Major parties lack respect for state voters

With the recent ruling by federal Judge Thomas Zilly, the will of voters was once again overturned in the name of partisan political power. If it were not previously apparent, the three major parties in this state do not care about the opinions of those they represent in government, and only harbour a neverending urge to exert their control and their polar agendas on the populace, regardless of public opinion.

Last fall, while the state was embroiled in the closest gubernatorial race in state history, Initiative 872 was easily passed with 60% of voters approving, throwing out the unpopular partisan "Modified Montana" primary and instituting an open primary system similar in nature to both the "unconstitutional" Blanket primary and the runoff system used in Louisiana. While partisans on both sides labeled the opposition "sore losers" during the gubernatorial election, party heads Paul Berendt and Chris Vance began to buddy-up to sue the state to overturn the recently-passed primary. The saddest part of all is that the Libertarian Party also took part in the liberty-limiting lawsuit, seemingly contrary to their ideological creed's call for personal choice above all else (except, apparently, in the matter of infringing on their right to have complete control over who will carry their party's 2% in the next election).

As one of the 60% of state voters who sought the right to choose person over party on their primary ballot, I am quickly growing tired of having every major political party in this state not care about the will of myself and other voters, especially when there are major political figures in both major parties who are solid supporters of holding open-primaries. Not surprisingly, it's those at the poles who are opposed, and those are who run the parties.

In future elections, I would urge people to ask their candidates for political office their stance on the future of our state primaries, and be sure to reward those who stand up for you in office, such as Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, Secretary of State Sam Reed, and Attorney General Rob McKenna. Voters here are often much too independent-minded to be forced into partisan little boxes in primary voting, and we need to keep trying to hold onto our open primary opportunities, no matter how often big government takes it away in the name of securing their own power.