This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
I'm not surprised that Sen. Orrin Hatch has come out in support of the Count My Vote initiative. After the expense of packing the caucuses with supporters, it was to be expected.
Does anyone seriously believe that if Bob Bennett had won his Senate race, that the mainstream Republicans would be this concerned with the rights of primary voters? They didn't seem to worry about disenfranchised voters until one of their own was affected. Suddenly, the prospect of an upstart candidate without tons of money or name recognition actually having a chance to compete in an election has them fearing for "rights."
The only fear they have is losing their grip on the reins of power. By going to a primary system, they can cut off grass-roots candidates by making the races too expensive for anyone not approved by the party or not rich enough to compete.
Once again the mainstream Republican party has taken a cue from the left, namely that calling something a "right" automatically makes many Americans support it, whether it deserves support or not.
Charles Fausett
Price