Why do Republicans reject our 'democracy?'

At its recent convention in Spokane, the Republican Party’s endorsement committee removed gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird’s name from consideration due to Mr. Bird’s failure to disclose a prior federal conviction for bank larceny. This action by the state committee resulted in such a chaotic uproar from the Bird supporters in attendance that the committee removed the governor’s endorsement entirely from consideration. Once again, Bird’s supporters vociferously objected. As a result, former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, the leading contender in the polls, withdrew his name from consideration and left town.

With Reichert out of contention, the convention delegates overrode the committee’s decision and after allowing an endorsement for governor, granted it to Bird. If you’re wondering why not just endorse Reichert, who has greater financial and voter support and electoral experience, the answer may lie in his lackluster support for Donald Trump, who himself is facing two judgments in a civil fraud case and in a defamation and sexual abuse case as well as numerous criminal charges.

The Reichert/Bird rift might seem like the main event, but the crafting of the state GOP platform is where the action was. Despite our country passing the 17th Amendment in 1913 which calls for the direct election of U.S. senators, the Washington GOP now is calling for the election of senators by the state legislature. The platform also calls for numerous changes to the way we in Washington vote: the elimination of mail-in voting and the return to one-day voting with paper ballots and no vote-counting machines or scanners, just counting by hand. Voters would again have to take time off work or obtain child care to vote in person. What has worked so well in our state is rejected by the state GOP.

Interestingly, the convention delegates passed a resolution to eliminate any mention of the word “democracy.” Although this resolution differentiates between a democracy and a republic, it must be remembered that we are a democratic republic where, among other rights, all citizens are entitled to exercise the right to vote.

Finding that “every time the word ‘democracy’ is used favorably it serves to promote the principles of the Democratic Party, the principles of which we ardently oppose,” the delegates resolved “that we support legislation that preserves the republican nature of our government institutions and oppose legislation which makes our nation more ‘democratic’ in nature…” (emphasis added; Resolution 1 reported at documentcloud.org/­documents/24602348-2024-gop-resolutions).

What a strange country we live in now.

Pleasant Ridge resident Rick Shorten has long been a Democratic precinct committee person.