Primaries Underscore Crisis of U.S. Electoral System
The primary season for the U.S. elections has begun, with the Iowa
caucus held January 15, New Hampshire's January 23, South Carolina's
Democratic primary held on February 3, and the Republican will be
on February 24. Nevada had a "preferential primary" February 6 and
Republican caucus February 8,
and Michigan's primary is February 27. California is now part of Super
Tuesday, March 5, along with Texas, two of the largest states.
Primaries mainly involve the election of delegates to the Democratic
and Republican national conventions this summer that nominate
presidential candidates. Delegates
are generally allotted according to the vote.
Super Tuesday, involving 16 states, was created so a large number of states vote earlier and on the same day. This year it involves one-third of delegates to the national conventions so effectively the campaign is practically over, and funding and attention can go to the November general election.
While giving the appearance that voters are deciding, instead the set-up guarantees selection by the rich while all sorts of divisions and diversions are imposed, often using disinformation. Disinformation diverts attention and discussion from alternatives serving the people to false alternatives of the rich.
The primaries give the appearance that the people are choosing the candidates when they are not. What barely gets reported, for example, is that only about 14 per cent of registered Iowa voters participated in the caucus. Trump won about 51 per cent of that vote, meaning about seven per cent. Yet it is promoted as a landslide for Trump and that Iowa voters support Trump. Certainly, the landslide belongs to all those who did not vote, a significant problem for the rulers this election and for the polity as a whole which is endangered when the mass of the people are deprived of a role in affecting outcomes. Similarly, only about four per cent voted in South Carolina's Democratic primary and 15 per cent voted in Nevada's Republican "preferential primary," where the vote for "none of these candidates" won.
After Biden won in New Hampshire, the headlines read "Biden Cements Nomination," and for Trump, "New Hampshire Proves How Strong Trump Is." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out afterward. Leaving, after 13 candidates started, only Nikki Haley of South Carolina still challenging Trump.
New Hampshire and Iowa represent about one per cent of eligible voters. Yet through actions by the cartel parties -- information consistently left out of election reporting -- the two candidates most hated are set to be the presidential nominees. What kind of democracy ensures two of the most despised candidates are selected? What kind of democracy blocks the stand of the majority against the crime of genocide and instead ensures the president's police powers can be used for sending Israel more weapons for more genocide? While these two are the best champions the rulers can come up with, having them will do little to counter the people's broad dissatisfaction with government and elections. Elections are also supposed to resolve conflicts among the rulers to prevent civil war, but instead these factional fights are intensifying.
Biden
has rightly earned the name Genocide Joe and there is deepening anger
against his refusal to stop the genocide in Gaza and support a
ceasefire. Many organizations, some former supporters, are promoting
the stand, "No Ceasefire, No Votes." Young people especially, who make
up about 40 per
cent of those who vote, are saying they refuse to vote for either Trump
or Biden.
The primaries, with massive media disinformation, are designed to draw everyone in and divert discussion to pro and con debates about the candidates. We are not to look at alternatives that empower the people to decide elections from start to finish. Discussion, debate, meetings large and small are needed to consider the alternative of new arrangements that guarantee the anti-war, pro-social stands of the people and their demands for rights, accountability and an end to genocide.
This article was published in
Volume 54 Number 13 - February 23, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54133.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca