The Illinois GOP is an Aristocracy

The Illinois Republican Party’s Central Committee met this week and enacted some changes to their policies and procedures. Most galling is a decision to minimize the need for primaries. The elite members of the party have decided that primaries are an unnecessary waste of resources which drain almighty campaign funds needed for general elections. From this point forward, unelected and unaccountable “party leaders” will name their favorite candidate for any office that is coming up for election. Only the anointed will receive the party’s support. The apparent hope is to quash the campaigns of those who have not genuflected at the feet of the chosen few. In a state which has been severely tarnished by corruption, much of it related to insider politics and a blood lust for campaign cash, this development should offend all voters. What Illinois needs now is more democracy, not less. Why is the GOP afraid of opening up the primary to as many candidates as possible? Do they think we voters cannot be trusted to select the most qualified candidate, regardless of who his political benefactors and donors might be? The two party system has lead to exorbitant tax rates, near socialism and a disenfranchisement of voters. Shame on Andrew McKenna and all the other political power brokers who are so willing to silence the taxpayers in their never ending search for more and more power.