This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Re "GOP backs caucus system" (Tribune, April 14):
Utah's GOP caucus system isn't quite as kooky as the Caucus-race in Alice in Wonderland, but it's starting to remind me of it. More intriguingly, it's manifestly un-American.
Only politicians convinced that only their voices should have opportunity to be heard (in what the rest of us thought was a democracy) can view Utah's GOP caucus as anything other than denying the central principle of democracy: the right to vote.
I used to think the GOP powers that be were just oblivious to the oligarchic exclusivity of their caucus system. Their recent vote made clear they've thought about it, and are officially against allowing certain people to participate.
As registered independent, I'm seriously considering voting exclusively Democratic — a stupidity I could never be forced into except against a political entity declaring itself, apparently without embarrassment, dedicated to denying Utah citizens the right to determine their leaders.
The GOP State Central Committee (that's starting to sound eerily Soviet-Unionish) are so bent on maintaining political power they see no irony in voting that people should not be able to vote.
Lewis Carroll would love our caucus-race scenario: American politicians who would rather have government exclusively by their representatives than representative government.
Steve Walker
Spanish Fork