Stupid is as Stupid Does

Just a quick hit. Ron, over at Middle Earth Journal (yes I will read an intelligent, reasonable "progressive" blog and MEJ is both intelligent and reasonable) points to an article that should make everyone cringe.

If you're planning to vote in Virginia's February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty.
The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request to require all who apply for a GOP primary ballot first vow in writing that they'll vote for the party's presidential nominee next fall.

Now I do understand why they are doing this - there have been too many demonstrable cases of party crossing during the primaries - in order to screw up the other side. However, this is B.S. in a number of ways. First and foremost though is the fact that I reserve the right to vote for the candidate of my choice - party loyalty be damned! I am a principles first conservative and if this party puts up another big spending George W. Bush clone, I will vote my principles!

Now thankfully the Commonwealth of Virginia makes the enforcement of this oath moot. However the utter stupidity that is shown by the Virginia Republican Party is something that needs to be exposed for the world to see.

No Ron, it is not a "Republican thing"...it is a stupid thing!

UPDATE! Scott over at Reach Upward (yes I am reading Utah blogs now - I'm trying to familiarize myself with politics out there before I move...) brings up something that could be the reason for the "vow".

Ron Paul has raised eyebrows with his fundraising, but he seems incapable of drawing much support from likely GOP primary voters. There is some truth to his
supporters’ claims that the polls are skewed because much of Paul’s support is coming from people newly registering as Republicans to vote for him, so that they are underrepresented in polling that focuses on traditional GOP primary voters. But even correcting for this would not significantly raise Paul in the polls. His support is deep, but not broad. And broad support is what will be needed to prevail in next year’s GOP primaries.

There has been much proof of the Ron Paul supporters "gaming" internet polls and it is well known that a lot of Congressman Paul's financial support is coming from people who had previously supported more "liberal" candidates. It is entirely possible that the "reason" for the vow is to make sure that the Ronbots don't game the primary! It's a stretch - but something to consider.