow Democrats to determine their candidate of choice for the November election. A massive vote by Republicans – no doubt for what they consider to be a weak candidate – will skew the results, weakening the electoral showing for a stronger candidate who is more likely to beat President Donald Trump.
It’s one thing for an individual to cross party lines in an attempt to influence the outcome of a primary (as allowed by S.C. law). Blatantly encouraging others to do the same is brazen, but not surprising. They not only want to have their candidate, they want to dictate his opponent as well.
The gloves are off.
Democrats, it is imperative that we show up at the polls in record numbers to have our say in who represents our party on the November ballot. Not doing so is tantamount to destroying the two-party system and allowing Trump and his zealots to reinforce their authoritarian operations. It’s another example of how the Republicans are systematically dismantling our democracy.
Make America great again? Yes! By ousting the Destructor-in-Chief.
JoAnne Gatti-Petito
Bluffton
More GOP dirty tricks
Once again, I must take issue with a frequent letter-writer whom I consider to be a “super-Trumper.”
In his last missive to your publication, he urged all Republicans to vote in the Democratic primary for the weakest candidate on the slate.
Let’s add this to the “dirty tricks” for which his party of choice has become famous.
I also fault the South Carolina legislature for allowing this to happen, since the current law allows open primaries to members of all parties.
If this is what it takes to create an unfair, lopsided primary in South Carolina, all I can say is “shame on you.”
Bob Alberti
Sun City
Playoffs? Playoffs? Baseball striking out
What in the world is going on here? Major League Baseball is thinking about expanding the playoffs?
But on second thought, that might help me.
I’m a Mets fan. It ain’t easy, but somebody has to do it. I follow them religiously until they go 15 games below .500 (usually about mid-April), then I tend to lose interest.
Now, with potentially half the teams making it to postseason, I might be able to stick around until June or so. Even if they ended the season with 62 wins and 100 losses, they still might make it.
Ugh. I think Chicken Little was rightt – he sky is falling.
Dave Duffin
Hilton Head Island
This story was originally published February 21, 2020 at 8:20 AM.