1/04/2005
Minority rules
Florida went to a winner-take-all primary system in 2002 to help Jeb Bush cruise to reelection. Election supervisors went along because it would be cheaper and less work not to have set up the equipment again just for luxury making people get 50 percent of the vote to win.
We're supposed to go back to the old system but elections chiefs are objecting Allowing people to take office with 40 percent of the vote is just fine with them. Determining the will of the majority is too time consuming and expensive, they argue.
And, as it works out, winner-take-all primaries work excellently with the Rovian strategy of division and wedge-issue. The combination of gerrymandered districts and winner take-all-primaries means moderates, swing voters and independents don't need to count for squat.
We're supposed to go back to the old system but elections chiefs are objecting Allowing people to take office with 40 percent of the vote is just fine with them. Determining the will of the majority is too time consuming and expensive, they argue.
And, as it works out, winner-take-all primaries work excellently with the Rovian strategy of division and wedge-issue. The combination of gerrymandered districts and winner take-all-primaries means moderates, swing voters and independents don't need to count for squat.
