Just registered as a Democrat!

Quote from vaultaddict : That's fine. Would you admit to those views while being interviewed for jury duty?

I hope so. I also hope it isn't held against him/her (as a punishment).

I wonder if pacifism can nullify a juror.

Quote from riznick : I hope so. I also hope it isn't held against him/her (as a punishment). I wonder if pacifism can nullify a juror.

Such a juror would never be seated

My father has been a registered Democrat for .. 40 years now (even though he's a die hard republican). Everytime I asked him why he's a registered democrat, I get the same answer. "Because they won't see me coming". I don't think he votes in the primaries though..

Quote from 124nic8 : Such a juror would never be seated

Someone who doesn't believe in "guilty" verdicts? Judges have been known to punish jurors who make such statements.

What about pacifism?

If the democrats winning the general election is a foregone conclusion, the only way to have your voice heard is in the primary. You are doing the right thing if this is the case.

The Democrats use dead people, fraudulent multiple voting, and oppose voter ID laws so that illegals and others can vote. They will bus total vegetables and illiterate people out and do all but push the button/fill in the bubble for them. This is what our "democracy" has become.

Our two-party system really limits competition. If you are stuck in a state of the opposing "color" (red/blue), then people are resorting to things like this. It happens both ways (Dems registering as Reps and vice versa). In some states, Dems can vote in Rep primaries and do so to sway the election much like the OP.

Quote from AlfredoGarcia : Our two-party system really limits competition. If you are stuck in a state of the opposing "color" (red/blue), then people are resorting to things like this. It happens both ways (Dems registering as Reps and vice versa). .

In other words, if one cannot get one's way honestly, one should be willing to lie. After all, having one's way is the most important thing. Far more important than personal integrity.

Quote from skiman : In other words, if one cannot get one's way honestly, one should be willing to lie. After all, having one's way is the most important thing. Far more important than personal integrity.

Not exactly. In cases where one party has a lock on power then the primary becomes the only race that maters. For example, if you live in a town that will always vote purple and you are a registered green then a vote for the green representative is a vote that will go nowhere. However, if you sign up for the purple party then you at least have a chance to decide which of the two purple candidates you would prefer. Also, this might reduce the oft cited issue where candidates try to be the most purple or the most green during the primaries to win the vote of the party faithful but then are forced to be centrist to get cross over voters.

Years back I did this to get an embarrassment of a congress critter out of office. I think the critter was going to lose anyway after a national level embarrassment but just in case I voted in the election that decided the new critter vs the one that would decide the runner up.

Quote from dealgate : There is a movement in MD to register as Democrats to vote out the incumbents that are voting for gun bans in the MD senate. The purpose is only to vote in the Democratic primaries for the "other" candidate. We have several thousand people that are committed to do this. These races are frequently won by thousands if not hundreds of votes. Might not amount to anything, but I don't vote in the primary anyway being a Libertarian, so I figure it couldn't hurt! Anyone else ever try this? Now if you'll excuse me, I need shower!

Operation Chaos [wikipedia.org]

Quote : In late February 2008, Limbaugh announced "Operation Chaos," a political call to action with the initial plan to have voters of the Republican Party temporarily cross over to vote in the Democratic primary and vote for Hillary Clinton, who at the time was in the midst of losing eleven straight primary contests to Barack Obama. Limbaugh has also cited the open primary process in the early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, which allowed independent voters to cross over into the Republican primaries to choose John McCain over more conservative candidates (such as Fred Thompson), as an inspiration. At the point in which Limbaugh announced his gambit, Obama had seemed on the verge of clinching the Democratic nomination.[100] However, Clinton subsequently won the Ohio primary and the Texas primary (while losing the Texas caucus and the overall delegate split) with large pluralities from rural counties; thus reemerging as a competitive opponent in the race.[101]

Quote from onscreen : Not exactly. In cases where one party has a lock on power then the primary becomes the only race that maters. For example, if you live in a town that will always vote purple and you are a registered green then a vote for the green representative is a vote that will go nowhere. However, if you sign up for the purple party then you at least have a chance to decide which of the two purple candidates you would prefer. Also, this might reduce the oft cited issue where candidates try to be the most purple or the most green during the primaries to win the vote of the party faithful but then are forced to be centrist to get cross over voters. Years back I did this to get an embarrassment of a congress critter out of office. I think the critter was going to lose anyway after a national level embarrassment but just in case I voted in the election that decided the new critter vs the one that would decide the runner up.

You're simply justifying the lie as a practical necessity. I already understand that it is sometimes easier to lie than to achieve results through honest action.

To my mind, the correct course of action is to persuade and influence to the best of one's ability, rather than try to monkey-wrench the democratic process through misrepresentation of oneself and one's affiliation.

If the voters are not honest, I hardly think they have room to complain about politicians that say one thing and then do another. After all, that's the practical solution to gaining power and influence.

Quote from skiman : You're simply justifying the lie as a practical necessity. I already understand that it is sometimes easier to lie than to achieve results through honest action. To my mind, the correct course of action is to persuade and influence to the best of one's ability, rather than try to monkey-wrench the democratic process through misrepresentation of oneself and one's affiliation. If the voters are not honest, I hardly think they have room to complain about politicians that say one thing and then do another. After all, that's the practical solution to gaining power and influence.

I see no reason why it is a lie. It has real limitations as well. For example, if I want to vote in the purple presidential primary but I care about my local sheriff's election. The sheriff's office will always go to the green party in this county. Well in some states you can not vote in both primaries thus you are forced to chose which election is more important to you. I find that to be a big problem. So long as we are forced to pick one primary or the other then I see absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be able to switch over and vote in the election that maters. To say I can't is to disenfranchise my vote. BTW, you understand this isn't something that would happen in anything but extreme circumstances where one party has a monopoly on office. Take the 2016 Presidential election. Both parties have to run a new candidates. We can assume that it will probably be reasonable close in November and if we assume each party has say 2 front runners for the party then it would be dumb to cross over since voters for each party are going to be very concerned about their own party's nominee. A vote spent trying to get the less desirable green candidate means no opportunity for pick the "best" purple guy. On the other hand, if you know green will win a congressional seat even if green runs an idiot then it's in your own best interest to vote in the green primary for the best candidate since that candidate will be your congress critter even if you are a life long purple.

Nothing dishonest about it. It's a reflection of the realities of a flawed system.

Quote from onscreen : I see no reason why it is a lie.

Look, it's pretty simple. If you declare yourself a Democrat, yet do not share the broad values of the platform, you are not, in truth, a Democrat.

Rather like claiming to be of a certain faith or belief if one thinks that it will improves the odds of landing the churchy girl down the street. You're not going to be prosecuted, but you've certainly been dishonest.

You might feel that dishonesty is the best way to get what you want in this particular circumstance. And it may be that this is true. We must each decide the price of our integrity.

Now they will let you vote twice.

Quote from Rebound : Absolutely disgusting. No respect for democracy at all.

I wish you could insert hysterical laughing. I can't see how you can say that, a bit hypocritical isn't it?

Ha ha ha! I just got 8 more people to switch! And all 8 vowed to spread the word to others. I really think we can exercise our rights and upset the apple cart and spoil some of the entrenched incumbents! I am very happy at how this strategy is working out. If we can even get one incumbent thrown out of office it will scare the rest into considering the desires of the disenfranchised not-so-left voters. I don't see any reason to ever register under anything other than your enemy's party. I look forward to the Democrat primaries!

And just as the cherry on the top, I am having SO much fun telling my Democrat "acquaintances" about the plan. I haven't felt this good about something in a long time.

WOO HOO!