8 ms·

Actually, in several states the two-party system is baked pretty deeply into the state-level laws. Pennsylvania, for example, has a primary system where one has

Actually, in several states the two-party system is baked pretty deeply into the state-level laws. Pennsylvania, for example, has a primary system where one has to declare whether one is Democrat, Republican, or Independent, and then must vote on the ballot corresponding to that declaration (with the Independent ballot holding only referendum questions and not any input into the primary process). Those elections use the state's voting machines and vote security infrastructure. That's functionally equivalent to being state-funded, even if the funding is in terms of human-power and machine use donation and not cash.

dmschulman 10y ago
That's a bit of a stretch to reach the conclusion the DNC and RNC are "state funded". Poll workers are volunteers, the machines are bought with taxpayer money but they are used for multiple types elections (from state to federal).
- fixermark 10y ago
  Not all poll workers are volunteers. I'm a majority inspector; I'm state-paid. I'm required to show up for the primaries.
  - dmschulman 10y ago
    But you're not a federal employee, that isn't your full time job. That's a responsibility you volunteered to take on, the fact that you get compensated for your time every time there's a primary vote doesn't imply you're an agent of the state, it's not a "functional equivalent".
    - fixermark 10y ago
      The fact that I'm compensated means I am not a volunteer. In fact, I'm an elected official. It isn't my full-time job, but that's irrelevant. The state pays me to assist with the operations of the taxpayer-purchased-and-funded voting machines for the purpose of executing both the Democrat and Republican primary elections (and no other primary elections) on PA primary day. I don't know how that can be not "state-funded."
jamespo 10y ago
It's not "functionally equivalent" at all
eli 10y ago
Don't be silly. The DNC is not taxpayer funded, the primary election system that all major parties have access to is. The DNC is funded by non-tax-deductible donations. I drive to work on government supplied roads, but that doesn't mean you have a moral or legal right to hack my company email.

dmschulman 10y ago

That's a bit of a stretch to reach the conclusion the DNC and RNC are "state funded". Poll workers are volunteers, the machines are bought with taxpayer money but they are used for multiple types elections (from state to federal).

fixermark 10y ago
Not all poll workers are volunteers. I'm a majority inspector; I'm state-paid. I'm required to show up for the primaries.
- dmschulman 10y ago
  But you're not a federal employee, that isn't your full time job. That's a responsibility you volunteered to take on, the fact that you get compensated for your time every time there's a primary vote doesn't imply you're an agent of the state, it's not a "functional equivalent".
  - fixermark 10y ago
    The fact that I'm compensated means I am not a volunteer. In fact, I'm an elected official. It isn't my full-time job, but that's irrelevant. The state pays me to assist with the operations of the taxpayer-purchased-and-funded voting machines for the purpose of executing both the Democrat and Republican primary elections (and no other primary elections) on PA primary day. I don't know how that can be not "state-funded."

jamespo 10y ago

It's not "functionally equivalent" at all

eli 10y ago

Don't be silly. The DNC is not taxpayer funded, the primary election system that all major parties have access to is. The DNC is funded by non-tax-deductible donations. I drive to work on government supplied roads, but that doesn't mean you have a moral or legal right to hack my company email.