Letter to the editor: Keep Pa.'s primary as is

I have two issues.

The first issue is that the primary election’s job is to select a party’s candidate for the general election. This is solely the prerogative of those in that party’s body of voters. This is not for nonparty voters to decide, or, for that matter, have any effect at all. If the party wants to nominate a far left or right candidate, that is their business to do so. Allowing others to vote can and has helped to dilute the influence of regular party members. If someone wants to have party influence, all they have to do is join that party. It is free and easy to do, so why not do it?

The second issue is that of having political parties in the first place. That reason is to give people of like minds on the public issues of the day a way to form a cohesive group that is trying to have influence over any public issue or policy. The fact that we have two major parties is actually a benefit. If you want to see how we would govern ourselves with multiple parties, just look to Europe, especially Italy and France, to see how numerous parties within their legislatures try to govern. When their parliaments are seated, the first thing they do is decide who is actually in charge. This usually requires many groups jockeying for position and influence, and nothing gets done.

Tom Portante

O’Hara