NYCer's-What's the story behind the initiative to end Political Primaries?

[VolcanoJen]

Just read this article in the Washington Post online edition... it's disturbing, and I didn't realize this was going on. Why is Bloomberg intent on ending the two-party system in New York City? Is this a sign of Republican antics-to-come?

Is the initiative to end "political" primaries likely to pass? Would you clue us in as to the current status of the issue? This is the first I've heard of this issue, out here in the "heartland."

New York Proposes to Leave Primaries Behind

Excerpt:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R) has taken a few million of his own dollars and placed an initiative on Tuesday's ballot that would ban partisan elections in the city. The mayor, a lifelong Democrat who registered as a Republican months before running for mayor, speaks of party politics as a vestige of less enlightened times. "We have seen scandal after scandal . . . of parties taking away the public's choice," he said recently.

Under Bloomberg's proposal, a September primary would be open to all candidates. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, would face off in a November general election. Supporters say this will ratchet open the political system and boost turnout, which has fallen to microscopic levels.

"Turnout is pitiful; politics has become a semi-private affair," said Fred Siegel, a historian and member of the charter revision commission that recommended the initiative sought by the mayor. "The role of political parties is to kick people off the ballot."

Former mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a Republican, endorsed the proposal this week, saying it would free voters from "the grips of excessively partisan politics."

[lcordero]

1. The Repukes won't be able to have somebody like

Mark Green or Andrew Cuomo wrecking our primaries and our elections all the time (since the same trick only works so many times) so they want to be able to sneak more repukes into office.

[VolcanoJen]

2. Any word on whether this outrageous measure will pass, lcordero?

I mean, seriously, undermining the two-party system is pretty damned outrageous. Are they any actual Democrats endorsing this proposal, or just big-gun Republicans like Bloomberg and Giuliani?

[RandomUser]

5. Depends on two wildcards.

Bloomberg and Guiliani.

First of all, this primary stuff, and scrapping partisan elections is pretty esoteric to most people. The concept being proposed to replace the current system does not lend it self well to concise explanations to laypeople. Thus, people will likely vote on it based on two factors. People will not be voting on this initiative based on their feelings on it, but rather on their feelings towards two people.

1) Bloomberg -- The more people who find out that he's behind it, the more they oppose it because they don't like him. He's not very popular.

2) Guilianit -- The more people who find out that he's behind it, the more they support it because they like him.

Thus, how someone votes will be governed by whether they know Bloomberg and Guiliani are behind it, and by which emotion is ascendant in them -- their dislike of Bloomberg competing with their admiration for Guiliani.

To cause it to fail, one should play up Bloomberg's involvement, and ignore Guiliani. To cause it to succeed, one should play up Guiliani's involvement, and ignore Bloomberg.

Right now, I think it's too uncertain to say, and it's not an issue most people pay much attention to. It'll be decided on a whim when someone enters the voting booth and weigh their love of Guiliani against their hate of Bloomberg.

If it passes, NYC elections will be modeled after the California recall -- an open field where everyone can run, without the two party system. You can have multiple Dems and Republicans and Greens and independents running in the same primary, on more or less equal footing. Whoever splits their constituencies the most will lose.

[VolcanoJen]

6. Thank you so much, RandomUser.

So, are Bloomberg and Guiliani each actively campaigning, and appearing in ads, for the issue?

Your angle is fascinating. Thanks for giving me a little hope that the measure might fail, as people split their souls between the two "face-guys" of the initiative. Bloomberg-hate seems rampant, and I don't live anywhere near NYC.

Thanks again for giving us the real-world explanation!!

[lcordero]

8. I wouldn't bet on Giuliani being all that popular

The "play by play" given by the newspapers about his personal life was really telling and made him out to look like a hypocrite for criticizing Clinton.

[lcordero]

7. I don't know if it's going to pass

I think that it's a bad idea though.
There is a very large minority population in NY. From what I have seen, minorities vote against Republicans because we think that they are closet racists.
A political party that shows racism and sexism in their policies isn't going to last long in NY of all places.
The Repukes are pretty much on their way out since they are having friction with a good number of the worker unions here.

BTW...Giuliani handed Bloomberg a shit sandwich. I don't think that Bloomberg is getting a fair shake. I kind of liked how Bloomberg created a list (of Republicans) that haven't been friendly to the interests of New Yorkers:D

I don't agree with him on everything but I feel that he has been giving it his best.

[alexwcovington]

3. Shouldn't it be NYCitizens?

Just some grammar checking. :P

[VolcanoJen]

4. Sigh... if only subject lines could be longer...

... I'm just workin' with what they give me, alexwconvington. It's tough to fashion a sexed-up subject line in 75 characters or less.

:P

[mikehiggins]

9. What primaries?

I hate to be on the side of Rudy or Mike but I think this isn't such a bad idea. I've been involved in a lot of primaries in NYC and the way they work is to entrench the pros. Period.

Bloomberg's idea would shake up the Democratic Party in all five boroughs, but I don't see it delivering any more GOP victories than the present system does(n't). In many cases, both top vote getters in the primary will be Democrats and, if the elections are not run as Dems vs GOPers the wider Democratic organisation will prevail.

I really can't imagine what these guys have in mind to push something like this.