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WILD AND CRAZY IDEA: Let Jews Vote?

Not allowing proxies for religious exemptions is like holding the convention on a Sunday morning. Come on, folks... we can do better.

Shaun Kenney

Apr 23

I have this wild and crazy idea.

Don’t think this is too wild or anything. But I have this funny notion that people should be able to participate in our nomination methods regardless of their religious backgrounds.

So if there is a religious reason someone can’t participate on say — Sunday morning, Friday evening, or from sun-up to sundown on Friday-Saturday? We should give them a proxy.

WILD.
INSANE.
NUTS
WHO DOES THAT?

Well, Republicans do. Precisely because we are the party of freedom, dammit.

Remember when the Democrats booed God at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and how we all were Deeply Shocked and Offended (TM) that the progressive left had slipped so far from their moorings?

Imagine for a moment if the Republican Party of Virginia — in order to exclude Christians — chose to hold the convention on a Sunday morning.

Now obviously, we can’t make exemptions for every sentiment out there. But that’s why God invented proxies (see Malachi 3:1-3).

Obviously there is going to be the concern that if you extend proxies for one person, you extend them for every potential delegate pre-file. Which means that a particular campaign could go to their 30,000 delegates and urge them to vote by proxy. Which means someone else would have to get off the couch on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and vote on their behalf (just as one might in a convention).

But what’s the matter with a proxy after all?

Nothing at all. We would allow it in a convention; why not allow a proxy in an unassembled convention?

Kirk Cox @kirkcoxforva

I'm disappointed that the SCC didn't work to accommodate the Orthodox Jewish community. Religious freedom is integral to who we are -- Virginians should not have to choose between practicing their faith and participating in our democracy.

Ben Paviour @BPaves

An update on this: https://t.co/5jd5CJEuDE https://t.co/2GQ9ZtswTo

Of course, the media has “pounced” on the idea that the Republican Party of Virginia — bedeviled with accusations of the alt-right in our midst — is now showing its true colors. Never mind that a majority of State Central Committee did indeed vote to allow vote-by-proxy; the body required 3/4ths to amend the call.

So it strikes the causal observer that this concern could have been (and should have been) ironed out two weeks ago. Or two months ago. Or six months ago when RPV State Central started doing this.

That’s not to suggest that folks are throwing bombs at the last minute hoping to abort the process and turn the nomination contest over to State Central. I would never cast such dispersio— er, aspersions at any one campaign.

But smart folks can see this for what it is.

Just give folks the ability to vote by proxy and be done with it.

Meanwhile on the left…

The Democrats are trying to out-abortion one another by chasing after the coveted Emily’s List PAC endorsement.

Queen of the Dead Baby Mountain goes to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carroll-Foy, who seems to be awash in both progressive funder and Clean Virginia PAC founder Michael “Rubles” Bills money and Emily’s List’s blood money.

For an movement founded by a eugenicist, Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry sure do seem eager to find candidates that will allow them to get back to their knife work in minority communities.

Guess what the press is talking about instead?

Us.

Shaun Kenney is the editor of The Republican Standard, former chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Fluvanna County, and a former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia.