Stifling Voices
One week ago, Michigan businessman Perry Johnson suspended his presidential campaign and a few days later, announced his endorsement of Donald Trump.
Yesterday, radio and television host Larry Elder ended his presidential campaign, and also announced his endorsement of Donald Trump.
The two men’s backgrounds could not have been more different. And their key issues were also somewhat different, although each was concerned about out of control government spending.
But they shared a common complaint that they correctly say led in part to an early departure from the race—the refusal of the Republican National Committee to let them on the stage for any debates.
Johnson’s case was especially egregious, because the RNC had agreed that he met their designated—though silly—thresholds for the first debate, only to rescind that in a late-night telephone call less than 48 hours before the event.
I was never one of the cool kids growing up, and certainly never part of the “in crowd”…but it seems like those at the RNC are far more concerned about being cool and powerful, so they are ruining the deliberative process.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has pointed this out, this week questioning why there are no debates scheduled for Iowa or New Hampshire…the first two states in the process. Great point, since annual forums in Iowa were part of the long-standing tradition and often yielded a great deal of information.
But now it’s more about rules reminiscent of game shows than political conversations, and worrying about too many people’s voices being heard in a rush to narrow the field months before any citizens actually get to weigh in.
Or maybe it’s the wrong voices being heard, the ones who run contrary to their narrative.
Either way, it’s no way to handle things. But just like the cool kids holding on to the best tables in the school lunchroom, good luck getting those with power to change any time soon.
