Oh, we’ll probably get into some secondary problems as well. You know me.

If there’s one thing I’ve never understood since I moved here – and it may not have been a thing when I did in the year 2000, because I wasn’t paying as close attention – is the practice of resigning one’s party affiliation before a primary election so that one could vote in the other party’s primary, usually not for, but rather against candidates one doesn’t like.

Or to vote for a less electable candidate in the other party’s primary so that your guy (sorry, it’s just a phrase) has someone easier to run against in the general. Once you reset your party affiliation, that is.

I mean, seriously, who does that?

I really want to believe it’s very few people, but in the insanity that is Colorado politics, I’m beginning to believe it’s becoming increasingly prevalent. Just looking back at previous elections has pretty much convinced me. Because when I look at the “quality” of candidates on ballots, I’m just not impressed.

Maybe it’s because politics in America, since its inception, continues its downward spiral on what our major parties consider “the best of the best.” As Inigo Montoya might say when it comes to “public service” as being the best of the best, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

These candidates now carry about the weight of Grizzy Griswold’s “gold standard” when our elections are filled with graft, grift and gangsters of all kinds, because they are all about power and control, and keeping those two attributes in proper perspective attracts very few good people. As for the “gold standard” Jena, we’re still counting votes in the republican primary for governor, with two out of three sides (one the big loser) saying there’s cheating going on.

But what else would one purport from the party of Peters?

But back to my original point (this is where I’ll get emails saying, “You could have done this whole babbling brook of BS in a couple of paragraphs. But where’s the fun in that, let alone in my talent in abusing alliteration?) of the insanity of allowing democrats to vote in republican primaries or vice versa? Also note, neither party is worthy of a capitalization any longer.

My very simple sampling says (see that?) that it’s democrats doing it way more than republicans. How do I know? They brag about it. I also know most republicans would never vote for someone they despise or think is evil. How do I know that? Personal experience as I exercise that right all the time WITH republicans and as a one-time republican. I bet you didn’t know I’ve gotten votes for president and governor in many elections, did you?

So, if I was self-obsessed like damned near all of our “public servant candidates” I’d include in all my columns some reference of “Craig Hall, who at one time ran (or received votes) for President of The United States” as a lead in to all the knowledge I so gracefully share with my avid and loyal (yes, that’s sarcasm) readership. Except, for the love of my God, I want nothing to do with their kind of “public service.” The only plank I would run for office on would be this: I would work tirelessly so all unconstitutional laws would be rescinded forthwith.

Which makes me unelectable, because that’s about 99 percent of all civil law. And voters who vote for candidates who promise they’ll pass laws for voters’ wishes and demands or to control or cause harm to the kids who picked on them in high school or to assure there are no consequences for their actions would want nothing to do with a candidate who runs on freedom and personal responsibility.

Then again, these voters also resign party affiliation and vote crossover in primaries.

Which brings us back to republican insanity. I’m convinced it’s democrats doing this primary political poppycock way more than republicans. The only question that remains is why do republicans allow it? I once had the local party chairman of our republican politburo tell me the party was just fine with this because: More participation? Maybe he had a point. It just made Victor Marx (for the love of all that is holy, THAT’S what you changed your name to, to get INTO politics?) a primary winner, because there aren’t enough republicans who’d vote for the Jim and Tammy Faye road show (notice I didn’t say debating) if the primary was closed. Fact is, Barb wins, even though Scott won at the convention? Make it make sense.

Yeah, it’s the crossovers. Or in the case of the one at the Bottoms, the terrible Tina effect.

Speaking of candidates, the love child of Carrot Top and Napoleon Dynamite would never win nomination for secretary of state unless unopposed. The only place his videos would attract attention is the faculty lounge with the snapping of fingers from the beret-wearing beatniks. And I’d be remiss to not mention our local candidate with a bias for red ties and turning points, who I am sure democrats put over the top over a much more qualified opponent to elect ineffectiveness to office. Because any republican candidate who can fog a mirror would win in 54, even ones where the fogging is their greatest accomplishment.

So maybe it’s a combination of primary poaching and bad candidates for republicans? I think the main lesson for the party I resigned from a few years back with nary a thought to vote democrat in a primary or worse, re-affiliate, is this: democrats are just better at pigpen politics than pitiful republican pontificators. Politics isn’t a reaction sport. It’s an all-out attack, blood sport. And the democrats just want the money, power and control more. At least at the state level, and more and more at the federal level. And occasionally in downtown River City. Thank God our county holds fast.

I mean, they are winning primaries with communists running now. Admit it, you always thought they’d elect communists against bad republican candidates as I did. But the commies are now using the democrats own primary tactics against them. I’d slather joyfully in that irony if it wasn’t for how it will destroy freedom and our country.

So here we are with perhaps the primary over as of this printing – although maybe not – with republican candidates at the state level poised for disappointment in the general election no matter how many prayers Victor’s supporters demand to their god who would only vote for Victor (as if God has, or wanted, a vote) or selfie videos from flameout boy, all while an avowed, America-hating communist wins in downtown Denver.

I’ll agree on one point from the vociferous Vic voices. We need prayer. For the country, not its “leaders.” I know I’ll hear it on that one. But I mean it in the sense of the people, not the self-imposed elected betters. And for republicans and, prayerfully, democrats, apparently better candidates. I mean, now that we’re electing open communists above crazy progressives and feckless republicans, Colorado, and our nation, are indeed on the brink.

Fact is, crossing over parties during primaries is simply greasing the tracks even more. Because if there’s one thing I know about politics above all else, it will never solve our nation’s ills no matter which candidate, or party, you vote for.

And that’s truly America’s primary problem with politics.

In Truth and freedom.]

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com