Oklahoma Democrats Calling Out To Independents

Democrats Meet To Ratify Change To Open Primaries In Oklahoma

  The long history of Oklahoma's Democrat Party has plunged to yet new lows in the wake of recent Republican landslides and the Democrats' own socialist national leadership.

 To combat the bleak outlook for old Democrats, there is a new idea being floated this weekend at the Oklahoma Democrat Convention. Delegates are asked to approve a landmark policy change which will let non-aligned voters have equal voting power with Democrat party regulars. Independent voters will get to vote in Democrat primary races without having to associate themselves to the Democrat platform or aims.

  This is akin to letting non-union employees vote in union elections. or letting folks who don't attend church, vote for the next church leadership, or letting folks outside the neighborhood vote in the next home owners' association meetings.

Why are they doing this?

  Some explain that this would invite voters back into the Democrat party. Others explain that this is an 'open borders' mindset which panders a gift of inclusion to independent voters. 

Will it hurt the Republican Party? 

  Some believe this will aid to make the Republicans look too exclusionary and prejudiced. Democrats hope that is the outcome. Some believe this will create an early bond of affinity of independents for the chosen Democrat nominee. That might be possible. Yet it assumes that an independent voter was really a Democrat at heart, but just hates being labeled as such. That may be especially true if the voter had been Democrat but reregistered independent as a protest against the National Democrat Party's platform. There are many Oklahoma voters who fit that scenario. But that voter would probably voted Democrat in the general election regardless of this policy.
  The biggest problem for the Democrats in Oklahoma is their radical party leadership. I spoke last spring with the Tulsa County Democrat Chairman. He said; 

"I really hope Oklahoma moves back their presidential primary election. Most Oklahoma registered Democrats are really Republicans at heart but they just never bothered to re-register."

 He went on to say;

 "I don't want Oklahoma Democrats having a significant impact on the Democrat presidential nomination, because they will likely support a moderate like Hillary Clinton, and I'm more of an east coast Democrat who wants a more progressive candidate than a Clinton."

Will it Help The Democrat Party

"..Most Oklahoma registered Democrats are really Republicans at heart but they just never bothered to re-register."

  The new proposal will not completely let Independents participate. Only Registered Democrats are allowed to file as candidates for partisan primary elections. The proposal runs the risk of embittering party faithful who feel their preferred candidate lost because non-party-members swayed the election. Many Republicans currently complain that New Hampshire and South Carolina should not be given protected early dates in presidential primary calendars because those state Republican parties let Independent voters sway Republican outcomes. And those state election outcomes heavily impact entire national campaigns. If it weren't for those anomalies John McCain would never have attained the RNC nomination in 2008.

Democrats still floundering

" I didn't leave the Democrat Party.  The Democrat Party left me." ~Ronald Reagan

  The Oklahoma Democrat party is in disarray and has been for years. The big labor union money has dried up. Only the tribal money of Oklahoma has really impacted state elections. But the tribes only dump real money into elections when they have a major issue at stake. In 1990 they wanted Indian Bingo, so they got David Walters elected. In 2002 they wanted full-fledged casinos so they got Brad Henry elected. 

  Trial Lawyers have significantly switched their financial backing toward the Republicans. They even hire Republicans as lobbyists. The net result of all this is to further empower the radicals of the left as the new and radical voice of Oklahoma's Democrats. And that is largely responsible for many sensible people leaving the party their grandparents used to stand by.
   Ronald Reagan said many years ago; "I didn't leave the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party left me."

David Van Risseghem